A Few Minutes with the Mayor – June 2018

I need to start this column by thanking a couple of people, who through their efforts have made a positive contribution to our city: Donna McMann and Donna Williams, neither of whom lived in Jacksonville.

Donna McMann possessed a beautiful, circa 1880s upright piano which she treated with great care and as a prized possession. The time came when she felt the need to part with it. Instead of selling it, she approached me wondering if the City would like to have it in our New City Hall. Having spent a good deal of my youth in Carnegie Hall and other such venues, the idea of accepting her gift appealed to me instantly. It also seemed like one of those once-in-a-lifetime matches with the piano and the restored New City Hall both first seeing the light of day in the same era… the 1880s. I accepted it on behalf of the City without hesitation.

You may wonder why Donna came to me since she resided in Medford. The answer centers on another one of those unexpected coincidences. Donna is one of those film buffs who began attending my monthly Friday night movie showings a long time ago. That’s how she knew me and knew of the acquisition of the old courthouse and its transformation into New City Hall.

For those of you who have not visited our offices, the piano sits near the front door. It is a Pease piano, built in New York City, with superb craftsmanship and considered in its time to be a high-end quality instrument. Pease pianos were known for their tonal quality and this one is superb in that regard.

So thank you, Donna McMann! Jacksonville is indebted to you.

On May 5 and 6, the Boosters held their highly popular tour of historical residences and buildings in Jacksonville. Included for the first time was a tour of New City Hall. Those who came, and there were many, were in for a real treat. Not only did they see the restored building and the brand new history gallery with remarkably-restored photographs by City Councilor Ken Gregg, but they were entertained by Donna Williams on the newly tuned Pease piano. Donna, and her husband Dave, are members of the choir at the First Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville. Donna plays the piano, not only for the choir, but also for events in the historic church on California Street. She has spent a lifetime in the school system in music education.

Donna volunteered to play the piano during the Boosters home tour both Saturday and Sunday. She prepared for her keyboard performance by researching and collecting music from the turn of the century (the 1890s) through the 1940s. Songs ranged from In the Good Old Summertime to As Time Goes By (from Casablanca). Her keyboard artistry resonated throughout the corridor and tour areas adding a pleasing dimension to the proceedings along the gallery.

So thank you, Donna Williams! Your songs were heard by the hundreds who visited New City Hall, many of whom responded with their appreciation.

In conclusion, I want to add that it is people like our two Donnas, people like the many volunteers who man the trenches to make the City a better place, people in our civic organizations such as the Boosters, the Rotary, and the Garden Club, that make living in Jacksonville a joy.