Hempstead County Bicentennial Committee Meets

By Submitted, 12/10/18 10:27 PM

The Hempstead County Bicentennial Committee met Monday December 10th for their final meeting before the event Saturday. Dennis Ramsey gave a financial report. Keenan and Peggy Williams came in and presented Ramsey with more checks. Williams then gave an update noting all the commemorative knives have been sold and 45 silver coins sold. Williams noted people can purchase coins at the Bicentennial event Saturday. Josh Williams showed off the commemorative booklet for the Bicentennial and detailed the information in the booklet. The booklet will be distributed at the program Saturday at Hempstead Hall and also downtown Saturday. The booklets will be distributed free but donations will be accepted for the booklet. Williams also detailed the parade on Saturday at 1pm. He noted Ben Brazzel is the Chairman of the parade. Persons that wish to have a float can contact Ben Brazzel at 777-6772. The parade will start at the current courthouse and will proceed to Elm Street on 5th Street then follow the Fair Parade route through downtown.
The meeting continued with a report on the time capsule from Judge Morse. Tarona Armstrong gave a report on the events at Hempstead Hall. Armstrong said plans are for the Hempstead Hall program to run between 10am and 11:30am.
Beckie Moore gave a report on the vendors downtown Saturday. She said there will be 22 vendors including 5 food vendors. These range from fried pies to Sheba’s food truck. The vendors will begin at the National Building which will stretch to the East on 2nd Street. The stage will be between the Farmers Bank pavilion and the Picket Fence. There will also be free carriage rides downtown from 4pm to 6pm. John Caldwell will also offer rides in his hay wagon.
Richard Read gave an update on the time capsule and noted a model of the time capsule will be at Hempstead Hall. Read also noted there is $1,600 left in the time capsule account and that money will be donated to the Technical and Industrial Department at UAHT. The committee also agreed that County Judge Haskell Morse will continue on the committee after he leaves office. Read thanked Josh Williams, Keenan Williams, and the rest of the committee for their efforts. He also showed the EAST lab projects that will go in the time capsule. Read noted the last day to get items in the time capsule will be December 31st. The plaque for the time capsule was also discussed.
Mayor Marion Hoosier also talked about how the Mayor’s Association was formed from the Bicentennial Committee.