In July 2020 after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill naming the new Pensacola Bay Bridge in hour of Gen. “Chappie†James, Cris Dosev, who was running for the Florida House, told the daily newspaper that his nonprofit, Gen. Daniel “Chappie” James Memorial Foundation, had recruited a national advisory board to take the fundraising campaign for James memorial to the national level.
PNJ reporter Jim Little quoted Dosev: “We are not looking to just make this a local-area issue. We wanted to make it a national campaign.â€
Dosev estimated the statue would cost more than $500,000. It looks like the fundraising efforts have not gotten anywhere close to raising that amount. When Dosev announced the campaign, the foundation might not have had an active license with the state.
Recently, Dosev and his board has asked the city and county to fund majority of the project – with the City of Pensacola putting up $250,000 and Escambia County $100,000. The fundraising has very much become a “local-area issue.”
At yesterday’s budget hearing, Dosev told the city council his group is seeking private donors for the balance, but he didn’t say how much the nonprofit has raised. According to the Florida Secretary of State, the General Daniel Chappie James Jr Memorial Foundation Inc. went inactive in 2020 and was only reinstated on June 9, 2021.
The group’s website doesn’t post any financial reports. When I wrote my Outtakes two weeks about the people donating to help with fundraising, I called the phone number listed on the website, left a voice message and didn’t receive a call back.
Inweekly supports the memorial but if the taxpayers are going to foot the bill, then maybe the City of Pensacola should take it over.
We have more in this issue – check out this later post.
When this was presented to the board of county commissioners during the renaming of the bridge both Nick and Chris stated it would not cost the tax payers a penny. The funding was going to be 100% donation based. The fact that the county has donated is extremely disturbing after all the todo that Chris Dosev placed while pushing to rename the bridge and disrespecting the family the bridge was named after. Also, the price tag mentioned was $300,000 not $500,000. I also agree with a previous commenter in that we should not put up any statues, anywhere! Spend our tax dollars on something that will be taken down once someone stakes a claim of it being offensive. There is no disrespect to General James nor his family. Perhaps a blue Angel display would be more appropriate in that area. Just Say No!
Not interested in paying for a statute. Not after all the other ones got pulled down.This whole thing was Dosev trying to get the black and veteran vote. Take it out of his funds. One more –the confederate monuments were put up when the south and north were reuniting after the war. See Lincoln’s 2nd inaugural address about binding up the wounds. You know the one before he was assassinated. Chappie was a good role model.– In fact my husband met him and he inspired him to join the army about the time others were burning their draft cards.. Perhaps put a memorial for Gen James in the museum formally known as Wentworth. Pensacola — oldest european settlement hiding history is illogical..Who is the dim bulb behind that? As far as funds — the employee insurance at the county increased 3 million. Pay that before Dosev’s campaign dreams because he didn’t want the bridge named for Gaetz. Note everybody calls it the Pensacola Bay Bridge or 3 mile bridge. He and Gray were mean to P. Beales grandson also.. Just say no.
“but he didn’t say how much the nonprofit has raised.” No one asked.