Main Street America & Main Street Florida Are Coming To Fort White On Thursday (May 15) Mainstreet Fort White Adopts LGBTQ+ Colors
May 14, 2025 9:25 pm | 4 min read | comments
The Main Street logo is bounded by the white background.
Columbia County Observer graphic
FORT WHITE, FL – Despite the tsunami of town turmoil, which has resulted in massive resignations, the Town of Fort White is moving ahead with a celebration of its designation as a Main Street Community on Thursday, May 15. Fort White is the smallest municipal government in America to have earned that designation.
What Is Florida Main Street?
Florida Main Street is a technical assistance program with the goal of revitalizing historic downtowns and encouraging economic development within the context of historic preservation.
Since 1985, Florida Main Street has offered technical assistance to Main Street programs across the state. The program is part of a network of over 40 nationally recognized programs throughout the country. The Division of Historical Resources administers Florida Main Street under the Florida Department of State. The program is affiliated with the National Main Street Center and utilizes the National Main Street Center's Four-Point Approach®, which offers a framework for community-based revitalization initiatives. Read more about Florida Main Street here.
A few months ago, after the Main Street Fort White designation was approved, Main Street Fort White needed to proceed to find an executive director. Fort White Mayor George Jacob Thomas attempted to shoe-horn his brother into the $24,000 a-year position, but his plans were derailed.
The Main Street board instead hired a seasoned professional, Sharon Yeago, to be at the helm. Ms. Yeago has thirty-three years of experience in nonprofit and public sector public relations and grant writing.
Fort White Mainstreet has applied for nonprofit status with the IRS and is expecting to hear back in a few months.
The $24,000 executive salary is in limbo. Initially, the Town of Fort White agreed to pay the executive director salary, but through a series of missteps, it changed its mind.
It is unknown how Main Street Fort White is going to come up with Ms. Yeago’s salary. So far, she has been working without being paid. Ms. Yeago told your reporter, "This is an important project for the Town. I am excited about being involved at the ground-floor level."
A Mainstreet Day Celebration with a background of LGBTQ+ colors
Your reporter inquired of Ms. Yeago about the LGBQT background on the Main Street Fort White logo, as well as the choice of the building on the logo.
Ms. Yeago explained the building was an old school building.
The building is off the beaten path and not on any Fort White main drag, and the Columbia County School District owns it. The Town has not agreed to accept the building, nor are any renovation or use plans available. Ms. Yeago said it represented a “pie in the sky.”
The Fort White Train Depot is the well-known Fort White landmark on a major thoroughfare and a building that the Main Street Fort White project is looking to use as its headquarters. The Fort White Town Council may consider leasing the building to the Main Street Project for $1. While the Fort White Town Council is meeting tomorrow, anything about the lease is not on its agenda.
Leasing at present below the market rate is problematic, particularly because the IRS has not granted Main Street Fort White not-for-profit status.
The Observer has learned that the logo was designed by the folks that own the Collective on US 27 in Fort White: Main Street Project board member Alex Veiga and his partner and significant other, Ruben Laureano. They designed the gay pride colors as the background.
Your reporter inquired of Town Councilwoman Kathryn Terry about the gay pride colors. Ms. Terry said, “It looks like a sunset to me.”
Executive Director Yeago was asked about the colors. She said she had nothing to do with the design of the logo. When asked about the gay pride colors, Ms. Yeago said, “It looks like a sunset to me.
Thursday – Main Street Day in Fort White
According to a press release from Ms. Yeago, the Main Street day (May 15) will begin in the morning when the Main Street Board will meet with representatives for training at the Train Depot on US 27. While there is no invitation for the public, it appears the board, room permitting, will not throw interested people out.
Beginning at 1 pm, the Mainstreet folks will be meeting with the public. At 2 pm, the Main Street folks will be meeting with the Business Owners. Finally, at 3 pm, property owners and developers will be entertained.
It is not clear if the public shows up at any of the three scheduled events, if they will be asked to leave by the state’s people.
The Town Council will be meeting at 6 pm in the town hall, where those who work and couldn't make it to the daytime events will be able to be enlightened by the Town Council, the Main Street Florida folks, and the Main Street Fort White board.
Epilogue
Unfortunately, the blurt-out of uncontrolled Fort White Town Council meetings may make it difficult to understand exactly what is going on.
Late today, the dysfunctional Fort White Mayor and staff updated the Towns' agenda to include the train depot lease and other things.
In typical fashion, there is no notice anywhere that the agenda material has experienced a last minute update.