Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
July 20, 2017 4:32 p.m.
At their July 18, 2017 Regular Meeting, the Fernandina Beach City Commission unanimously passed 3 resolutions concerning beach renourishment. The city agreed to provide continuing support for the Nassau County Shore protection project, to continue serving as the local sponsor of the project and to provide the local cost share. The city approved the Project Cooperation Agreement with the Department of the Army. The city also approved an amendment to the capital improvement fund budget for beach renourishment funding.
But it looks like the city will not be on the hook for funding for this cycle of beach renourishment, thanks to a decision of the Amelia Island Tourist Development Council (AITDC) to pay the county’s and the city’s share.
AITDC Managing Director Gil Langley reported that the AITDC held a special meeting on July 20, 2017 to discuss the upcoming Nassau County Shore Protection Project. In a July 7 letter to Dale Martin, the Corps of Engineers estimated that the non-federal share at $1.6 million. The letter also requires that amount be paid by August 1, 2017.
In a July 11 letter to County Manager Shanea Jones, City Manager Martin noted that the local share would be $736,000 (state; 46%) and $432,000 each from Fernandina Beach and Nassau County (27%). Mr. Martin said he expected funds collected from the MSTU would be utilized to defray the city and county costs (approximate reduction of $150,000 each).
In his letter, Mr. Martin requested that the Nassau Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) continue its financial support and participation at the previously demonstrated proportion of 27% of the local funding requirement.
Langley wrote, “One of the longtime goals of the BOCC and AITDC was to find a stable funding source for beach renourishment. The result was the MSTU, which was designed to accumulate over a five-year period and at that time be available to fund 100% of the local match. The BOCC expressed a desire to keep the MSTU whole and asked the AITDC to explore funding options from the tourist development tax.
“Building a large reserve for beach renourishment or emergency restoration following a catastrophic storm has been a long time goal of the AITDC. That strategy allowed the AITDC to provide $1 million in bed tax revenue for post Hurricane Matthew cleanup. Fortunately, those contracted services YTD total approximately $427,000, most of which we anticipate will be refunded by FDEP.”
By releasing the remaining encumbered funds, the AITDC will have a total of $897,405 available this FY to assist with funding the current renourishment project. After discussion, the AITDC voted unanimously to call for fully funding the city of Fernandina Beach and Nassau County local share of $864,000. The motion was made by Mayor Robin Lentz and seconded by Commissioner Tim Poynter, the Fernandina Beach representatives who serve on the AITDC. Including hurricane Matthew activities, beach cleanup, Leave No Trace enforcement, and payment of the local match, the Board of County Commissioners through the AITDC has spent almost $1.5 million on Amelia Island beaches in the past year.
“It has taken almost 10 years for the AITDC to accumulate enough bed tax money in reserve to make this recommendation a financially sound one,” said Gil Langley, managing director of the AITDC. “While other destinations stretched the limits of what’s allowed to be funded by bed taxes, the Nassau County BOCC has encouraged a conservative approach which is now paying dividends.”
The recommendation has been forwarded to the Nassau BOCC, and will be on the agenda for action at next Monday’s meeting. If approved, bed taxes paid by tourists will replace general revenue funding in both the city and county budgets, saving each organization $432,000.
Editor’s Note: Suanne Z. Thamm is a native of Chautauqua County, NY, who moved to Fernandina Beach from Alexandria,VA, in 1994. As a long time city resident and city watcher, she provides interesting insight into the many issues that impact our city. We are grateful for Suanne’s many contributions to the Fernandina Observer.