Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
November 12, 2018 9:00 a.m.
The State of Florida Legislature has asked local governments to provide recommendations for legislative funding priorities for its 2019 regular legislative session. This year at Vice Mayor Kreger’s urging, the Fernandina Beach City Commission (FBCC) formally set state legislative priorities via Resolution. The FBCC will make this an annual activity. Resolution 2018-163, which memorialized the legislative priorities discussed at past Commission meetings, was passed unanimously at the November 7, 2018 Regular Meeting.
The FBCC authorized City Manager Dale Martin to work with the Nassau Legislative Delegation and lobbyist Jacobs Scholz & Associates to pursue state funding for four legislative priorities in the upcoming 2019 Legislative Session:
- The A-6 Stormwater Project (Ash to Elm Streets, 8th Street to Amelia River) = $2,038,584.00;
- Funding for shoreline stabilization projects;
- Installation of dune walkovers with dune restoration, including but not limited to sand fencing, sea oats plantings, especially public beach accesses North 8 and 9; and
- Repeal special law, Laws of Florida, Chapter 67-1379 regarding disposal of City property at the appraised price (reference Section 2-353 City of Fernandina Beach Code of Ordinances).
In presenting these priorities for discussion City Attorney Tammi Bach allowed that the city would in all probability not receive full funding for the A-6 Stormwater Project, but that the city always requests the full amount needed.
The city is requesting the repeal of a special law that requires the city to dispose of city property at its appraised price. Bach said that hampers the city in two regards: it prohibits the city from donating land to a non-profit agency, such as Habitat for Humanity; and does not allow the city to sell land it does not need for more than the appraised price.
Vice Mayor Len Kreger moved passage of the Resolution with Commissioner Phil Chapman quickly seconding. Commissioner Chip Ross asked that the third priority regarding funding for dune walkovers and restoration be removed. He expressed his belief that the first two priorities were more important, that the city’s lobbyist could only concentrate efforts on two priorities, and that there were other ways to handle beach preservation.
Kreger explained that the priority list had to be in the legislators’ hands by mid-November. He said that the third item had been included because his discussions with legislative staffs led him to believe that the state would be more interested in funding such projects in light of the Hurricane Matthew experience in Mexico Beach. “There might be money pushing out in this direction,” Kreger said, “but we’ve got a lot more work to do [refining these priorities].”
Ross tried to amend the motion to strike the third priority, but the City Attorney advised that he could not do so if the maker and seconder of the motion would not agree, and they did not agree.
Bach reported that the city’s lobbyist has to focus on two priorities, which would be the first two on the list. However, she believed that other funding in the form of grants might become available to assist with dune walkovers and beach restoration. Kreger agreed that the first two priorities were highest ranked. Kreger and Chapman agreed to amend their motion to indicate that the items for consideration were listed in priority order.
The Resolution passed unanimously.