Submitted by
Gerry Clare
Danny Leeper, Nassau County Commission Chair and Commissioner for District 1, said at a meeting this reporter had with him this week, that there are several important items coming up in future meetings of the Commission that should be of interest to Fernandina Beach residents in particular.
Of course, the budget is the number one priority now and the last commission discussion of this item was reported in an earlier Fernandina Observer report. Some other items of importance to city residents would be funding for non-profits, Council of Aging, the remodeling/expansion of the Fernandina Beach Library, beach driving near Peters Point, animal control (no longer under the Sheriff’s Department), and impact fees.
Leeper is not only chair of the BOCC, but also the Impact Fee Task Force and the Northeast Florida Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), as well as President of the Nassau County Volunteer Center Board of Directors and is involved in numerous other church and community activities.
His attitude regarding the budget is that “ the commission and community need to prioritize the county needs and expense items with an eye to what actions are best for the community and bring about more jobs and money into our county. This is especially true in view of the difficult economic climate at present.”
Commenting on the continued suspension of impact fees, he felt that move helped development and jobs in the county. This was more successful with recent commercial development off the island, which now brings in more tax money and jobs.
With regard to residential development, the slowdown of construction actually helped reduce inventory, which results in higher tax values. However, he noted that CDD (Community Development District) fees paid by new construction in addition to property taxes continue to pay for sub division improvements and maintenance. This is also true for MSBU’s (Municipal Service Benefit Units) paid by and set up for areas such as Amelia Concourse and Amelia Island Plantation for beach re-nourishment.
However, he also feels that the Commission is on the right track and that the proposed budget of about $79 million versus the projected revenues of about $70 million can be addressed using this common sense approach of prioritizing and the one cent tax money returned to the county from the sales tax.
Fernandina residents can go online to check county commission meeting agendas at www.nassaucountyfl.com for upcoming items. Also as in the city, county residents are permitted to comment at the beginning of each meeting by sign-up sheet at the meeting for any concern. If you miss a meeting, you can also find “live-streaming” online as well.
At the county commission meeting on Wednesday, Pizutti Solutions made a presentation for a future new sheriff’s complex to be built south of the Emergency Operations building by the new courthouse building. This building would be approximately 50,000 square feet and would be a two-story structure similar in style to the new courthouse. It would include everything but the fleet maintenance, fueling and large evidence storage areas, which would remain at the present location. Projected cost would be around $12.5 to $15 million and have room included for necessary expansions. Projected completion date would be about two years for design and build.
Both Commissioners Holloway and Leeper thanked the firm for its report and mentioned that, obviously, at this juncture there was no money available for this project.
July 19, 2012 3:30 p.m.