Submitted by Susan Hardee Steger
September 1, 2015 5:25 p.m.
At the August 27, 2015, Joint City-County meeting, City Commissioner Robin Lentz brought a heavily used county sidewalk described as unsafe and in close proximity to schools to the attention of Nassau County officials. Lentz who lives near the area, is asking for a solution. The asphalt sidewalk is overgrown with shrubs and crumbling. Although repairs made in February offered slight improvement, the sidewalk continues to be a hazard. Lentz was told by a school administrator that a wheelchair bound student required the aid of a motorist after becoming stranded on the deteriorating sidewalk.
Lentz asked if county engineers could take a look at the situation, and propose a solution. She suggested funding options such as including the area in proposed extensions of the Amelia Island and Greenway bike trails.
Ted Selby, county coordinator, said after reviewing the site with County Engineer Scott Herring, the project might be a much larger project than first meets the eye. He is willing to look into the possibilities of linking the area with proposed trails.
Mayor Ed Boner who also lives in the area, echoed Letnz’s concern over the sidewalk. He said the sidewalk is not being maintained to allow for safe passage. Although 36 inches wide, the sidewalk passage becomes narrower because of the existing conditions.
County Commissioner Danny Leeper said he agrees the sidewalk needs to be edged and the growth trimmed back. Responding to a request by Lentz for the need of lighting during certain times of the year, Leeper said, “the county has never paid for any street lighting.” He suggested that the lightning request be worked out with the school board.
Phil Scanlan, CEO of Amelia Island Trails spoke to the issue of funding noting the state has 25 million in new state money beginning January 1 for trails in Florida.
City Commissioner Pat Gass said “If sidewalks are in bad repair and need fixing then the 10 of us should be ashamed because that is our job seeing these things get done and we need to direct those that work for us take care of that.”
“I can appreciate the fact they need to be repaired. But as bad as this may be . . . the ADA person [in reference to the wheelchair incident] living in old town can’t even get downtown.” . . . . There are people on Old Town [an other adjacent areas] who would love to have . . . . safe access to Atlantic Ave. . . .” Gass goes on to say, “Let’s repair what we’ve got and take good care of it and get grant money so that Old Town can get downtown before downtown moves further south.” Gass is an Old Town resident.
County Commissioner George Spicer who spoke after Gass said we need sidewalks all over the county. “The whole county needs some TLC, and some maintenance. We choose to live where we live.”
We have a similar condition on Canterbury Lane. A couple years ago, through a grant for “Safe paths to School” A contractor installed a side walk along the South-side of the street. We didn’t want it ( the Neighbors) but it was built. There’s a section along the a Retaining pond that, is overgrown, We get grant monies,Sounds Great, but then can’t maintain them. Side walks, Central school Systems, with Huge sports complexes. We think of it as Free Money to Build them, But it all has to be Maintained, on our Dime. “There’s No Free Lunch”
Steve, while the sidewalk is in the ROW, can’t the Lakeside Homeowners Association assume responsibility for edging and trimming the sidewalk as I assume it does for the vegetation around the retention pond?
I understand your point that when a capital project is being considered, there needs to be equal consideration about the ongoing costs of maintenance and repair.
Steve makes a good point. The homeowners didn’t want the sidewalk but despite their strong objections it was forced upon them. Now they should be expected to maintain it too? This is a fine example of nefarious taxpayer funded (confiscated) bureaucracy at it’s finest! It’s equally interesting that the stated purpose for the sidewalk was to allow children a safe path to school. A great idea. Who could be against children’s safety? Except as the homeowners predicted, it now is rarely used and generous homeowners nearby cut the grass. As the homeowners were told in a meeting introducing the idea, “why are you concerned? It’s government grant money that’s paying for it!” Looked at the federal deficit lately?
Dave, Please see Dr Todd’s Comments. All of us felt the same way, They, pushed the Side Walk Project through, without consulting, the stockholders ( our Neighborhood) When we went to a Commission Meeting to discuss the proposal, Commissioner Bunch, told the Neighbors, “Shut Up and Sit Down” That they had already spent $40 grand on designing it, and it was going to happen” Sad day for Democracy. We later, found out he was on the Safe Trails to Schools Planning Board. He should have recluse himself from that conversation, not suppressed it. Other issues with the Project, no one told the parents of the school kids, that once all these side walks are installed, the Kids in a two mile radius of schools would have to walk. There was no monies in the grant, to provide Crossing Guards at busy roadways. One Neighbor, found that in that two mile radius of Emma Love school, there were Something like 16 registered sex offenders. If I were a parent, that would concern me. We also found out that the Bike Trail group, needed to get this run through our Neighborhood, so they could continue to get funding for their Projects.Which they just received 2.2 Million? The St. Johns River Ferry got zip. Their was no communications with this Community. The protocol for Grant projects, were not followed. I know you do remember some of this, because our Neighborhood group met with you, the Mayor, Mr. Paculla? on the Corner of Canterbury and Essex Prior to the Construction. So your right, the homeowners Assoc. could take that responsibility. But Really, would you? As I said before “There’s No Free Lunches” Grants are Great, but never the end of the story.
Mr Crounse,
You are FOS, I have never told anyone to “sit down and shut up” although I surely wanted to many times. Furthermore, I was NOT on any Safe Trails to Schools Planning Board nor was I on the correctly named Safe Route to Schools Planning Board, I didn’t know they had one. Therefore I had no knowledge how much had been spent on engineering. I believed then as I do now that it was a good project, and I bet every parent that has a child that uses it appreciate the project.
Kids have always walked to school that live close by, not 2 miles, that’s from the airport, Atlantic Ave, Fletcher and the bridge, NOT!! No idea what a sidewalk has to do with sex offenders either, I don’t think they care.
The bottom line is that it is there, get over it, the City has to maintain it because it is on the right of way, if the pond is overgrown then whoever is responsible for its maintenance (City or HOA) needs to clean it up.
Mr. Bunch, At the Commission meeting, That’s exactly what you said to Mr Paul Thoresen,as he was trying to explain, that the Street that has no name, that connects Canterbury and Robin Hood,was never meant to be a Street into Lakewood when Lakewood was Developed. and you said, “that $40,000 Dollars had already been spent on the Project”. Perhaps Commissioner Poynter could verify those statements as he was there. He was the only Commissioner who wanted to listen to our Concerns. My mistake about the Safe trails to School, I think you were on the School back then. Right? If so, you did have a stake in it? Just asking. Your first comment, that my be true. But my memory is still pretty good. Hopefully someone at that meeting will see this and confirm my statements. I’ve never meet you, only saw you that once on the Dias. BTY that was my introduction to Island Politics. Was not Impressed.
I attended the meeting and had the distinct feeling that the sidewalk proposal was a “done deal” regardless of any Lakewood input. Someone, not sure who, did mention that a substantial amount of money had already been spent which would ostensibly be wasted if the sidewalk was not built. The sidewalk is now completed and in truth is convenient for the few who use it. Unfortunately, the process and procedures used to accomplish this project were disappointing.