Submitted by Samuel Jefferson Kennard
March 24, 2016 11:30 a.m.
Conspicuously, nobody is addressing the truck traffic problems on Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach. Regrettably, our local government has failed to take any remedial action and the mills and port have failed to be responsible citizens and stewards of our local environment. The status quo is unacceptable.
Foresight, courage and leadership are requisite to address the most difficult challenges facing the welfare and quality of life of our community. Responsibility and accountability are what the electorate expects from our elected Fernandina Beach City Commissioners.
Presently, there continues to be no greater or more urgent unresolved problem, in terms of the dangers, inconvenient congestion, emissions pollution and road repair expenses, than the heavy truck traffic on our local roadways and city streets. These problems are forecasted to significantly increase, to an estimated 2,000 truck trips daily in only seven years, until they become totally unsustainable and absolutely intolerable.
Additionally, the truck traffic problem jeopardizes the approximately $570 million total local economic impact realized from the rapidly growing tourism and services based economy, not to mention significant contributions from the robust real estate and development economy.
Rayonier, and soon to be included LignoTech, WestRock and the Port of Fernandina all share the increasing log, materials and supplies truck traffic problem. They all must be parties to a community acceptable solution. It is preferable that the stakeholders agree to prudent and practical transportation alternatives for mitigating this urgent issue, without resorting to restrictive and punitive local ordinances.
Our local government, the Fernandina Beach City Commissioners, have continued to ignore their responsibility in addressing the increasingly urgent truck traffic problems. It is past time for them to demonstrate leadership by bringing the egregious parties together to hammer out a feasible long-range solution that reconciles progress and preservation.
Who in our city government has the foresight and courage to step up and be the champion for this important cause?
Editor’s Note: Samuel Jefferson Kennard’s Florida roots go back to the early nineteenth century. His pioneer ancestor signed the Territory of Florida’s First Constitution in 1838 and others have lived continuously on Amelia Island for 150 years. The great grandson of a Cumberland Sound pilot family, Kennard continues a proud tradition of advocacy for a viable Port of Fernandina. Kennard stated, “Nassau County, and Fernandina Beach need a working port. It’s part of our rich heritage and who we are.”
Kennard is founding chairman of Stand for Amelia Island, Inc., a not for profit State of Florida Corporation dedicated to advocating solutions for important issues affecting the general public welfare of Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island and Nassau County.
Kennard was graduated from the University of Georgia and attended Harvard Business School executive development programs. Kennard is married and he and his wife, Karin live on Amelia Island.
Exactly what is the problem with trucks driving down the street to deliver raw materials and take away finished goods? Who says it is a problem besides you? We should be proud that our community has companies that supply jobs, pay taxes, use local businesses, etc.. America needs industry and we are lucky to have these good corporate citizens. What can you do to help them survive? Build a special service road for them?
John,
Let me give a shot at answering your questions. The problem with the trucks delivering these goods is there are simply to many of them. They are overwhelming the roadway between yulee and the Mills. It is pretty clear what the issue is, just walk down 8th street. As far as who says it is a problem, I am confident there are many who feel it is a problem. Count me in that group. I think if you asked almost anyone if they thought the island would be a better place without 1,000s of trucks roaring through it they would almost all agree it would be much nicer without the trucks. In regards to your other point that we need industry and we are “lucky to have these good corporate citizens” I am not going to disagree with the point we need industry here in the USA. It is great that these plants offer our town money from imposed taxation and that they give folks money for working there. I would also like to point out the trade off of giving us money is not without a heavy cost to all of us. For this we must accept I very high degree of air pollution, we have the visual landscape destroyed to the point the area looks like Newark NJ. We have water pollutants, we have 1,000’s of trucks passing through our town daily. At night I lie in bed and listen to the relentless roar of the plant with its clanking and grinding. The fact that these plants are here has all but destroyed property values along 8th street and really much of the waterfront area. In addition there is a loss of real estate value just from the fact that a whole group of people would never purchase property on the island because the mills are here. Now after all I have said, I want to point out that I am not against the existences of the these mills. What I want to make clear is that this is not a one way street. The people of the island are asked to give a great deal up in exchange for the money they pay us. We are not getting a free ride and I do believe a compelling case could be made we may be getting the short end of the stick. Still, I would not advocate for their closure. What I would say is we not bow down to them, that we address concerns about things like traffic and all types of pollution in a business like manner. These things are being imposed on us, for the cash they give us. It depends where you place your values. For example what would happen if we went to the mills and said, you know we don’t ever want to smell this mill again or we don’t want any trucks and in exchange we are not going to take your money. Your 100% free of taxes please use that money to solve these issues. What do you think would happen? I don’t know, just an idea. Gets you thinking what people really would want.
So in conclusion I do think less trucks are better, how feasible that is, how could it really be accomplished at what cost? I have no idea. Wouldn’t hurt to take a real hard look at it though. Knowledge is power.
I agree on most points with Mr Kennard. The issue of speeding on 8th St has been brought up by not only our family, but many others as well! I am not saying to stop the trucks, as Mr Moore stated, we do need what they bring and what they take from our island, but STOP THE SPEEDING!! I’ve been told that, “It just seems as though the trucks are speeding”….well, and I will say foolishly, one day I followed a few trucks on 8th St and when I can’t even keep up with them at 55mph to Lime (where the speed limit is 45) and then over 40 from Lime to Centre (where the speed limit is 30), that is definitely speeding, don’t you think? Why can’t they be help to the rules of the road as others are? Seems simple to me……
Mr. Kannard has a valid point, and it must be Addressed. The truck traffic is only going to increase through our community. It will continue to be an ever increasing factor in Safety and Quality of life on Amelia Island. I think it way past time for our City/ County leader to look at, as Marlene said, the Speeding issue of these Trucks on 8th St. and for that matter all along Sr200/A1A coming into our City. It’s would seem these Driver get payed by the load Delivered. So less time between point A to B means money in there pocket. I would think Law enforcement, could have a major impact on this issue, put priority/ pressure on these truckers to obey speed limits. A few fines, would do wonders. Has anybody ever seen a a Trucker get stopped for Speeding? The other issue is volume of trucks, I know this is a hot topic, but Barges need to be considered, and Rail service needs to be utilized more. There are no great alternative for this Island, other than a costly service road, dedicated to Trucks only.
Sam Kennard defines a major problem for not only Fernandina but the County as well. The truck traffic on A1A west of the Island is a big additional part of the issue. A possible answer that does not seem to have been explored is an inter-modal transfer facility way to the west which would permit truck cargoes to be put aboard railroad cars. This would not eliminate truck traffic but would greatly reduce it. The penalty paid by local industry (possibly increased cost and delivery time) should be assessed.
Last week I was sixth or eighth in line for the traffic light at 14th and Sadler and had a few moments to reflect on my situation. I looked around my car in all directions. There must have been 60-70 cars at the intersection. Not a truck of any kind was in sight. The light cycled twice before I could get through the intersection. All in all, it took more than five minutes to drive a couple of hundred yards to 8th and Sadler, generating “pollution” all the while.
When I moved here a mere 18 years ago there were never more than five or seven cars at any intersection. I could drive from my mid-island home to I-95 in 13 – 15 minutes. Now it takes that long to get to Lowes or Walmart. I constantly wondered why A1A in Yulee was four lanes wide when two lanes was more than sufficient for the traffic load (including trucks).
Yes, the trucks and the mills contribute to our daily traffic problems. The elephant in the room that no one wants to address is the real estate industry, because it’s not perceived as an “industry” in the normal sense. The problems generated by people, homes and automobiles are not as noticeable because they don’t come from a single, large point-source, but rather from hundreds and thousands of smaller sources spread out over many square miles.
I am neither anti-growth nor anti-industry. I am thankful that Mr. Kennard and other Islanders welcomed me 18 years ago rather than blockading the Shave Bridge. Solutions to the traffic (and other) problems are not as simple as pointing to the mills or pointing to the trucks. The mills have not expanded appreciably in the last 18 years. Trucks do not cause traffic jams on Sadler Road or Fletcher Ave or Center Street. Log trucks are not the reason I can’t find a parking space at Main Beach. Log trucks are not the reason I have to wait for a table at my favorite restaurants.
As difficult as it might be to admit, automobiles are a large part of our traffic problems. WE are the problem and we need to be part of the solution.
Here we go again. To start with comparing Fernandina Beach to Newark New Jersey is like comparing downtown Fernandina to Manhattan. It just isn’t close. Yes trucks are a problem. It is however the price of doing business and supplying the Island with money and high paying jobs. Think for a moment how many families would have to move out of the area should the mills close, think of the economic impact it would have on our town. Some say lets have more rail service and less trucks. That’s actually funny when for years all I have heard is how we can cut down on rail service due to noise and to reschedule what service we have for daytime hours to keep the area more quite at night. The noise had become such an issue that much time and effort went into the possibilities of installing Quite Zones downtown. You can’t have it both ways folks. As far as blasting the City Commissioner’s for not doing their jobs, let me stick my neck out and ask how many have gone down to the Commission meeting and presented this as a problem? With respect to the trucks speeding, has this been brought up at any City Commission meetings, has anyone meet with our City Manager about this or has our Police Chief been approached by anyone to see what could be done? If this is the case does the real responsibility fall on the Commission or on us for not making this a major issues at Meetings? Simply put, if we have complaints, form a group of like minded citizens and go the meetings and present your case. Fact of life is however that Yulee is building up, there will be more cars and more traffic. It will take longer to go from point A to point B. The trucks will continue to come. It is my guess the rail service will pretty much remain the same as they really couldn’t take on the enough to cut down on the number of trucks to any great extent and life will pretty much go on. It is still one of the best places to live and work on the east coast. With respect to speeding, meet with our City Government, tell them your concerns, than hold them accountable for their actions.
Deja Vu all over again?
Everyone has something to gain and something to lose. From the hard working truckers, to the ever expanding population and tourism growth to the mills, the correction to the problem is going to painful both financially and enviormentally.
Move the logging traffic to a central rail yard off island? Island population co-pays the costs to recieve tranquilty? The mills get the product co-pays for the rail expansion?
There are a plenty of solutions all of which are daunting and time dictates the price…………until then have a very very nice deja vu……!!!
Well said, sir!!!
I grow tired of the attitude held by some that, now that they have arrived, it is time to change things. I enjoy their tacked on placating that “just for the record, I am not anti-mill/industry/trucks, but….” If that “but” statement is true, and you are not against the mills and the industry that existed on this island when you arrived, then you are simply complaining.
This article is not much different in form or substance than the few we see every year on this topic; the author never recognizing their own guilt as Mr Goshco so graciously has. Same old story; new grouchy, high and mighty retirees.
Does anyone have the numbers on the accidents involving and/or caused by 18wheelers vs. those caused by/involving only passenger vehicles? Maybe it’s not the people whose driving pays their bills and is closely regulated by the state that are causing all the traffic but instead maybe it’s the folks in too big a hurry with too large a sense of entitlement regarding their place in the vehicular pecking order.
***Well said, Mr. Goshco!!!
Just Wait. Pat Gass is running for the office of Ocean Highway and Port Commission District 1. Her family is DEEP ROOTED with the mills and anything port related. She is desperately trying to get back a [position where she will allow the ports to do as they please. Your ignorant comment that some are “anti-mill” works in your case too. You and Pat Gass are 1000% mill regardless what they ask for. You and Pat have demonstrated in the past what lengths you will go to turn a blind eye and give the ports extra leeway.
Don’t berate others, look in the mirror and tell us honestly should Patt Gass even be considered for office of Ocean Highway and Port Commission District 1. She worked for two of the port companies, that is completely unacceptable;e. She was the LONE holdout when she was on the board when it can to restraining the mills, she wants back in the fight to give them complete freedom.
Not on my watch. I will make certain her opponent gets all the attention because she should NEVER be allowed anywhere near a position that can negatively impact our residents. She has and will do it again, NO MORE GASS!
Time for the Port to do some creative thinking with barge transport and prepare for the future – especially since it is linked directly to both mills. St. Mary’s seems to be moving in this direction. It also might offer job opportunities in the worldwide maritime industry to young folks that think truck driving is the only means of getting from point x to point y.
Every time a traffic discussion comes up, it is blamed on the Port and that the Port needs to reconfigure something. I remember distinctly seeing a recent traffic study that delineated somewhere around 600-800 trucks per day delivering to each of the mills with a mere 90 or so going to the Port. Please explain why the focus on the Port needing to reconfigure the way they are currently transporting when the mills obviously are and always have been generating the bulk of the truck traffic. The truck traffic to the mills and the Port has not appreciated remarkedly over the past couple of decades. However, as Mr. Goshco has pointed out, residential development and general population has … thus creating the bottle-neck on the roadways with the explosion of personal vehicles travelling our roadways. It is a problem created by the entire community and shouldn’t fall to a certain commercial, industrial, or governmental segment to solve. It is everyone’s fault and everyone’s problem.
The Port is the entity that can do it. Simple.
So you feel that if the Port reconfigures how they do business so that the LESS than 100 trucks per day, per the latest traffic study, is reduced or eliminated from that ONE facility that it is going to solve the traffic problem? That makes absolutely no sense to me at all. I feel that it was a convenient opportunity for you to bring the name of the Port back into the spotlight again. The problem is the massive influx of personal vehicles – Truck traffic count hasn’t changed in decades so it is not the catalyst that has suddenly caused the issue. Figure out what to do with the 20K+ increase in personal vehicles in our area and you have your answer.
Guess you haven’t looked at Port expansion plans.
Alan Donaldson, FYI a study and trial was done several years ago for the inter-modal transfer yard you suggested. It was located out on US 17 near the weight station where the logging trucks would have their loads transferred to the rail cars which would then be taken to the mills. I did not have an opportunity to look at the details of the study, but the main participating parties agreed that the economics were not there. As noted in earlier comments, there are a number of trade-offs with additional rail cars/runs with blockage of crossings. There is no doubt the heavy trucks create real issues on the maintenance of A1A. FLDOT knows that the best road material to deal with this weight is concrete but has indicated that doing so is not feasible from a traffic logistical standpoint as it would require A1A to be cut down to one lane each way for a considerable amount of time to properly lay the necessary substrate and then pour the concrete and allow it to properly cure. As to bringing the logs in by barge, I don’t think the infrastructure costs to build the loading/unloading capabilities could easily be recovered but I would be interested in seeing an analysis and all the assumptions made in that analysis. If you have ever watched the log transfer process at Rayonier, it is amazing and very efficient. The log truck pulls up and a huge grappling pincher comes down and removes the entire load in one lift and conveys it to the chipper which spits out the chips. Once the truck is in position, I bet the removal time is less than a couple of minutes.
Traffic enforcement is something that certainly can be performed by the County Sheriff and City Police Department. I know the State occasionally runs safety checks on the trucking traffic and while they always seem to find a number of violations, the traffic back-up is substantial even though the trucks and LEO vehicles are on the shoulder of the road.
The discussion is a legitimate one, but the mills have been here longer than most of the people living on the Island. As a state roadway for the majority of it’s length to the mills, the county and the city have no authority to prevent commercial traffic. Mr. Hadden’s frequent mention of “1,000s of trucks passing through our town daily” is a gross exaggeration. I can’t remember the exact count from the latest mill/port traffic study but I thought the daily count was in the hundreds. Is Mr. Hadden advocating restricting access of other commercial vehicles such as those resupply our grocery stores and retail shops, garbage/trash removal and professional trades providing services to commercial and residential structures such as roofers, plumbers, electricians, etc. Interestingly, the latest average weekday daily traffic counts published by the FLDOT through the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization shows the volume of traffic coming onto the Island on eastbound A1A in 2013 (latest count available) has been relatively constant since 2007 and lower than in 2005 and 2006. Unfortunately the reports I was able to access did not break down commercial from passenger vehicle traffic.
Some of Mr. Hadden’s statements are so exaggerated it is difficult to take the rest of his message seriously. Yes, some people will not buy property in a location that has a mill or any type of industrial operation, but as I noted before the mills have been here in their current footprint for quite some time and the City property is 95% developed and the south end was developed with its upscale properties long after the mills were in operation. His complaint about the noise reminds me of those that buy their house near the airport and then complain about the sound of aircraft landing and taking off.
I am sure this discussion will continue many times. If there was an easy solution, it would have been implemented decades ago.
There is a larger issue looming for the citizens of Nassau County, specifically the projected population growth by 2040 that will greatly impact traffic flow. While it is possible that a number of readers of this article may have achieved a new permanent location by then, our future generations will be dealing with a projected increase in population growth from the current 75K to 116K by 2040 according to transportation studies. Then there is the “ East Nassau Community Planning Area” in Yulee which includes a new Yulee elementary school and retail space. But the plan also includes up to 20,000 new homes just for that development project alone!
So the larger elephant in the room is the projected population growth for Nassau County and that may far exceed any anxiety over commercial truck traffic. The current improvements being made to A1A and the fancy “Diverging Diamond Interchange” that will soon be constructed at the I-95 / A1A exits will be a test for our ability to adapted to the population changes ongoing right now. Time will tell in just a few years. A recent Nassau County Transit Study also proposed alternative bus transportation options for our area. That may be the safest way to travel around Nassau county in the very near future. Hop aboard the “changing times express”.
Tony Crawford, the issue of the speeding, had been brought up at the Commission meeting on more than one occasion, by my husband and others. It was addressed with previous CM, and that laid dormant as so many things did while he was in office. I believe that it has been put in front of Chief Hurley, but I am not positive on that note.
As I said previously, I’ve been told that the speed issue is all in my imagination…. really? I’ve seen way too many near misses and don’t care to be one. The traffic is a whole different problem and with the growth of housing on the island, 200/A1A being expanded and going from three lanes to two to one, it will only get worse. Mr Gass asked about truck accidents verses car accidents. There are more than enough of both and from what I’ve learned, SPEED, has so much to do with that.
Why is it so difficult to get everyone to follow the SPEED limit? A simple question…seems it should have a simple answer….SLOW DOWN!!
FINALLY. The residents are waking up and realizing NOW is the time to act.
The residents if this community better wake up fast. Pat Gass is still FUMMING she didn’t get the vote to sit on the board another 3 years and block every attempt of stopping Kinder and Rayonier from destroying this island.
Just look at her resume as posted on her Facebook page.
Pat Gass work experience includes ITT Rayonier as a settlement clerk; Nassau Terminals (presently Kinder-Morgan) as office manager of Operations Department.
She had deep roots WORKING for Rayoneir and Kinder-Morgan!!!!!!!
How can she even be considered for the position of Ocean Highway and Port Commission District 1????????? SERIOUSLY!!!!!! The roads will only get worse and the mills will basically have free reign of the city.
She wants the position of Ocean Highway and Port Commission District 1 for one reason, to make certain everything those companies want they get. Her horrific displays in the meetings should be enough to scare most, but she has this loyal zombie following of Rayonier and Kinder workers and families that support every move she makes.
We need to make certain she is not allowed to let those two companies continue to push the boundaries. Gass would be the absolute WORST thing that could happen if she is allowed to control that department.
Oh. Wow. Bless your heart, Mr. Russo. Those are some strongly held, misinformed opinions you have there.
What extra leeway was it that was sought by “the mills”? And how does one go about maintaining a positive working environment while “restraining” their neighbor? What in the world does it mean to be “1000% mill”?
Since when is it a bad thing for someone who works on an elected board to have a working knowledge of one of the (three) industries involved? Crazy me, I thought that understanding a process (or industry or trade or market) makes one’s decisions regarding that subject better! Should we not have people with general contractor experience serve in the building department? Should one’s occupations (however brief) preclude them from holding elected office?
Also, do you truly believe that my mother wants to do this community and this island harm? With your all-caps and over used exclamation points and question marks, you seem a bit off kilter. You must be to think that a person with a 50 year history on this island, children that have bought homes and are raising families here, deep roots in the community and a history of civic involvement would want to see her home and the home of her children and grandchildren DESTROYED (emphasis Mr. Russo’s). That’s ludicrous. That sort of hyperbolic language isn’t helpful to any discussion on any topic.
Weren’t we all just recently handing out pat-a-backs to Miss Thamm for her editorial regarding the new venture on the Rayonier property and our coexistence with the mills? Where did that calm, insightful, well reasoned approach go? And, what good does it do for Mr. Kennard to beseech leadership regarding a less-than-clear problem while offering zero solutions? “I don’t know how we should get there, or where we’re even going but I want someone to lead us there NOW!”
Lord give me strength.
Ron, both YOU and Pat Gass are under the misconception that the amount of time that you live on the island determines your relevance. Just because you are here 50+ years gives you and Pat zero power over those that you two belittle who are here a few years. You and Pay constantly resort to belittling those who are trying to make a positive change by saying they are NEW here and if they don’t like it go back because the mills were here first. How asinine that comment is.
It doesn’t matter how many generations you have here, it has zero weight when it comes to doing what is right. You and Pat have DEEP connections with the mills and nothing they do seems to bother you. Even when they skirt the rules, you side with it being a population explosion, increased traffic, anything to avoid casting your mill buddies in a bad light.
I want to correct you, Pat Gass does NOT deserve to be in charge of regulating the mills because she in fact has WORKED for them. She is bias, period. Her embarrassing outbursts at the meetings are a thing of the past, and we are going to keep it that way. There is no co-existence in the mills eyes, they want to expand and push the boundaries until they get resistance. In the last five years the mills keep growing, and YOU say this is GOOD for Fernandina. Yet, somehow we lost major chains that thrive everywhere else in the country. We can’t keep a Kmart, Sunoco, Sonny’s, KFC, Wendys, Applebees, and more to follow, but the mills keep growing.
Remind me again how that is balance. Remind me again how that is benefiting anyone except you, Pat, and the families of the mills. The Lord will not give you strength, sorry, you are just a blind mill supporter who puts your own agenda miles ahead of those who live here, whether it be a year or 20, that is not for you to say. Those who live here a year have as much say as you, so stop trying to belittle all our new residents because they do not agree with you and Pat.
Times are changing and you are feeling threatened by all the new residents who are not going to tolerate a mills that refuse to be compliant. Truck traffic is in the 100’s a day, just sit at the diner and count how many pass in 15 minutes. I counted 60 in 20 minutes, or 200+ PER HOUR! Spin it any way you want, the mills are the problem, not the new residents you and Pat despise.
Mr Russo.
As I and many other long tenured residents of this island have submitted, again and again, to those whose feelings are so greatly and easily hurt by the pointing out of short life experience here on the island: It is not the length of time that matters but instead the wisdom gleaned from exposure to pertinent issues. Memories of “before-and-after”s of all areas of the geography and arenas of social interaction do not grant anyone more power than others. It simply makes some opinions more informed.
I am truly sorry if you feel belittled. Facts, when dutifully reported, usually have that effect on the emotional and misinformed. For example: the Ocean Highway and Port Authority is no more “in charge of the mills” than is the Chamber of Commerce is “in charge” of local business or the Tourist Development Council is “in charge” of tourism.
Speaking only for myself, I am quite pleased that Kmarts and KFCs and Applebees and ALL of their ilk have struggled on this island. If that is the kind of business you want to flourish here, your understanding of tapestry of town might be beyond help.
I don’t despise anyone. Full stop. I may wish they were, like yourself, a little more polite, soft spoken and empathetic, but I don’t despise anyone no matter how long they’ve lived here.
Lastly. Times are not now changing. They have been changing for decades. I am sorry that your limited frame of reference makes you think that it has only just begun.
Ross – Your perspective on what you would wish for your kids is now a key part of the decision making process. Going forward, with enough energy to learn new things is hard and requires effort, going back and taking one’s chances, or standing still – and letting events overtake you, me, and the rest of us is easy.
Ross, do you feel the same way when Pat Gass explodes at town meetings and embarrasses herself and all that have to deal with her nonsense. Again, you want to downplay the fact she is running for the Ocean Highway and Port Authority, when in fact she will have the power to side with the mills and give them more of a voice and more of an ability to get exactly what they want. Pat Gass should NEVER be allowed near any position again that can can give the mills an edge, period. I have been here longer than most, and I am tired of you and Pat Gass going out of your way to condone and come down hard on anyone looking to better the island. If you and Pat had it your way, not only would the KFC, Kmart, and Applebees, all go away, you would prefer that main street mom and pop shops hit the bricks so the mills could expand further.
Pat Gass makes it crystal clear in ALL her votes over the past three years that it is MILL or nothing mentality. If you two had it, all the stores would be gone, tourism, and cookie cutter developments so Rayoneir and co. could support you, her, and all those that get their paychecks for generation after generation. There is no arguing or debating with someone like the two of you. You see things one way, mills or nothing, and every suggestion to better the island is IMMEDIATELY met with confrontation and turning the focus to their short time here.
I hope more move here, and more bring their “yankee” mentality as you call it, and finally stop these mills and bullies like you from thinking they run the show.
Marlene, The speeding issue is not in your head. I have also seen too many trucks speed and blow lights. A you said it was brought up to the previous CM. I understand your frustration. Now might be the time for anyone who has issues here or ideas to once again bring it up to the present it up with the present City Commission and CM and see what results can be obtained. With respect to the potential of increase rail traffic, again I think that is a laughable idea. Common sense plays a big part in that idea. No one wants the night time rail traffic and associated noise, this is a horse we have beaten to death already. Quiet Zones are never going to happen, and should rail traffic be squeezed into day time hours our two downtown crossing would be blocked for a much greater amount of time interfering with both pedestrian as well as vehicular traffic. If solutions are going to be found it will be by barge. I have no idea if that is a feasible solution. You are also right about the increase and future increase of traffic due to new development. Personally I think that is just a fact of life we are all going have to just get used to. The mills aren’t the problem with respect to traffic. Look at what is going on between the bridge and 95. We all want a better economy. We all want lower unemployment. We all want better job growth, well folks, next time you drive to 95 just look and see how much job growth is taking place. It is not going away and it is not going to stop.
My family came to Fernandina right after the Civil War. My great grandfather was William N. Thompson. He built the Thompson House on South 7th Street. My grandmother was born here in 1872, and both my parents arrived in 1907. I said all this to say that my family has seen many changes over the past 150+ years.
I think that the community is trying to go in too many different directions. We need to settle on one direction, and all start moving that way. Industry, tourism, sporting events, music events, etc. No wonder our streets and roads are crowded.
The Mills have been here since the 1930, but do we really want to attract more industry or enlarge the port?
I would prefer to see us move in the direction of tourism, in all it’s many forms. The shrimp Festival, The Chamber Music Festival, The Amelia Island Book Festival, the different types of musical events, the Fernandina Little Theater, ACT, the cycling events, etc. There is so much that can be done in the tourist area.
After reading the opinion piece and all the comments I think of barn cats. Now stick with me a minute. There is an analogy. If I ask what is the function of barn cats many will answer catch mice. Then to help the farmer I ask, how else can we catch mice. But if I ask what do barn cats really do, the answer is protect grain by catching mice. If I ask how else can we protect grain, I get an entirely different set of answers. Maybe we are trying to solve the wrong problem. Trucks feed the mills by delivering wood. If we try to replace trucks with trains or barges maybe we aren’t digging deep enough with our question. If the issue is to provide feed for the mills, maybe the answer is to preprocess trees in the industrial park or somewhere else and deliver the processed material by fewer truck, pipeline or some other form of transportation. I don’t know enough about the mills to suggest the form of transportation but there are multiple possibilities. It could be in a water slurry with a reusable circulating water system. It could pneumatic piping or even an enclosed conveyor belt. I am still working on the getting the question right. If trucks are the problem then let’s work together as a community to expand the set of answers by working harder on the questions.
In Ron and Pat Gass’s eyes there is no problem with the trucks. They see nothing wrong with anything the mills do and turn the attention to the time the people complaining have lived on the island and suggest they go back north.
Ron Gass sees nothing wrong with 1000’s or log trucks passing through the town, because it feeds so many people, including Pat Gass who wants back in on a committee that will be able to make the mills position stronger. There is no making suggestions to Ron Gass because he will tell you there is no problem. He will belittle you and tell you the mills have been here first, you knew what was the deal, go back home. He has repeated that sentiment over 17 times in the last year already on these boards.
He is part of the problem, and until the new residents from the north band together and stop letting his bully mentality rule, nothing changes. In fact, more businesses will close, the mill will continue to grow, the logging truck traffic will explode, and Ron Gass will be happier than ever.
Voting Pat Gass out of office was huge step towards getting a committee that is open-minded, now is the time to make a line in the sand and if the mills threaten again to take their ball and leave, BYE BYE!
Excellent comment by Bob Prager.
Wasn’t there a pilot done where all of the trucks were off loaded in Yulee and the wood was brought in by rail. What happened there? Why did it not work?
Chris,
Yes, I referenced this study in my 3/26/16 @ 6:29pm comment above. Unfortunately, I never saw the details of the pilot program findings (don’t know if the study is publicly available) but heard that the mills and First Coast RR indicated that it was not economically viable (and this was back when gas/diesel fuel was much more expensive. I suspect the labor and the equipment costs associated with the additional offloading/loading of the wood were too much to overcome.
I agree with Dave’s suspicions. Unloading, loading and a short haul just isn’t economical and building intermodal stations on both ends and committing rail cars that can carry the loaded trailers could be a big investment. The same is true with barges. Although if there were enough volume, drive-on drive off ports and truck staging areas, barging might get close. The only way this could work is if the cost model is expanded to include the external costs of the road maintenance, improved travel efficiency and improved safety. Unfortunately there is enough data that a value can be placed on avoided accidents and deaths. The project would probably need to be a public private partnership to capture the costs.
From what I have read above and how strongly people from all directions feel, there obviously is a HUGE problem here referring to the trucks, the mills, the island growth, etc. It is my belief that no matter how long you live somewhere, it is what you do when you are there that counts! If you want to complain about everything that goes on and do nothing to try and change it or find out why things are the way they are, that is your fault so don’t pass blame. From the day our family decided to move to the island, we made a commitment to be involved and we have stuck to that commitment. To the chagrin of some, we have stepped on toes and have stood up for and fought for things that we were told to “leave alone”. Those fights were well worth it as the outcome has and will continue to benefit so many.
There is one way to see the magnitude of involvement of our community, just attend a Commission meeting! I will guarantee that if you go, you will see the same people there week after week, month after month. I will be the first to admit that I do not attend EVERY meeting, but do try to go at least once a month, so I can say that I do care and want to know what is happening on our island. The input that is in print, online and on social media is important, but I believe that face to face discussion is far better.
We will never all agree to all things, but maybe we can start with one agenda, one item and move on from there. When my husband and I attended the “Visioning” meeting of the City Commission a couple of months ago, they made lists of priorities and promised to tackle one item at a time, in order of urgency, and move on to the next, etc….from what I see, hear and read, that is working with stellar success!!
So, keep in mind, we all live here, we all love it here and we all want to succeed here, so let’s work together to make that happen!!! It CAN be done!
Not if you allow someone to gain the position that on a board that will control how things play out in future years. If you allow Pat Gass to have ANY say about what the mills should or shouldn’t do given here extremely close relationship with them, how could you ever expect her to do what is best for ALL of us? She has an agenda, and the people of Fernandina finally got her out of office once, she is simply trying to worm back in another way to give her mill friends some much needed leverage. The mills continue to push the envelope until they get resistance, then they fight back.
I have been at many meetings and encourage more to come because unless we as a community work together, those who feel that because they have been here 50 years that they call the shots, will continue playing out. If you have been here 1 week you have as much say as those here 50 years trying to help the mills expand further each year.