Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
Whether it was a sign of the way the new Fernandina Beach City Commission (FBCC) intends to do business or just the post-holiday blahs, the first Regular Meeting of 2016 took less than an hour from opening to closing gavels. There were no proclamations, presentations or ordinances; little public comment, two routine Consent Agenda items, and two resolutions. In short, it was an FBCC-Lite meeting.
Pocket Park Conceptual Plan for Old Town (Resolution 2015-145) rejected
The agenda item that generated most of the evening’s discussion involved a plan put forward by Jennifer and Michael Harrison of Old Town to create a pocket park at the south end of Estrada Street to be called “Seton Park.” In presenting this plan, Jennifer Harrison provided historical background in addition to slides showing the proposed location. Indicating that the park would involve only low-level maintenance of the type that the city already provides for city rights-of-way, she explained that WestRock has worked with Old Town to provide landscaping along the fence that separates their property from city property.
During more than 8 minutes of remarks, Harrison indicated that the park would allow visitors to view the remains of an area once known as Southpoint, as well as the path that the 1870 boardwalk once took between Old Town and New Fernandina.
She recapped successful efforts to remove a gate that once blocked Estrada Street. Removal of that gate has resulted in an area approximately 60×185 feet that could serve as a “natural park,” she suggested. She went on to cite responses to an unscientific survey conducted by the city last year in connection with developing the Parks Master Plan (PMP) in which respondents called for more natural parks throughout the city.
Harrison also spoke about a Master Plan for Old Town and talked about grants being written to support various improvements, historical markers and signs. She said that in addition to regular maintenance, the only other expense to the city for the park would be a picnic bench and a water fountain. She stressed that the park would be available to everyone, not just Old Town residents, and that the land would become useful, as opposed to just “waste ground.”
Colin Campbell, representing WestRock, spoke about the mill’s efforts and intent to improve landscaping in the area when their current construction project ends. He asked commissioners to consider that Estrada Street is a public road and provides access to several pieces of WestRock’s property. He said that WestRock also has a problem in that the proposed park does not fit with the city’s PMP. He said that plan calls for better maintenance of existing parks and providing “world class service” within those parks. He said that a need for this park was not suggested through the recent PMP survey. He agreed with Harrison that it is a great site for viewing remains of Fernandina’s history, but that WestRock could not support it because it could hamper access to their property.
Commissioner Roy Smith said that when this item came up previously, the commission asked to see real cost figures, but that the same amount of $2,000 to be funded from the Streets Budget was again being presented. City Manager Dale Martin said that that was the number that had been presented to him by city staff.
Commissioner Len Kreger clarified that the recommendation before the FBCC was to deny the request because the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (PRAC) had never approved it, and it was not in the PMP. “I don’t know if we need this park,” Kreger said. “What I do know is that when I looked at the Parks Master Plan, I believe I read something like ‘the north side of town has adequate access to parks.’”
Kreger took issue with that conclusion, citing a need for neighborhood parks throughout the city. Kreger presented some photos that he had taken, claiming that while the original road going into this area still existed, it was mainly wetlands.
“I’m not sure that that’s the best location for a park. But I’m not sure that we shouldn’t be encouraging neighborhood parks throughout the city,” he said. He added that he had spoken to people in the area and their support for the proposed park was not unanimous. He ended his comments by asking, “Do we want people to have to get into their cars to drive to a park or do we want them to be able to walk to one in their neighborhood?”
Vice Mayor Robin Lentz tried to find a solution that would appease both park proponents and maintain WestRock’s use of the road. She suggested in the form of a motion that the current proposal be rejected, but that the concept along with concerns voiced at the meeting be sent back to PRAC for further consideration so that “the best of both worlds” could come back to the FBCC for action. She appeared to support Kreger’s call for additional pocket parks.
Commissioner Tim Poynter said that he does not believe that existing city parks are in the best of shape. “They are not maintained well,” he said, “and I don’t think we are ready to add another one. [Proponents] say it’s only $2,000, but then someone has to maintain it—or someone is going to complain about it. We’ve got parks that aren’t being maintained now, at least to my satisfaction. One of the things we talked about in the master plan is to take care of what we have now, not expanding. … We would be taking money out of our Streets Budget to create another future obligation. That’s not a good way to run the city.”
Commissioner Roy Smith agreed with Poynter that money for a park should not come out of the Streets Budget. “We’ve got a lot of streets to maintain,” he said.
Kreger weighed in again, agreeing with Poynter and Smith on funding questions, but continued to stress his larger concern about neighborhood integrity issues. He supported returning the item to PRAC with a charge to develop firm cost figures. “Who knows what the Harrisons and other residents of Old Town might be willing to commit to in terms of a public-private partnership to create and maintain a pocket park in Old Town?” Kreger asked.
Mayor Johnny Miller said that the PRAC had recommended “consideration,” not “approval” of this park. He also agreed with PMP language citing the need for maintaining existing parks.
Jennifer Harrison returned to the podium, explaining how WestRock’s requirements could be met and expressing appreciation for the FBCC’s comments. She said, “This is a pretty straightforward thing. The maintenance is going to involve mowing. It is not such an awe-inspiring, terrifying topic for the city or the mill as it appears to be tonight.”
After almost a half hour of discussion, Mayor Miller called the question on the motion to reject the resolution and return the topic to PRAC for further investigation and recommendation.
The motion carried unanimously.
Capital Improvement Plan revision and change order approval for Central Park restroom expansion
On May 15, 2015 the FBCC approved an award of bid to ARKREST LLC in the amount of $151,412 to expand Central Park restrooms. On December 4, 2015, ARKREST presented the city with three change orders that would increase the total cost of the project by $3,315.40. The change orders represented work needed to adjust additional wood framing necessitated by inaccurate design documents depicting the current structure and painting the interior brick to cover graffiti and stains.
Additionally, city staff, in preparing the 2015/16 budget, anticipated the cost of the remaining work on the Central Park restrooms to be $70,000. The actual amount remaining on the Purchase Order is $81,365.54, meaning that there is an under-budgeted carryover amount of approximately $11,400. Therefore, city staff requested a budget amendment for that amount as well as the funds needed to pay for the change orders. The funds would come from the Capital Expansion Fund’s Reserve Recreation Account.
Commissioner Kreger asked whether the city included contingency funding in its bid awards. Parks and Recreation Department Director Nan Voit said it did, and that funding was actually coming out of impact fee funds. Following further discussion and explanation, Voit said that money was available from impact fee funds, but that a specific contingency fee had not been included in this particular contract. Kreger said, “That’s my point.”
Voit in responding to a question from Commissioner Tim Poynter said that a budget amendment would not be needed to return contingency funds that were unspent.
Kreger said, “I don’t want you to miss the point I am making. This deals with cost estimating, how we do it, how we check it, what’s standard, and how we set the contingency. Those are things that I think we need to make sure we are doing properly. This is almost like the issue I brought up last time about sole source contracting.”
The item was approved by unanimous vote.
Public Input
Philip Chapman asked the FBCC to try to do something in cooperation with the mills and other government agencies to force log trucks to slow down on 8th Street/SR200. In addition to citing the debris left behind by these trucks on the streets and the Shave Bridge, Chapman expressed concerns about liability issues arising from excessive speed or debris.
Joan Bean asked the FBCC to make Main Beach more welcoming by improving lighting in the area during the period of the year that the turtles are not nesting. She said that six months of the year was turtle season, but the remaining six months should be people season. Commissioner Kreger responded that the existing lights have been in place since 2010 and had been installed by Florida Public Utilities, not as part of the turtle protection ordinance.
Reports and Comments
City Manager Dale Martin provided a report to the commissioners during which he responded to an emailed question from Commissioner Kreger with respect to commissioners’ interacting with department heads and prohibitions to direct the city workforce. Martin read aloud the charter language dealing with this subject and then proceeded to clarify his expectations.
Martin said, “I’d like to state on the record that I actually encourage you to communicate directly with department supervisors. You know—your internal moral compass will let you know—when you are ‘directing.’ I have instructed staff that they are to be open to communication directly from you, but they are to advise me via email and copy you as well with respect to the subject matter of your discussions, and that if a department supervisor believes that you are pushing the envelope or crossing the line, they are to let me know and then I will raise that issue with you.
“But I think that in order to provide you with the best information to make decisions, you must communicate with department supervisors, and I encourage you to do that.”
Martin also reported progress on several other items. The Utilities Department will soon begin conducting camera reviews of the city sewer system in the south side of the city. They will provide door hangers in the affected neighborhoods to advise residents. City staff is also continuing talks with Florida Public Utilities on the proposed solar farm.
Martin expressed disappointment that the attendance at the Bridging the Gap event held at Macedonia AME church the previous evening was not as high as at the previous event. He opined that decline in attendance might be attributed to the public’s recognition of positive efforts between law enforcement and the community to avert the problems that have been highlighted in the media throughout other American communities. He thanked Rev. Anthony Daniel for sponsoring the event.
He commended the Parks and Recreation Department for the successful “Shrimp Drop” on New Year’s Eve, calling it a wonderful event with overwhelming attendance and popular feedback. He expressed hope that it will become an annual event.
Martin commended city senior electrician Randy Maxwell for saving the city thousands of dollars in repairing an electrical equipment cabinet.
He concluded by reminding the commissioners and audience that the city will conduct its annual goal setting beginning at 9:00 a.m. on January 12 at the municipal golf course clubhouse. He said that other community members whom he has invited to participate include city lobbyist Arthur I. “Buddy” Jacobs and Nassau County Administrator Ted Selby. Brian Teeple, CEO of the Northeast Regional Council, will again facilitate the session.
Commissioners echoed the city manager’s praise for the Shrimp Drop and Rev. Daniel’s Bridging the Gap event.
Commissioner Len Kreger during his remarks said, “I just want everyone to know that I am having a great time with this Commissioner stuff.” This generated a big laugh from his fellow commissioners and the audience. Commissioner Roy Smith followed Kreger and said, “I’ve got to agree with Len—or Commissioner Kreger. I’m looking forward to this year. I’m enjoying getting out there and talking with people. It’s great. It’s all I expected it to be. And I plan on doing a good job at it.”
Commissioner Poynter wished everyone a happy new year and agreed that 2016 was going to be a great year for the commission. He said that he was looking forward to the visioning/goal setting session next week and invited the public to send him and other commissioners their input for this meeting. He reminded the audience that he would hold his monthly town hall meeting, complete with cookies, at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 7, at Café Karibo.
Vice Mayor Lentz echoed earlier commissioner comments on the Shrimp Drop and the visioning meeting. She said that after receiving City Manager Martin’s Friday Notes, in which he reports his activities of the week and plans for the next week, she realized that two other charter officers report to the FBCC. She asked for and received consensus that similar reports be prepared and sent to commissioners from the City Attorney and the City Clerk.
Mayor Miller concluded the meeting with remarks praising the Shrimp Drop and apologies for missing the Bridging the Gap event. He asked that all commissioners come up with a “Big 3” for the goal-setting event. He thanked the Fire Rescue Department for responding so quickly and efficiently in a recent family situation. He reminded the audience, on behalf of Chief Ty Silcox, that the Fire Rescue stations stand ready, willing and able to help citizens who call or drop by the stations.