Submitted by Lynn Williams
Candidate City Commission, Group 1
What do you see as the biggest opportunities for the city today, and how should the city take advantage of them?
World travelers have voted Amelia Island one of the top 25 island destinations in the world. Considering that we are not nearly so flashy as others in the top 25, Santorini, Maui, Bermuda, St John, the Maldives . . .and the fact that we are the only island on the list that is home to heavy industry in our two large paper mills, and with the addition of a creaky railroad running smack through the center of town on a working waterfront; one wonders how we fit into the select few. The answer has to be that while Amelia Island has beauty and charm, as do many others, it has an authenticity that others do not; it is a real place. It has no newly manfactured “charm”, it is not Disneyesque.
As one of the top 25 island, we have opportunities that others do not. We have about half a million yearly visitors staying over-nite on the island, and a large number more who come for the day to the beach, or town for shopping and dinner (close to 200,000 for the Shrimp Festival alone). So tourism provides a wherewithall and opportunities for us that the surrounding towns will never see. With this opportunity comes the responsibility to do good things but in a sensible, deliberate way that allows the city to maintain its authenticity as a real community in which all are partners in good works. There appear to many good opportunities. But how good is more difficult to know. The devil is in the details. For instance:
In the near future it seems possible, even likely, that the city will become owner of our superb post office. That’s the easy part. What we do with it, and how we do it is the tough part.
The CRA has not developed as hoped. The hammering of real estate in the 2008 financial crisis was certainly a major cause for lack of progress. Now we are making a strong push again. It needs to be done carefully. The Standard Marine property (formerly known as the Lane Project) is a good candidate, but to make it work requires a number of supporting details, not least of which is a probable change in zoning. Other CRA projects will come with similar requirements. Not all will be projects of broad benefit the to city. Choosing the best is not so easy.
Improvements to the waterfront are thought a good thing by almost everyone. But there is less agreement as to what exactly they are or what they ought to be.
There is sensible talk about building a Welcome Center on the East side of the airport. The infrastructure has been in place for some years, the building could double as an Emergency Operations Center in the event of a major storm. Most of the cost should be covered by state and federal grants. Its consideration brings into focus what our city sees as the future for our airport and the possibilities that surround it. Not a simple subject.
There are but four opportunities that are likely to present themselves to the next city commission. All will need thoughtful study, and serious input from the community as well. We want a smart, thinking, sustainable future, but one that maintains our authenticity as a town in which it is good place to live . . . for everyone.
Editor’s Note: This is the first of four questions in a series posed to candidates for the Fernandina Beach City Commission. The answers come to our readers unedited and in the candidates own words. We rotate the order of candidates from day to day. The candidates who have qualified are David B. Austin, Andrew Curtin, Johnny Miller, and Lynn Williams. The Fernandina Observer does not endorse candidates.
October 21, 2013 9:30 a.m.