Proposed Fernandina Beach Budget of $203 Million is 5.6% Increase Over Last Year

News

By Michael Hernandez, 8-7-24

FERNANDINA BEACH, FL—The Fernandina Beach City Commission reviewed a proposed budget of $203 million during its Aug. 6. budget workshop which represents a 5.6 percent increase over the 2023-24 adopted budget with the biggest source of revenues including charges for services (31 percent) and Ad Valorem (25 percent). The largest expenditures include: physical environment (25 percent), culture and recreation (22 percent) and public safety (20 percent).

Fernandina Beach—a city of 13,500 residents (with 1.5 million tourists per year) has 234 full-time and 114 part-time personnel (with an additional seven full-time employees budgeted for 2025 and a reduction of three part-time employees) operating a golf course, airport, marina and beach as well as sanitation, wastewater, and water departments. The proposed budget has a three percent increase for the City’s water, wastewater, and stormwater fees.

The General Fund revenues make up 36 percent of all revenues for the city with General Fund expenditures totaling over $31 million or 31 percent of all expenditures, approximately a 10.6 percent increase over last year’s budget.

Capital Funds make up 8.5 percent of all revenues. The Capital Improvement Budget is almost $36 million or 21 percent of all expenditures and is funded through property taxes, utility fees, impact fees, loans, federal and state allocations and grants. The proposed property tax levy, at a collection rate of 96 percent, will generate approximately $19 million. The taxable value of property in the city has almost tripled in the last 20 years going from $1.5 billion in 2005-06 to $4.3 billon in 2024-25.

The first phase of the riverwalk seawall is completed and the Amelia River Waterfront Park is finally positioned to be completed. Construction on the latter is scheduled to soon begin. Florida has allocated two million for continued work on the riverfront seawall. The Alachua Street crossing project has begun and will spur additional economic redevelopment of neglected downtown areas and improve traffic circulation. This project is scheduled to be completed by the end of the 2024 calendar year. The Lighthouse Center preservation effort, is scheduled to begin in calendar year 2025 and is made possible by Florida appropriations in the amount of $500,000.

Budget Presentation Made By Interim City Manager Jeremiah Glisson

Fernandina Beach Interim City Manager Jeremiah Glisson made a budget presentation that looked back and then looked forward.

Looking Back:

A vision session setting 2024/25 priorities (Jan. 23)
Downtown revitalization (70 percent complete)
Seawall and resiliency
Utilities expansion
Amelia Island trail improvement
Aging facilities
Beach Harmonization

Looking Forward:

Streets/Sidewalks: $955,000
Atlantic Improvements: $572,862
Waterfront seawall: $2 million (from Florida)
Amelia Island lighthouse: $630,000 (from Florida)
City Hall improvements: $125,000
Downtown Revitalization and Improvements: $1.23 million
Police/Fire Radios: $235,000
Waterfront Park: $2 million
MLK Softball fields: $500,000
Ybor Alvarez Soccer Complex: $3.5 million
Additional Sidewalks: $50,000
Hickory Street Restrooms: $150,000

Areas of Needed Discussion

Gold Course (built in the 1960s)
Staffing Changes (proposed budget provides for 6.5 FTE increase
Batting cage expansion: $50,000
Skate Park expansion: $90,000
Deferred Heavy Duty Equipment

Another Budget Workshop Set For Thursday, Aug. 8th At 5 P.M.

Sept. 3: Budget Hearing (1^st Tuesday)
Sept. 17: Budget Hearing (3^rd Tuesday)
Oct. 1: New Fiscal Year Begins (1^st Tuesday)

Budget Workshop Packet: 153 pages

https://fernandinabeachfl.portal.civicclerk.com/event/4037/files/attachment/33868

Budget Video: (1 hour)

https://fernandinabeachfl.new.swagit.com/videos/311634

Poe Pinson Olympic Homecoming Parade Starts 6 p.m. Aug. 16 at Central Park

Fernandina Beach City Commissioners are inviting residents to an Olympic Homecoming Parade for returning skateboarder Poe Pinson starting at 6 p.m. on August 16 at Central Park.

The 19-year-old U.S. street skateboarder finished fifth—the highest American woman—

in the 2024 medal round during women’s street skateboarding competition at La Concorde Urban Park in Paris. In the final stage, where individual scores are based on the better of two run scores and the two best of five trick scores, she posted a 50.18 in the run portion, followed up with an 83.73 on her first trick and an 88.43 on her third for a total of 222.34 points. Japan’s Coco Yoshizawa captured the gold medal with 272.5 total points. Japan’s Liz Akama earned the silver and Brazil’s Rayssa Leal took the bronze.

Pinson earned her Olympic opportunity in Paris after narrowly missing out on the field for the Tokyo Games three years ago. She is the first Northeast Florida athlete ever to qualify for the Summer Olympics in skateboarding.

Fernandina Beach City Commissioners voted on Tuesday to name the skateboard park after Poe Pinson in a 3-2 vote. (Note: Commissioners Ross and Antun voted against naming the skate park for Olympian Poe Pinson. Public comments all favored naming the skate park for Poe.)

City Approves Moving Forward On Two Grant Applications Totaling $226,000

Fernandina Beach Commissioners voted 5-0 at the Aug. 6 regular meeting to move forward on a $150,000 grant application (Agenda Item 6.4) to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for the Ron Sapp Egan’s Creek Greenway Beech Street Bridge decking and toerail replacement and for a $75,000 grant application (Agenda Item 6.5) to the Federal Aviation Administration for the design phase of the existing t-hanger taxi lanes and entrance road.

Airport Taxiway D Extension Design Approved

Approved Passero Associates LLC work order (Agenda Item 6.6) for the design for the municipal airport’s new T-hangers in the amount of $154,000.

City Streets Resurfacing Approved

Approved $152,000 contract (Agenda Item 6-11) to Atlantic Coast Asphalt, a division of Hubbard Construction Company for resurfacing of city streets.

Two JAX Utilities Management Contracts Approved

Fernandina Beach Commissioners approved two contracts for JAX Utilities Management for an amount not to exceed $85,000 for the Beech Street Trails Project for sidewalks and curbing (Agenda Item 6-13) and not to exceed $80,000 for the Alachua Street Project (Agenda Item 6-12).

City Proclaims Aug. 17 “Homeless Animals Day” and “Homeless Animals Month”

Accepting the City Proclamation (Agenda item 4-2) was Cats Angels Inc. Executive Director Sherri Merrit as Fernandina Beach recognized August as “Homeless Animals Month” and Aug. 17 as “Homeless Animals Day.” Nassau Humane Society Executive Director Chantel Scherer reported that the shelter was full with 168 animals.

Two New Police Officers Sworn-In

Fernandina Beach Chief of Police Jeffrey Tambasco presided over swearing-in (Agenda Item 4-3) newly hired Police Officers Felix Castillo and Colby Albert.

Other Fernandina Beach Actions (Approved 5-0 unless stated otherwise)

Approved (Agenda Item 6-1) the three-year lobbying services agreement not to exceed $75,000 per year with Jacobs, Scholz and Wyler, LLC.
Approved (Agenda Item 6-2) by a 3-2 vote the lawsuit settlement of $137,000 between the Port Authority of Nassau County and the City.
Approved (Agenda Item 6-3) Olsen Associates to complete year five Coastal Engineering Services for $62,000.
Approved (Agenda Item 6-8) relocation of the Amelia River Waterfront Park Parking Lots C and D Petanque Courts to Joe Velardi Field (fall and spring) or Central Park (summer) and not exceed $50,000.
Annexed 2124 Amelia Road (Agenda Item 6-9), a .32 acre parcel of land.

Approved the conservation purchase of .16 acre of land (Agenda Item 6-10) for $44,000 with presentation made by Kelly Gibson of Planning and Conservation.
David Patton named onto the Marina Advisory Board (Agenda Item 7-1).

Upcoming Events See our Events section)

Aug. 17: Wheels and Wings (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) Fernandina Beach Airport
Sept. 7: History of Right Whales: 4-5 p.m. (Story and Song)
Sept. 20 Voices from West Nassau: 12-1 p.m. (Museum of History)

Fernandina Beach Commissioners Comments:

Mayor Bradley Bean (904) 415-5181 (Term expires 2024)

“I am a huge proponent of Parks and Recreation and Public Safety. We need our police and fire adequately sustained. I am in favor of the three fire positions in the budget and of the Skate Park.”

Vice Mayor David Sturges (904) 753-2445 (Term expires 2024)

“We need to get a design for the Skate Park. We might be able to get private funding and have people donate…We need to determine what we do with our fire truck.”

Ronald “Chip” Ross (410) 394-0220 (Term expies 2024)

“We have a policy decision on whether we are funding the entire waterfront. We promised to build a wall so not flood. But who is to pay for it? The city or private property owners?”…”Kudos to the storm crew working in pouring rain this week.”

Darron Ayscue (904) 780-4480

“We have to have a design so the public knows what they are getting for their money. Financing by a bond is one way to get the money.

James Antun (516) 547-5309

“It is dicey to name a park (skate) after an individual.”

Agenda Fernandina Beach City Commissioners Meeting (2 hours):

https://fernandinabeachfl.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3257/files/agenda/7934

Watch Fernandina Beach City Commissioners Meeting

https://fernandinabeachfl.new.swagit.com/videos/311641

Michael Hernandez, from California, is co-founder of the Citizens Journal—Ventura County’s online news service. He is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor. Mr. Hernandez can be contacted at [email protected] and is editor of the weekly “Stories Speak Volumes,” “Nov. 5 Election Day Countdown” and “Revive America.”