Suggested “To Do” List For New City Manager

Steve Nicklas has penned a “to do” list for Fernandina’s new city manager, suggestions for improving functionality and finances.

Editor’s note: Contributing columnist, Steve Nicklas, expresses his views and insight on various topics in Marketplace column.

__STEVE’S MARKETPLACE__

Understandably, new city manager Dale Martin has little knowledge of Fernandina Beach or its longstanding issues.

However, what is not understandable is how or when he will be brought up to speed on important issues facing Fernandina Beach. So as a public service, let’s provide Martin with a “to do” list for when he takes office in a month.

In this way, he should get a head start in the understandably daunting task before him. Hopefully, it will help (and he will fare better than his predecessors of recent years).

To Do #1: Take an industrial-size bottle of Spic & Span and perform a housecleaning at City Hall. Too many longstanding department heads are running the show, and this show is getting tired and repetitive. Many rank-and-file employees are even unhappy. Start with reorganizing the Utility Department, then revamping the Building Department, and then restructuring Code Enforcement. All three departments must be converted into public-service outfits — without the anti-public mentality. Eliminate impact fees and cumbersome building regulations, welcoming new residents and businesses to our charming town.

To Do #2: Make the three enterprise funds (airport, marina, golf course) profitable within two years. If you cannot, then sell them in whole or parts to the private sector. Residents do not want their precious tax dollars going toward somebody’s pet project or hobby. Ask other towns how they have managed such entities, and learn from it. Both the airport and the golf course could easily be downsized, while a sale of some of this prime property could help defray outstanding debts.

To Do #3: Designate the downtown business district as an enterprise zone. Then reduce the taxes for the building owners (especially absentee) in exchange for reducing rents to their tenants. In this way, the buildings will be full, especially on the side streets. And regularly bring representatives of the downtown business association as well as the new Main Street program to the commission table. You must hear from them about any economic challenges facing the business district here.

To Do #4: Reduce the fleet of city-owned vehicles, from the utility department to the maintenance department to public safety. Let’s be real here; the city is only 15 square miles in size. So why would we continually have to replace vehicles due to wear and tear? Part of the problem is that city employees are allowed to drive their vehicles home, including police officers. This is a nice perk, but one we probably cannot afford any longer. Contract with a local garage to perform maintenance work on city vehicles at a reduced rate. In this way, we can keep the vehicles longer.

To Do #5: Scale back the role of city attorney to a part-time status. (This would require action by commissioners, but nonetheless.) It had always been this way until recent years — and nothing worthwhile has come out of the expanded role. The city attorney farms out most legal cases to outside firms, and appears to simply oversee them. There are plenty of private-sector attorneys who would take the part-time position for half of what is being paid out now.

To Do #6: Since we’ll be reducing the size of government (with these moves), there should be surplus money to hire a local landscape company. And have them mow all the grass — in our parks, in our islands, on our roadside shoulders. The public right-of-ways need to be dressed up to improve our outward appearance (this is already nicely done on Centre Street, so simply expand those efforts).

To Do #7: Direct the code enforcement department to do its job — and enforce fair and uniform building standards while eliminating the “gotcha” approach. Coordinate signage around the city so that it is appealing. Las Vegas looks good with gaudy neon signs; a small historic town does not. Instead of slapping fines on businesses, work alongside them to improve the overall appearance of our industrial corridors. And let’s enforce the tree ordinance, not so much on a resident who wants to remove one tree, but on the developers and industry.

To Do #8: Rework the arrangement with Florida Public Utilities as the provider of electric here. The electrical costs for city residents are almost double of what they are off the island (where most residents have Florida Power & Light). And no one in the city can explain why, or even seems to care. City and FPU officials make elaborate explanations and excuses about the franchise agreement and other bureaucratic mumbo jumbo. And city officials should remove a fee they applied to electric bills to pay for the Forward Fernandina initiative (that has since died).

To Do #9: Invite the public to take part in local government. Encourage people and business owners to attend meetings and make their opinions known — for more than a silly three-minute limit. The relationship between the city and the people is lousy, so we need more public interaction.

To Do #10: Spearhead serious discussions with county officials over redundancy of services, particularly in police, fire and rescue. Let’s make it equitable and effective, while cutting costs. Heck, the city’s police and fire pension fund is grossly underfunded, so the question must be answered whether we can afford the status quo.

And as the city manager, assume the role of Chief Executive Officer — with the city commission acting as the board of trustees. You run the city; the commission sets the policies and assumes a big-picture role. Only with a streamlined business approach like this will things get done.

Past city managers have started with noble intentions, visibly visiting businesses in downtown, timely responding to residents’ problems, etc. But City Hall has become almost a detached entity, an operation unto itself, walled off from residents and businesses.

Steve Nicklas
Steve Nicklas
Please do not let this happen again, Mr. City Manager. Reform the pervasive us-against-them mentality at City Hall. Delegate smaller issues to department heads, while focusing your time on improving the city’s appearance and functionality and finances.

You might start by reading this 10-point list. And by acting on it — in what would be a refreshing start to your new job.