Forward Fernandina Plan Expensive, Controversial

EDITOR’S NOTE: Contributing columnist, Steve Nicklas, expresses his views and insights on various topics in Marketplace column.

___STEVE’S MARKETPLACE ___

Not only is the Forward Fernandina plan expensive, but it contains more holes than a block of swiss cheese.

Matching funds that don’t match. Railroad crossing gates that may not fit. Plans for a building (or two) the city does not own. A lot needed for a waterfront park that may cost a lot.

These are some of the uncertain components of the downtown redevelopment plan. Maybe that is why it has become so controversial and unpopular (except with a minority of vocal proponents, many with self-interests).

With so much unanswered, you might think that someone has moved the city’s cheese. Not in the least. In their haste to secure financing and push forward with the projects, city officials must fill in these holes as they proceed through stages — spanning more than three years.

Here is an outline of the projects, with the uncertainties surrounding them:

— A new library: The city does not own the building it prefers for the site (the old First Union, or Vituro, building), and it would cost about $1 million to buy it. And this doesn’t include the hefty costs of renovations. The $600,000 the city has just borrowed for a new library would hardly cover the costs, and a matching amount of funds from the county is not guaranteed. While the county has set aside $600,000 for library improvements (unlike the city, which is borrowing its portion), it would take at least a 3-2 vote from county commissioners to release the funds. And frugal county officials are reportedly unimpressed by the city’s recent decisions and actions.

— Renovating the old post office: One big problem here is that the city does not own the building. The U.S. Postal Service does. And the grand plan of getting the building from the postal service for $1 is more imagination than reality. Once again, the city would have to buy this valuable building (it was reportedly appraised at $1.2 million) and then figure out what to do with it. To be sure, major costs are involved with this project.

— New waterfront park:  A one-acre lot owned by Rayonier is reportedly needed as part of a waterfront park the city wants to build. Like with the post office building and the proposed library building, a price has not been agreed upon for the Rayonier lot.

— Opening Alachua Street: This project is probably the most likely to be accomplished — especially with a mysterious priority in getting it done. However, a mechanized crossing gate must be installed at the railroad tracks. There are reports that the constrained area may not have room for a gate that meets regulations. Either way, this project will be expensive (targeted for $750,000, but look for more funds to be needed if the rumors are true). [/box]

There is yet another potential, and much grander, roadblock. Two incumbents supporting the F2 initiative have been ousted by a substantial margin. One new commissioner, Charley Corbett, is opposed to much of the plan — especially the part about borrowing between $5 and $15 million without giving citizens a say.

Another potential new commissioner, Sarah Pelican, sides with Corbett and believes borrowed funds in the hands of bureaucrats is a dangerous recipe. This is especially true when the proposed projects contain so many holes of uncertainty, leaving decisions with long-term implications to a select few.

A select few who may put their interests over the community’s.