[00:00:01]
>> THIS IS THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
SCHEDULED FOR MAY 13TH, 2025 IN THE CITY HALL COMMISSION CHAMBER.>> WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE? AT THIS TIME,
[Additional Item]
I'D LIKE TO HAVE SCOTT COME UP AND INTRODUCE TO TWO NEW MEMBERS FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION.>> GOOD EVENING. SCOTT MIKELSON, PARKS AND RECREATION DIRECTOR FOR THE RECORD.
WELCOME, STAFF, MYSELF, MR. BIGGERS, MISS RIVERA.
WE WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY WELCOME MEMBER PELICAN AND MEMBER SNYDER TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
MEMBER PELICAN IS A FORMER CHAIR OF THE GOLF CLUB ADVISORY BOARD, AND ALSO, HE IS CURRENTLY THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE MGA, THE MEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION.
MISS SNYDER IS CURRENTLY THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION.
WE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY WELCOME MR. BIGGERS, THE GOLF COURSE GENERAL MANAGER, AS WE WILL BE WORKING CLOSELY THROUGH OUR MEETINGS AND OUR DISCUSSION.
ACTUALLY, WHAT WE'LL DO IS I'LL WAIT TILL LATER IN THE MEETING WHEN IT WAS ON OUR AGENDA TO GO THROUGH OUR PROCESS AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WORKING THROUGH THAT WITH GOLF AND PARKS AND RECREATION.
WITH THAT, BASICALLY, WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS TO WELCOME.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE AT THIS TIME?
>> YES. I LIKE ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE PARKS AND REC.
PLEASE STAND UP, STATE YOUR NAME AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR HISTORY.
>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO STAND. [LAUGHTER]
I LEFT FERNANDINA FOR 42 YEARS.
I WORKED FOR THE MILITARY FOR 25 YEARS.
AFTER WORKING FOR 25 YEARS WITH THE MILITARY, I WENT ON TO FLY 20 YEARS WITH DELTA AS A FLIGHT ATTENDANT.
I CAME BACK TO FERNANDINA AFTER 42 YEARS, AND I CURRENTLY SELL TEACH. THAT'S MY STORY.
I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER HOW LONG I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD A COUPLE OF YEARS.
I CAME BECAUSE I'M INTERESTED IN THE MORE PARK ASPECTS OF PARKS AND WRECK INSTEAD OF THE SPORTS ASPECT.
ALWAYS ADVOCATE FOR NATIVE PLANTS, WILDLIFE HABITAT, WHATEVER WE CAN DO THERE.
>> I'M SHEILA COCCHI. I HAVE BEEN HERE A LITTLE OVER A DECADE.
I'M ORIGINALLY FROM ATLANTA WITH A COUPLE OF STENTS OUT WEST, AND I HAVE A SMALL BUSINESS.
I HAVE TEENAGERS, AND MY PROPERTY BACKS UP TO A PARK.
I GET TO SEE FRONT AND CENTER WHAT THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT IS DOING ON A REGULAR BASIS. IT'S IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT ASSETS IN OUR CITY, AND THE WAY THAT WE TAKE CARE OF OUR PARKS AND REC IS, I THINK, GOOD AND GLAD TO BE A PART OF THAT.
I HAVE A ONE AND A 4-YEAR-OLD THAT I'M NOW RAISING HERE AS WELL.
I'M ALWAYS INTERESTED IN ANY OF THE PARK SPORTS,
[00:05:05]
I MEAN, ANYTHING FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO THE CHILDREN STUFF.I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR 3.5 YEARS, I THINK.
I HAVE THREE TEENAGERS, AND MY FAMILY AND I CAME DOWN HERE IN 2017 FOR THE MONTH OF JULY, AND WE NEVER WENT HOME.
I JOINED PARKS AND REC JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
I ATTENDED A LOT OF THE MEETINGS LAST YEAR AND I JUST LOVE WHAT THE COMMITTEE DOES, AND I LOVE WHAT THE CITY'S ALL ABOUT. THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
I AM THE CHAIRPERSON FOR PARKS AND REC.
I AM ALSO THE VICE PRESIDENT OF BASEBALL FOR BABE RUTH, AND I WAS ON THE GOLF ADVISORY BOARD.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS BOARD IS A WORKING BOARD, AND IT DOES TAKE ON THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE UNDER OUR JURISDICTION AS PARKS AND REC, AND YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THAT OUT VERY QUICKLY.
WE'LL GO FROM THE CEMETERY TODAY TO OUR ACTUAL THINGS THAT WE DO FOR PARKS AND REC.
THAT'S ALL PART OF PARKS AND REC.
I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND THAT THIS BOARD MAKES A LOT OF GREAT DECISIONS BECAUSE WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU TWO JOIN US.
I KNOW BOTH OF YOU VERY WELL, AND I KNOW YOUR DEDICATION BOTH TO GOLF AND TO THE COMMUNITY AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU. I WILL NOW PROCEED TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES 4.1,
[4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
THE REGULAR MINUTES OF PRAC FOR APRIL 2025. DO I HAVE A MOTION?>> BEFORE YOU APPROVE THE MINUTES.
FOR THE PRAC MINUTES, SINCE THE MEMBERS OF THE GOLF COMMITTEE WERE NOT PRESENT FOR THE LAST MEETING, WE WOULD ONLY LIKE THE PRAC MEMBERS TO VOTE ON APPROVING THESE MINUTES.
SHOULD I TURN IT OFF? I'M GOING TO LOSE ALL MY TEETH BY THE END OF THIS.
[LAUGHTER] THEN FOR THE GOLF MINUTES, SINCE MR. PELICAN WAS THE ONLY GOLF PERSON, WE'RE GOING TO ASK HIM TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU TWO TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL, AND THEN THE PRAC BOARD WE'LL DO A VOTE TO APPROVE IT. GOOD?
>> THANK YOU. BACK TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, WILL THE MEMBERS OF THE PRAC PLEASE MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR APRIL 2025?
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS SUBMITTED.
>> THOSE HAVE BEEN APPROVED? 4.2, THE REGULAR MINUTES FOR THE GOLF FOR MARCH OF 2025. MR. PELICAN?
>> YES, SIR. I'VE REVIEWED THE MINUTES.
THEY LOOK FAIRLY ACCURATE, AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THESE MINUTES AS DELINEATED BE APPROVED.
>> NUMBER 5. PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
[5. PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING ITMES NOT ON THE AGENDA]
DO I HAVE ANYBODY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? [INAUDIBLE].>> AT THIS TIME, THERE IS NOBODY THAT WISHES TO SPEAK.
PUBLIC COMMENTS [NOISE] IS CLOSED. NUMBER 6.
[6.1 Golf Club Advisory Board And Parks And Recreation Committee Merger (Welcome And Updates)]
DISCUSSION ITEMS. THE GOLF CLUB ADVISORY BOARD AND PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE.>> JEFFREY AND I JUST WANTED TO GO THROUGH A FEW THINGS AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON HOW WE WANT TO PROCEED WITH THE COMBINATION OF PRAC AND THE GOLF CLUB ADVISORY BOARD.
FOLLOWING THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK AT THAT POINT, DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR ANY OTHER ADDITIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
OUR PLAN IS TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD GOLF AND PARKS ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AS THEY ARISE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
BASICALLY, JUST LIKE WE DID AT PRAC AND JUST LIKE WE DID AT THE GOLF COURSE ADVISORY BOARD, AS ITEMS THAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO YOU FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATION THAT MAY GO TO THE COMMISSION FOR FORMAL FINAL APPROVAL.
[00:10:03]
WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING THOSE ITEMS TO YOU, REGARDLESS IF IT'S GOLF, REGARDLESS IF IT'S PARKS AND RECREATION.THOSE ITEMS WOULD FALL UNDER THE DISCUSSION.
WE WILL JUST BE PRESENTING THOSE AS THEY COME UP THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A FEW EXAMPLES.
FOR THE NEW INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ON THIS BOARD NOW, IS ITEMS THAT WERE RELATED TO PARKS AND RECREATION IN THE PAST IS WE HAD THE NEW SPECIAL EVENT PROCESS, THE PUBLIC ART PROCESS.
WE STILL ARE WORKING THROUGH THOSE PROCESSES.
BUT THOSE ARE A COUPLE ITEMS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE PRAC.
THE COLUMBARIUM, LIKE TONIGHT, THE WATERFRONT PLAY STRUCTURE THAT CAME BEFORE PRAC.
THEN, A FEW OF THE ITEMS THAT CAME BEFORE THE GOLF COURSE AT GOLF CLUB ADVISORY BOARD WERE TOPTRACER, THE END OF THE CONTRACT REGARDING TOPTRACER, AND THAT'S RELATED TO THE DRIVING RANGE.
FEE SCHEDULES. JUST LIKE FEES THROUGH PARKS AND RECREATION, WE HAVE FEES THROUGH THE GOLF COURSE.
WE LIKE TO BRING THOSE TO YOU FOR RECOMMENDATION, APPROVAL BEFORE THEY GO TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
THEN ANOTHER RECENT ITEM WAS DRIVING RANGE, THE DAMAGE, AND THE REBUILD OF THE DRIVING RANGE.
BASICALLY, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR IS RELATED TO BOTH OF THESE TOPICS IS RECOMMENDATIONS AS WE DISCUSS THESE ITEMS THAT MAY PROGRESS TO THE CITY COMMISSION, LIKE WE DO AT PRAC, JUST LIKE WE DID AT GOLF.
THEN WE CAN TAKE YOUR RECOMMENDATION AND MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMISSION IS AWARE OF THAT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS RELATED TO THAT?
>> I WAS WONDERING IF WE MAY BE ABLE TO SET UP WITH JEFFREY A TIME TO GO OVER AND SEE THE GOLF COURSE.
I MEAN, I'VE BEEN TO THE GOLF COURSE MANY TIMES, MOSTLY AT TRIVIA OR SOME MEETING THAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE.
I'VE EVEN ATTENDING THE CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS WHERE THESE THINGS ARE BEING TALKED ABOUT.
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME BIG, IMPORTANT THINGS GOING ON OVER THERE, A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE RECENTLY, A LOT OF GOOD THINGS GOING ON.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE.
REALLY, LIKE, VISUALLY LOOKING AT THEM SINCE I'VE NOT SPENT ANY TIME OVER THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD SET UP A FIELD.
I GUESS WE WOULD MAYBE EITHER HAVE TO DO IT TOTALLY AS A GROUP OR BECAUSE OF THE SUNSHINE LAWS.
>> WE DO IT. WE COULD DO IT A COUPLE WAYS.
WE COULD SET IT UP AS A WORKSHOP, WHERE WE WOULD POST IT, WE WOULD LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT PRAC IS MEETING OUT THERE RELATED TO GOLF COURSE ITEMS. JEFFREY AND MYSELF, WE COULD DO ONE ON ONES.
EITHER WAY WOULD BE TOTALLY FINE.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA, ACTUALLY FOR US TO DO THAT.
>> THANK YOU. I'D APPRECIATE THAT.
>> WOULD THE BOARD LIKE TO SEE STAFF LOOK AT A POSSIBLE DATE TO DO, LIKE A DAYTIME WORKSHOP, WHERE AT LEAST FOR THE PRAC MEMBERS, IF YOU CAN MAKE IT, YOU CAN MAKE IT IF YOU CAN'T, BUT A GROUP OR A ONE ON ONE SETTING?
>> I'M FINE WITH THE GROUP TO SAVE YOU GUYS TIME.
I'M FINE THERE'S A GROUP. YOU GUYS PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO DO. HOW MANY OF US ARE THERE?
>> NINE. PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO DO NINE.
I WAS LIKE TRYING TO COUNT [LAUGHTER] EVERYBODY BUT YOU PROBABLY DON'T DO NINE MEETINGS OUT THERE IF YOU CAN AVOID IT.
OR SEVEN, I GUESS, BECAUSE THEY MIGHT KNOW, BUT.
>> WE CAN ABSOLUTELY WORK ON THAT.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK THAT AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF PERSPECTIVE, LIKE, PHYSICAL, VISUAL PERSPECTIVE.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT PUMPS.
>> I THINK THE MAIN THING IS STAFF NEEDS TO ENSURE THAT, ESPECIALLY NOW MORE SO THAN EVER, WITH THE COMBINATION, THAT THE PRAC MEMBERS ARE FULLY AWARE OF AN ITEM THAT IS COMING BEFORE YOU, SO YOU CAN MAKE WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS THE RIGHT DECISION.
WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL THE FACTS RELATED TO THE GOLF COURSE.
THAT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
>> JUST REITERATING, I KNOW THE GOLF PEOPLE KNOW THIS, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS UP HERE TOO, THE GOLF COURSE IS AN ENTERPRISE FUND.
IT MAKES MONEY OR SUPPOSED TO MAKE MONEY FOR THE CITY.
IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT, I THINK THAN JUST-.
>> A FEW OF THOSE WERE QUESTIONS,
[00:15:01]
AND IT WAS LIKE, THE GOLF COURSE STILL IS AN ENTERPRISE FUND.IT IS NOT UNDER PARKS AND RECREATION.
THERE'S A LOT INVOLVED BEHIND THE SCENES THAT WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN FOR THAT TO TAKE PLACE.
PARKS AND RECREATION IS A TOTAL SEPARATE BUDGET UNDER THE GENERAL FUND.
YES, THE GOLF COURSE IS A TOTAL SEPARATE BUDGET, AND IT IS AN ENTERPRISE FUND.
THAT IS CORRECT. THAT HAS NOT CHANGED.
WE CAN GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT STUFF IN OUR WORKSHOP, TOO AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE AT THE GOLF COURSE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF CHALLENGES THAT ARE WE'RE WORKING THROUGH EVERY DAY.
>> WELL, YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE WORKING ON BUDGET STARTING LIKE JULYISH?
>> I WOULD THINK, TOO, ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT JUST HAVING HEARD SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE FORTHCOMING IN THE COMING YEAR FOR THE GOLF COURSE.
I WOULD THINK TOO IF WE CAN GO OVER AND SEE WHAT SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE AND JUST UNDERSTAND THE EXPANSIVENESS OF THE GOLF COURSE.
>> I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS FOR JEFFREY AND I TO PRESENT A BUDGET TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, AND THEN ULTIMATELY TO THE COMMISSION AS, WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT WHAT WE FEEL WE NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT THE GOLF COURSE AND THEN WE TAKE IT FROM THERE.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
WHEN WE DO BIG ITEMS LIKE THE COLUMBARIUM TODAY, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A WORKSHOP SO WE CAN ALL GO OUT TO THE BOSQUE BELLO, SEE THE SITE, UNDERSTAND WHY THE SITE WAS PICKED.
SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW WE TRY TO ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS OF PRAC TO SEND TO THE COMMISSIONER AND WHY WE MADE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO EVERYBODY HAS A KNOWLEDGE OF EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON AND UNDERSTAND THE LAYOUT OF BOSQUE BELLO BECAUSE SOME OF YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THERE OR HAVE WALKED BOSQUE BELLO.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU THE IDEA OF HAVING A WORKSHOP.
WE CAN HAVE IT AT THE ATLANTIC WRECK AFTER BOSQUE BELLO, IF NEED BE. THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE CONSOLIDATION AT THIS POINT? NO. OKAY.
NUMBER 62, BOSQUE BELLO THE CEMETERY, THE COLUMBARIUM.
[6.2 Bosque Bello Cemetery: Columbarium]
>> I WAS GIVEN THE CONTEXT OF 2020 WHATEVER YOU WANT.
>> I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT HAVING SEEN THE INFORMATION THAT MIKE IS GOING TO PRESENT, IT MIGHT BE BETTER FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN CONTEXT AND THEN TO HEAR YOUR QUESTIONS.
>> SO I CAN GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND BEFORE BEFORE I GO THROUGH HERE, AND THEN LET HIM SPEAK AND THEN GO THROUGH THE SLIDESHOW?
>> YES, I THINK THAT WOULD BE PERFECT.
>> SO, KATIE, DID YOU SWITCH OVER? SO LET ME MAKE SURE I GOT THIS.
SO AT THE MAY 6, CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP, STAFF, MYSELF, PRESENTED.
WE WERE ASKED TO HAVE THIS ON A WORKSHOP, BOSQUE BELLO CEMETERY.
BACK IN FISCAL YEAR 2020, STAFF HAD WORKED, MYSELF, PARKS AND RECREATION STAFF, FRIENDS OF BOSQUE BELLO CEMETERY, THE RESTORATION FOUNDATION HAD WORKED WITH A OUTSIDE CONTRACTOR TO DEVELOP CONCEPTUAL IDEAS FOR A POTENTIAL COLUMBARIUM AT THE BOSQUE BELLO CEMETERY.
AT THAT TIME, THE CONCEPTUAL IDEA PLANS WERE BROUGHT TO THE CITY COMMISSION, I THINK IT WAS 2021.
AND IT DID FAIL TO PROCEED TO THE NEXT PHASE.
[00:20:01]
THAT NEXT PHASE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS AT THAT POINT.THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS WITH THE CONCEPTUAL IDEA.
BASICALLY, THAT IS IN THE PRESENTATION THAT I WOULD HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
MR. LENOVIC WAS THE MAYOR AT THAT TIME.
I BELIEVE HE WANTS TO SPEAK AND GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE INFORMATION TONIGHT.
THE REASON WHY THIS IS ON THE AGENDA IS, I WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE IN CASE YOU WERE NOT, I BELIEVE ALL OF YOU WERE AWARE THAT THIS WAS PRESENTED TO THE CITY COMMISSION ON MAY 6 FOR THEIR WORKSHOP.
THEY DID GIVE THEIR APPROVAL TO PROCEED WITH WORKING ON THIS IDEA, AND STAFF IS GOING TO DO SO.
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP DURING THE LAST CONCEPTUAL IDEAS, AND YOU'LL HEAR THOSE TONIGHT.
SO WE ARE STARTING BACK ON THIS PROCESS.
IT WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL REVENUE SOURCE FOR BOSQUE BELLO CEMETERY, WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
I BELIEVE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE INDIVIDUALS RESIDENTS BELIEVE THAT WE NEED A COLUMBARIUM, WHERE THERE WAS SOME ISSUES WHERE WERE THE PRICE TAG OF IT, THE MATERIAL THAT WAS USED.
SO WE WILL BE GOING THROUGH THOSE TONIGHT.
AND I CAN ASSURE YOU AS WE START THIS PROCESS AGAIN, THOSE CONCERNS WILL BE DEFINITELY TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
I WANT TO DEVELOP A TEAM AROUND THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT TO WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS SO WE CAN GET IT TO THE FINISH LINE.
AS I DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR THE CEMETERY FINANCIALLY MOVING FORWARD, AND FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THAT DON'T WANT TO DO A TRADITIONAL BURIAL.
THE PERCENTAGES HAVE INCREASED TREMENDOUSLY MOVING TOWARDS CREMATION.
SO THERE IS A NEED FOR THIS PROJECT, AND MY GOAL IS TO GET IT TO THE FINISH LINE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, DOES THAT GIVE A BACKGROUND OF WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT OR THIS IS WHY IT'S HERE.
>> GOOD EVENING. MIKE DOVICH, 15 86 CANOPY DRIVE.
AND AS SCOTT MENTIONED, I WAS THE MAYOR WHEN THE BOSQUE BELLO COLUMBARIUM PROJECT CAME BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION.
AND REALLY WHAT I WANT TO CLARIFY IS THAT THE 32 VOTE AGAINST WAS NOT AGAINST THE COLUMBARIUM.
THE COLUMBARIUM IS IN THE MASTER PLAN, THE BOSQUE MASTER PLAN.
WHAT WAS BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION? WHAT WE HAD TO DECIDE WAS WHETHER TO SPEND $19,800 MORE ON CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS WHEN WE HAD ALREADY SPENT $17,000 ON DESIGN DRAWINGS.
AND THOSE DRAWINGS WERE UNANIMOUSLY VOTED DOWN BY THIS GROUP 70.
THIS GROUP CAME TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
FAITH ROSS WAS THE CHAIR AT THE TIME.
SHE GAVE A VERY INFORMATIVE 15 MINUTE PRESENTATION AS TO WHY IT WAS NOT APPROVED.
AND THAT LED TO OUR DECISION NOT TO GO FORWARD.
NOW, I'LL GO THROUGH SOME OF THAT.
WHAT WERE THE PROBLEMS WITH THE DESIGN BY MARQUIS LATIMER? FIRST, IT WAS BRICK, AND BRICK IS NOT IN THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE FOR COLUMBARIUMS. SO THERE'S A DARK MOMENT.
AND THEY PREFERRED THE MATERIAL THEY WANTED WAS GRANITE.
AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF, LAY PEOPLE GO, GRANITE.
ISN'T THAT MORE? NO, IT'S ACTUALLY LESS.
IT'S LESS AND IT'S LESS TO MAINTAIN.
MARQUIS LATIMER WOULD NEVER COME TO THE TABLE WITH A GRANITE DESIGN.
NUMBER 2, THE DESIGN, AND I WOULD URGE ALL OF YOU TO LOOK AT THE MARQUIS LATIMER DESIGN AS PART OF YOUR WORK ON THIS.
[00:25:03]
PART OF THEIR DESIGN OF THE COLUMBARIUM, WHICH WAS 1,800 "? A TOTAL 1,800 ".THAT PART OF THAT COMPLEX ENCROACHED ON THE INFANT SECTION OF THE CEMETERY, MEANING GRAVES WOULD HAVE TO BE RELOCATED.
SEVERAL TREES WERE GOING TO HAVE TO BE REMOVED.
AND THEN THE CITY UNDER THE MARQUIS LATIMER PLAN WOULD BE OBLIGATED TO MAINTAIN THE MONUMENTS.
THE CITY WOULD BE OBLIGATED TO MAINTAIN THOSE.
>> THANK YOU. NOW, THAT'S AGAINST THE CITY CODE, BECAUSE IF YOU DO THAT FOR THE NICHES, NOW YOU GOT TO TAKE CARE OF ALL THE MONUMENTS IN THE CEMETERY.
SO THAT WAS ANOTHER OBLIGATION THAT THE COMMISSION AND PRAT WAS UNWILLING TO UNDERTAKE.
NOW, COMMISSIONER CHIP ROSS AND FAITH, HIS WIFE, DID VOLUMINOUS WORK EXPLORING COLUMBARIUMS. I MEAN, IT WAS HUMAN WORK.
PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH MARQUIS LATIMER WAS IN APPROVING THIS, WOULD BE THAT ONCE THEY GAVE US THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS FOR THAT 19 GRAND, NOW THEY WERE GOING TO ADD PROJECT MANAGEMENT COSTS.
THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE A WARRANTY ON THE PROJECT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE COSTS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WARRANTY, AND IT WOULD GO OUT TO BID.
AND WE ALL KNOW CITY PROJECTS THAT GO OUT TO BID, AND YOU HAVE A STARTING PRICE, AND YOU HAVE AN ENDING PRICE.
THE ENDING PRICE IS ALWAYS MORE.
SO THERE'S NO GUARANTEED FINAL PRICE FOR THE PROJECT.
WHAT THE ROSS HAS FOUND, THERE'S TWO COLUMBARIUMS ON THE ISLAND, AND THEY ALSO WENT TO ONE IN JACKSONVILLE.
WHAT THEY FOUND IS THERE ARE SEVERAL NATIONAL COMPANIES THAT BUILD COLUMBARIUMS. IT'S ALL THEY DO.
AND THESE NATIONAL COMPANIES PROVIDE EVERYTHING.
THEY DESIGN IT, THEY DO THE ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS, THEY DO THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT.
THEY GIVE YOU THE FINAL PRICE.
YOU KNOW IN THE BEGINNING WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST YOU, AND THEY GIVE YOU A 25 YEAR WARRANTY.
NOW, WHAT COMMISSIONER ROSS DID WAS, HE WAS A VERY SMART MAN.
SO THE COST PER NICHE WITH A COLUMBARIUM COMPANY WAS 300 TO $620 PER NICHE.
UNDER THE MARQUIS LATIMER PLAN, THE COST PER NICHE WAS $820, 25 TO 30% MORE.
SO YOU CAN SEE AS A CITY COMMISSIONER WATCHING TAXPAYER MONEY, WHY THIS DESIGN WAS NOT APPROVED.
AND EVEN DAVID STURGIS, COMMISSIONER STURGIS, A BUILDER, SAID AT THE TIME THAT GOING WITH A COLUMBARIUM COMPANY, A COMPANY THAT DOES IT FROM START TO FINISH WAS THE WISEST WAY TO GO.
SO THAT'S THE BACKGROUND OF IT.
SO WE DIDN'T VOTE AGAINST THE COLUMBARIUM, WE VOTED AGAINST HOW IT WAS BEING DONE BECAUSE THERE WAS A BETTER WAY.
AND THEN A FINAL NOTE, AT THE WORKSHOP THAT SCOTT MENTIONED.
ONE COMMISSIONER, AND SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS MENTIONED, BORROWING MONEY FROM THE PERPETUAL FUND, IT'S $1,000,000 IN THERE.
THE PERPETUAL FUND IS A FUND THAT IS THERE FOR THE FUTURE MAINTENANCE OF THE CEMETERY.
SO THE IDEA OF BORROWING SEED MONEY AND THEN PAYING IT BACK TO THAT FUND SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA.
IT'S ONLY ONE FLY IN THE OINTMENT.
IT'S AGAINST THE FLORIDA STATUTES TO DO IT.
CEMETERY PERPETUAL FUNDS MUST BE USED FOR MAINTENANCE.
THAT'S THE LAW. SO YOU CAN'T DO IT.
SO I'D LIKE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU AS WELL.
[00:30:03]
SO WHAT YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER IS, ARE YOU GOING TO GO BACK TO MARQUIS LATIMER, WHERE WE HAVE $17,000 IN DRAWINGS, SITTING UP THERE, COLLECTING DUST AND GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS THAT WILL COST YOU MORE, OR ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY AND START FROM ZERO? SO I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT CONTEXT OF HOW WE GOT HERE TODAY.THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> DID THEY HAVE ANY REASONING FOR WHY THEY WANTED IT TO BE DONE OUT OF BRICK?
>> YOU KNOW, THEY DID, AND JENNIFER, IT WAS FOUR YEARS AGO, I'M TRYING TO RECALL THE SPECIFICS OF IT.
AND I SAT IN ALL THE PRAT MEETINGS.
I MEAN, I WAS THERE WATCHING THEIR DISCUSSIONS DURING THIS.
>> IN LOOKING AT THE ORIGINAL DRAWINGS THAT WERE PRESENTED BY THE COMPANY, THEY CAME DOWN AND LOOKED AT DOWNTOWN, THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS WITH ALL OF THE BRICK STRUCTURES, AND THEY FELT IT TIED IN WITH THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE ISLAND BY USING THE BRICK.
>> THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THAT ORIGINAL.
>> THAT DOES MAKE SENSE. I DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY HAD SOMETHING THAT WAS LIKE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S AGAINST THE CODE, WE THINK IT'S BETTER BECAUSE OF X Y Z, NOT JUST IT LOOKS.
>> I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE OUT OF BRICK.
>> ANYTIME I'VE EVER SEEN ONE THERE GIANT POLISHED, STONE, GRANITE.
I WROTE A STORY ABOUT THIS FOR THE OBSERVER AFTER THE WORKSHOP.
AND ALEXANDER LEGO, WHO WAS ON THE COMMITTEE POSTED.
WE COULD IT WAS THE MOST FRUSTRATING PROJECT SHE EVER WORKED ON AS A MEMBER OF PRAT BECAUSE THE COMMITTEE COULD NEVER GET MARQUIS LATIMER TO DO WHAT THEY WANTED THEM TO DO.
SO THAT IN ESSENCE, IS WHY IT DIED.
AND NOW YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO CONSIDER IT AGAIN.
AND I DO THINK IT'S A WORTHY PROJECT.
>> SO GOING BACK TO OUR DISCUSSION HERE IS, BASICALLY, WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION THAT I DID IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION.
SO THE FIRST SLIDE HERE AND WE'LL JUST GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS IS WHY A COLUMBARIUM? AS MAYOR SAID, THAT, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE DID SUPPORT THE IDEA OF A COLUMBARIUM.
BUT WE DO HAVE AN ESTIMATED OF ABOUT 600 GRAVES REMAINING AT THE CEMETERY.
THESE GRAVES WILL SELL IN ABOUT FIVE YEARS.
WE'RE AVERAGING OVER SELLING OVER 100 EACH YEAR.
THIS IS A MORE COST EFFECTIVE THAN TRADITIONAL BURIALS.
IT'S A PREFERENCE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
IT CREATES A LASTING MEMORIAL.
WE'VE TALKED MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT POPULATION GROWTH.
>> CURRENTLY, WE ARE BURYING CREMAINS IN TRADITIONAL GRAVES, MEANING WHEN WE SELL A TRADITIONAL GRAVE, WE ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO BURY THREE SETS OF CREMAINS IN THAT GRAVE INSTEAD OF DOING A TRADITIONAL GRAVE OR INSTEAD OF DOING A TRADITIONAL BURIAL.
WE ALSO DO WHAT WE CALL TREE LOTS.
YOU CAN PURCHASE THOSE AT A REDUCED COST BECAUSE A TREE SITS ON WHERE THE GRAVE IS, BUT THE ROOT SYSTEM ONLY ALLOWS WHERE WE COULD DO ONE SET OF CREMAINS IN THERE.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN CREMATION BURIAL FOR THOSE LOCATIONS.
THIS WILL PROVIDE A NEW REVENUE STREAM, AND THEN EXTENDS THE TIME BEFORE THE PERPETUAL CARE FUND IS NEEDED.
THE PERPETUAL CARE FUND IS A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF MONEY THAT WE SELL EACH GRAVE GOES INTO THAT PERPETUAL CARE FUND.
THAT MONEY WILL BE USED FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE CEMETERY ONCE WE STOP SELLING ADDITIONAL GRAVES.
NOW, WILL THAT MONEY CURRENTLY AND EVEN INTO THE FUTURE LAST INTO PERPETUITY? PROBABLY NOT.
[00:35:04]
BUT IT'S GOING TO HELP OFFSET THE OPERATING COSTS OF THE CEMETERY INTO THE FUTURE.FISCAL YEAR 2020 WAS A LITTLE BIT OVER $16,000 WAS SPENT ON A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN BY MARQUIS LATIMER.
THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT WERE INVOLVED WERE AMELIA ISLAND FERNANDINA RESTORATION FOUNDATION, FRIENDS OF BOSQUE BELLO CEMETERY AND CITY STAFF, OF COURSE.
MARCH 2021, STAFF PRESENTED A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN TO THE CITY COMMISSION, AND AS MENTIONED, IT DID FAIL TO MOVE FORWARD TO CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS DUE TO CONCERNS.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT BOSQUE BELLO STILL NEEDS A COLUMBARIUM.
THEN HERE ARE SOME PAST DISCUSSIONS.
THE RED DOTTED LINE WAS THE OUTLINED AREA WHERE THE COLUMBARIUM WOULD BE PLACED.
IT WOULDN'T ENCOMPASS THIS WHOLE AREA, BUT IT WOULD BE PLACED THROUGHOUT THERE.
ON THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES, YOU WILL SEE IT DOESN'T TAKE UP THE WHOLE AREA, BUT WHERE THEY ARE PLACED THROUGHOUT THAT AREA.
THEN YOU CAN SEE THERE'S MULTIPLE TREES IN THAT AREA.
THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN WORKED AROUND THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
WOULD SOME TREES HAVE HAD TO COME OUT? YES. THAT IS CORRECT.
THE IDEA OF THE COLUMBARIUM WAS WAS A PHASED APPROACH.
NOW, REMEMBER, THESE NUMBERS ARE BACK FROM 2020.
THERE'S THE BRICK. THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE PLANNED PHASE 1.
AS YOU CAN SEE THIS RIGHT HERE, AND I'M GOING TO SCROLL BACK TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, THAT AREA WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT RIGHT IN THIS AREA.
YES, THERE'S TREES THERE. WE WORK AROUND THEM.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY TREES, BUT THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE AREA OF PHASE 1.
BASICALLY, THE PLAN WAS, WE NEEDED AT THE TIME, $345,000.
THESE WERE THE NUMBERS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO US.
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN 420 NICHES.
THEN HERE'S THE FUNDING STRATEGY THAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH.
MONEY BUDGETED IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR, WHICH WAS PARKS AND RECREATION IMPACT FEE MONEY.
THE PLAN WAS TO BUDGET FOR $85,000.
AS WE HAD MENTIONED BEFORE, THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS, THAT NUMBER IS THERE OF $19,000.
WE ALSO HAD SOME ADDITIONAL ENGINEERING THAT WE HAD TO COMPLETE.
>> CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT $85,000 THAT WAS BUDGETED? DID THAT REMAIN IN THE BUDGET AND ROLL OVER, IS IT ROLLING FORWARD OR IT JUST CAME OUT?
>> CENSUS PARKS AND RECREATION IMPACT FEE DOLLARS, IT REMAINED.
IT JUST GOT TAKEN OUT OF THE BUDGET BECAUSE WE WEREN'T GOING TO MOVE FORWARD.
IT WENT BACK INTO THE PARKS AND RECREATION IMPACT FEE.
>> BUT IT'S NOT JUST OUT THERE WAITING, ROLLING OVER, WAITING TO BE SPENT.
WE WOULD HAVE TO COME UP WITH IT AGAIN.
>> YEAH, IT'S TECHNICALLY IN THE POOL OF PARKS AND RECREATION IMPACT FEE DOLLARS.
BUT OBVIOUSLY, THOSE ARE BEING SPENT WITH THE WATERFRONT PARK, HICKORY STREET PARK, YBOR ALVAREZ.
>> BUT CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO LINE ITEM ANYWHERE IN THE BUDGET FOR A COLUMBARIUM.
THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING NEW [OVERLAPPING]
>> THERE IS NO LINE ITEM IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AT ALL FOR THE COLUMBARIUM. THAT IS CORRECT.
WHAT WE HAD TO DO WAS WE HAD TO PRE-SALE 150 NICHES AT THE TIME AT AN AVERAGE PRICE OF $1,900 TO GET $285,000 OF REVENUE TO GET TO THAT $340,000.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S STILL AT THAT POINT, SO 420 MINUS 150 IS 270, WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL 270 NICHES THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SELL TO DEVELOP THE NEXT PHASE OF THE COLUMBARIUM.
HERE'S THE CONCERNS WITH THE EXISTING DESIGN.
[00:40:06]
YOU CAN'T YOU CAN SEE THE MAJORITY OF IT.BUT YOU REMEMBER THE RED DOTTED LINE, IT WAS AN L SHAPE.
YOU CAN SEE STARTING THERE, AND THOSE WOULD HAVE ALL BEEN PHASES.
IT WAS BASICALLY A PLAN TO, AS WE NEEDED MORE SPACE, WE WOULD BUILD IT.
BUT AS MENTIONED, THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS.
THE FUNDING SOURCE, THE COST, THE COLUMBARIUM MATERIAL, THE MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS, AND THE EXPANSIVE FOOTPRINT, THOSE WERE SOME OF THE MAIN CONCERNS REGARDING IT.
THE COLUMBARIUM NEEDS STILL REMAIN AT BOSQUE BELLO CEMETERY.
WHAT WE HAD ASKED THE COMMISSION, MAY 6TH, IS TO GAIN CONSENSUS ON THE NEED.
WE GAINED CONSENSUS THAT WE NEEDED COLUMBARIUM.
THEY AGREED TO THAT. IT WAS TO RE ENGAGE MARQUIS LATIMER AND HALBACK.
ALONG WITH THAT, IS TALK ABOUT THE MATERIAL, BRICK VERSUS GRANITE AND THOSE CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP.
THE COLUMBARIUM LOCATION; DOESN'T NEED TO BE AS EXPANSIVE AS IT WAS, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY UPDATED PRICING.
FOLLOWING THAT WOULD BE TO CREATE A SALES MARKETING PLAN FOR FUNDING, AND AS MENTIONED, POSSIBLE PERPETUAL CARE FUND LOAN.
AS I SAID AT THAT MEETING, BEFORE ANY OF THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE OF USING PERPETUAL CARE FUND AND USING ANY OF THAT FUND, ALL THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN REVIEWED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY TO ENSURE THAT WE COULD OR COULD NOT DO THAT.
THEN OUR GOAL OF STAFF IS WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO PROVIDE UPDATES FOR INCLUSION INTO THE UPCOMING BUDGET.
AT THIS POINT, THEY HAD A DISCUSSION, AND THEY SUPPORTED THE IDEA OF MOVING FORWARD WITH RE-ENGAGING AND STARTING THE PROJECT AGAIN.
I WANTED TO BRING THIS BEFORE YOU FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
I WANTED TO HEAR WHAT YOUR CONCERNS MAY BE.
STAFF WILL BE STARTING SHORTLY.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IN ALL THOSE CONSIDERATIONS.
AT THIS POINT, WE'RE AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF IT.
I GUESS AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU, WHAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE, WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE FROM US.
>> YOUR FIRST, YOUR SECOND, YOUR THIRD, FOURTH.
>> MAYBE. QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED, YEAH.
>> FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, MAYOR LEDNOVICH, FOR EXPLAINING WHAT YOU EXPLAINED.
I HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE REACH OUT TO ME THAT WERE INVOLVED WITH THIS, THE FIRST GO ROUND OR PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN FOLLOWING.
EVERY PERSON THAT I HAVE TALKED TO IS ABSOLUTELY IN SUPPORT OF HAVING A COLUMBARIUM.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE MOVING AWAY FOR A LOT OF REASONS FOR EXPENSE.
I WORKED ON A PROJECT 25 YEARS AGO THAT WAS DEPLOYING REEF BALLS THAT PEOPLE WOULD PUT THEIR ASHES IN BECAUSE WE ARE LITERALLY NOT JUST HERE IN FERNANDINA, BUT IN THIS COUNTRY RUNNING OUT OF PHYSICAL LAND TO PUT REMAINS IN.
WHEN I SAW THIS LAST WEEK AT THE MEETING, I WAS CONCERNED, I DIDN'T HAVE ALL OF THIS HISTORICAL INFORMATION AT THAT POINT ABOUT THE BRICK.
BUT UNDERSTANDING MATERIALS LIKE I DO, I WAS SURPRISED THAT THE BRICK BEING POROUS, WAS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SPENDING A FORTUNE REPLACING BRICK OVER AT ATLANTIC REC CENTER, AND IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE LIVE OR LAST FOR ETERNITY.
WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL THAT THESE ARE PEOPLE'S FAMILIES FOR A LONG TIME.
THE COMMISSION WANTS TO MOVE FORWARD TO INVESTIGATE THIS,
[00:45:04]
SO I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MOVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN LINGERING, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT SLOWED IN THE WAY THAT WE, I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO WATCH THE MARCH 2ND, 2021 WHERE THIS WAS DISCUSSED.YOU CAN LISTEN TO MS. ROSS ALL OF HER DIRECT COMMENTS.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT A 15-MINUTE SEGMENT.
I WROTE DOWN THE SECTION, MAYBE 5.5.
YOU MENTIONED EARLIER A WORKSHOP.
I THINK THAT THAT'S DEFINITELY NECESSARY TO SEE WHERE WE COULD BE TALKING ABOUT THIS POTENTIALLY.
I'M WONDERING WHY WE WOULD RE-ENGAGE A FIRM THAT, THEIR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO DEVELOP PROJECTS FOR THEIR AESTHETICS AND WHATEVER, WHERE THIS, ALTHOUGH WE WANT IT TO LOOK NICE, IT'S MORE OF A FUNCTIONAL PRODUCT.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF GOING WITH A FIRM THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.
I WOULD DEFINITELY BE INTERESTED IN ENGAGING IN THAT SITUATION RATHER THAN AN ONGOING PROJECT, I GUESS.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO SAY THAT.
I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY NOT BE LEGAL TO DO THE PERPETUAL FUND.
BUT I DO ALSO THINK FROM A MARKETING STANDPOINT THAT WE COULD HAVE A DRIVE TO PRESELL MAYBE EVEN MORE OF THE NICHES AND MAKE IT MAYBE EVEN BE ABLE TO INCENTIVIZE SOME OF THE EARLY PURCHASES OF THOSE SPOTS IN ORDER TO BUILD THE FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO JUST PAY FOR THAT.
IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GET FOR A FIXED PRICE, TO ME, THAT MAKES THAT MATH A LOT EASIER THAN SOMETHING THAT, RIGHT NOW WHEN WE'RE BIDDING IT OUT, IT COSTS ONE THING, AND BY THE TIME WE GET TO IT, JUST THE WAY THE BUREAUCRACY GOES, IT'S CONSIDERABLY MORE, SO A BIRD IN THE HAND.
>> WELL, THAT WAS SOME OF THE THINGS I WAS GOING TO SAY.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THE CITY WOULD GO WITH THAT FIRM WHEN THERE SEEMS TO BE A MUCH BETTER.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S UP TO US, BUT WE CERTAINLY, I THINK, CAN HAVE OPINIONS.
>> YEAH. I NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH OF COMPANIES THAT ARE ACTUALLY, THAT'S ALL THEY DO.
I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPANIES THAT SELL THEIR PRE-FABRICATED NICHES.
I CALL THEM NICHES. YOU CAN PURCHASE THEM IN MULTIPLE DIFFERENT STYLES.
WE HAVE COMPANIES HERE THAT DO MONUMENTS THAT HAVE ACCESS TO PURCHASING DIFFERENT TYPES OF NICHES THAT THEY CAN BE 12 BY 12 NICHES AND FORM.
THERE'S MULTIPLE DIFFERENT KINDS THAT YOU CAN PURCHASE.
>> FOR SOMEBODY WHO LOOKED AT THE AESTHETIC OF FERNANDINA BEACH, I FEEL LIKE THEY MISSED IT WITH THE BIG GRANDIOSE, ORNATE FROM LOOKING AT THE DRAWINGS.
I'VE WALKED THROUGH BOSQUE BELLO AND I DON'T THINK THAT MATCHES.
I'M REMEMBERING WHEN WE WANTED TO REFRESH THE SIGN COMING INTO FERNANDINA BEACH AND PEOPLE REALLY WERE LOOKING FOR A FERNANDINA AESTHETIC, NOT SOMETHING SOMEBODY ELSE CAME AND SAID THIS IS WHATEVER.
>> I BELIEVE AT THE TIME THE BRICK OR THE IDEA OF THE BRICK WAS MORE HISTORICAL.
I FEEL THAT THAT THAT WAS WHAT IT WAS.
IT WAS MORE OF A NOT A PREFABRICATED WHERE ANYBODY CAN GO AND GET A PREFABRICATED COLUMBARIUM.
NOW, IS THIS MORE EXPENSIVE? YES, I BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE MORE EXPENSIVE.
BUT THE IDEA WAS TO HAVE THAT WORK.
PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO COME AND ACTUALLY.
PEOPLE GO TO SAVANNAH ALL THE TIME TO LOOK AT CEMETERIES AND COLUMBARIUMS. IT WAS MORE OF A PARTICULAR TO,
[00:50:03]
THIS IS A TOTAL SEPARATE COLUMBARIUM, WHERE IT'S NOT A PROTOTYPICAL PREFABRICATED COLUMBARIUM.I BELIEVE THAT WAS PART OF THE ISSUE BEHIND THE BREAK. I GET THAT.
I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE A DESIGN THAT SORT OF FITS THE CEMETERY BETTER AND NOT JUST A CEMETERY.
>> THAT SEEMS TO BE A CONCERN SO I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THAT ALL INTO CONSIDERATION.
FROM DAY 1, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT MAINTENANCE IS LOW ON ITEMS. THAT'S OUR PRIORITY.
WE TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION.
>> THE CITY WAS GOING TO HAVE A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS AND OUTREACH.
THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE CITY COMMISSION MEETING THAT THEY WANTED TO REACH OUT AND SEE WHAT PEOPLE IN THE CITY THOUGHT.
>> AFTER THE MARCH MEETING OR?
>> I'M TALKING ABOUT LAST WEEK. LAST WEEK.
>> BUT I THINK WE'D HAVE TO GET A DIRECTION TO GO AND THEN FEED IT.
>> WELL, YEAH, WHETHER WE DO IT SEPARATELY OR WHETHER JUST FIGURE OUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT I THINK GETTING THE WORD OUT AND PRE SELLING AND GETTING ENTHUSIASM ABOUT DOING THIS PROJECT.
>> YEAH, AND I DO NOT THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH PRE SALES.
I THINK WE CAN DO THAT, AND I THINK WE'LL GET ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY GET IT GOING.
THE POINT OF CONTENTION MAINLY IS HOW LARGE THE COLUMBARIUM IS AND THE MATERIALS AND WHAT IT'S ULTIMATELY GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
I THINK THOSE WERE THE CONCERNS.
>> DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT, LOURYNE?
>> I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA, BUT I'M AGAINST THE BRICK.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING MUCH MORE NICER BECAUSE AS SHE SAID, THAT IS WHERE OUR LOVED ONES WILL BE.
BUT I THINK THERE IS A NEED FOR IT.
>> YOU GUYS ASKED A LOT OF MY QUESTIONS.
BUT ONE THING I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT WAS THE PRICING.
SO THE $1,900 PER NICHE, I'M LEARNING ABOUT THIS AS WE GO, IS THAT THE MARKET PRICE FOR THAT, OR DO WE BACK INTO THAT TO GET TO A NUMBER?
>> THAT NUMBER IS ACTUALLY HERE. LET ME PULL THAT UP.
THAT NUMBER, WHAT I DID IS, YES, THERE WAS SOME HISTORY BEHIND THAT.
DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE IN THE COUNTRY, THEY CAN VARY.
I THINK SOME AREAS YOU CAN PAY $5,000.
WE DID LOOK AT PRICES OF NICHES LOCALLY AND AS FAR AS GAINESVILLE.
THIS NUMBER THAT I WAS USING HERE, THIS $1,900, WAS CURRENTLY WE SELL A TRADITIONAL GRAVE AT A CITY RATE OF $1,700, AND I JUST TOOK THE AVERAGE OF $1,900.
THERE'S MANY CEMETERIES THAT THE PRICE OF A NICHE IS VERY SIMILAR TO A TRADITIONAL GRAVE.
THAT IS NOT A DEFINITE NUMBER THAT WE HAVE TO USE.
THAT NUMBER WAS USED AS THIS FOR MATHEMATICAL PURPOSES.
THE PLAN WOULD HAVE BEEN, AND I STILL BELIEVE THE PLAN SHOULD HAVE, WHERE YOU CAN HAVE A PLACE FOR ONE URN AND POSSIBLE TWO.
IT COULD BE DESIGNED TO HOLD TWO, THREE, AND I THINK WE WOULD DO A COMBINATION OF THAT.
>> BUT FOR FAMILIES TO BUY IF THEY WANTED A FAMILY AREA, IT COULD BE MULTIPLE NICHES, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER.
>> YEAH, AND YOU COULD BUY ONE NICHE THAT HOLDS MULTIPLE REMAINS.
>> JUST BASED ON THOSE NUMBERS, IT SEEMS VERY EASY TO GET THERE.
YOU CAN SELL LESS THAN A THIRD OF THE CAPACITY TO ALMOST BUILD ONE, IS THAT RIGHT?
[00:55:04]
>> REGARDLESS OF THE DESIGN THAT YOU CHOOSE, THE NUMBERS WILL BE THERE TO SHOW THAT IT CAN BE FINANCIALLY BENEFICIAL TO THE CEMETERY.
>> BECAUSE A PORTION OF THAT, I THINK YOU SAID 30%, GOES INTO THE PERPETUAL FUND.
[OVERLAPPING] SOME OF IT PAYS FOR THE SPACE, BUT THEN IT GOES INTO THAT FUND THAT IS HOPEFULLY GROWING MONEY.
HOPEFULLY, IT'S AN INTEREST EARNING ACCOUNT.
>> IT'S 65% AND 35% RIGHT NOW.
65% GOES TO WHAT WE CALL THE SALE LOT, 35% GOES INTO PERPETUAL CARE.
I THINK VERY SHORTLY, WE NEED TO RELOOK AT THAT WHERE WE COULD ADJUST THOSE PERCENTAGES VERY SLIGHTLY.
>> SINCE THAT'S MADE UP, NOT MADE UP BUT DISCRETIONARY, MAYBE AS WE'RE LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE, MAYBE THE PRICES DO NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE BECAUSE AS WAS DISCUSSED SOMEWHERE, IT WOULD ONLY BE MAYBE 5-10 YEARS THAT THE PERPETUAL FUND WOULD BE ABLE TO PAY TO MAINTAIN.
AT SOME POINT, THE CITY WOULD THEN HAVE TO PUT THAT IN THEIR BUDGET TO MAINTAIN THAT ONCE WE CAN NO LONGER SELL THE NICHES.
EVEN IF WE BUILT ALL THIS WHOLE PHASE, THERE'S ONLY A FINITE AMOUNT OF NICHES THAT YOU COULD GET OUT OF THE CEMETERY.
>> ANYTHING ELSE, JACK? GO AHEAD, JACK.
>> EXCUSE ME. AT FIRST GLANCE AT THIS, I GOT THE EMAIL FROM FAITH ROSS AS WELL.
I LOOKED AT WHAT WHAT SHE FELT ABOUT IT.
MY IMPRESSION IS THAT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME HAS GONE BY WITHOUT ACTING ON IT, AND YOU ALMOST HAVE TO TAKE A FRESH START AT IT, I THINK.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU CAN JUST JUMP RIGHT INTO IT AGAIN.
I THINK THE BOARD SHOULD ALL MAKE A FIELD TRIP ON THEIR OWN AND POSSIBLY WITH A LITTLE GUIDANCE TO GO LOOK AT IT AND GET A FRESH LOOK AT THE WHOLE SITUATION BECAUSE FOUR YEARS HAS GONE BY, AND THAT'S QUITE LONG.
THE SECOND THING IS, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T RECOMMEND GOING WITH THAT FIRM AGAIN THAT DIDN'T MEET YOUR NEEDS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
I'D BE LIKE, I THINK I'M GOING TO LEARN SOMETHING FROM THE FIRST EXPERIENCE AND TRY TO GO WITH A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE TO HOPEFULLY GET TO WHAT THE BOARD AND THE CITY WANTS OUT OF IT.
>> YEAH, I PRETTY MUCH AGREE WITH ALL OF THE COMMENTS.
I UNDERSTAND THE IDEA OF THE BRICK WITH THE HISTORICAL MATCHING THE HOW WE HAVE IT ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I THINK THERE'S STILL WAYS YOU COULD DO BRICK PATHS.
THERE'S SOME LITTLE SLANTED WALLS ON IT AT THE ENTRANCE THAT YOU COULD DO SOME ENTRANCE THAT TIES IN THAT ISN'T ACTUALLY WHAT THE COMPARE RIGHT AT THE FRONT OR SOMETHING, THAT MIGHT LOOK NICE AND MATCH SOME OF THE FEEL OF SOME OF THE STUFF IN FERNANDINA.
BUT I THINK THAT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO USE BRICK FOR THE ACTUAL COLUMBARIUM.
I THINK BEFORE WE GO BACK WITH THAT SAME COMPANY, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY EXPLORE OTHER COMPANIES.
I WOULD THINK IF THERE'S COMPANIES THAT DO THIS ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU JUST SOME ROUGH BALLPARKS LIKE, USUALLY A COLUMBARIUM THAT HAS 420 NICHES IS A RANGE OF THIS, AND HERE'S SOME IMAGES OF SOME WE'VE DONE.
YOU COULD BE LIKE, YEAH. BEFORE YOU JUST BEFORE WE SPENT MONEY WITH THEM ON DRAWINGS, I WOULD THINK THEY WOULD HAVE PACKETS OR SOMETHING THAT GUIDES YOU A BALLPARK AND WHAT THE MATERIALS THEY HAVE AND STUFF THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL AND TELL US IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND BETTER MATERIALS AND MAINTENANCE AND ALL THAT, BECAUSE IF THAT'S WHAT THEY DO ALL THE TIME, I'M SURE THEY HAVE QUITE A FEW EXAMPLES.
>> I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH WHAT EVERYBODY'S SAYING.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD ADD IS THAT I'M HOPING YOU GUYS YOU'RE MEETING, OBVIOUSLY, I'M HOPING WITH THE FRIENDS OF BOSQUE BELLO, AND THE RESTORATION FOLKS SINCE THEY HAVE SO MUCH BACKGROUND AND INSIGHT ON WHAT THE COMMUNITY PROBABLY WANTS, IF IT EVER CAME TO A COMMUNITY TOWN HALL, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THAT.
BUT THEN ALSO TO YOU, AND SO YOU ALL CAN GO TO A COMPANY, WHETHER IT'S MARQUIS LATIMER OR SOMEBODY DIFFERENT WITH AT LEAST SOME PARAMETERS OF THESE ARE THE [OVERLAPPING]
[01:00:03]
>> I JUST THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR YOU ALL, OBVIOUSLY, AS A STAFF GOING INTO IT.
>> I THINK THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT POINT, THAT WE NEED TO GO TO THE INDIVIDUALS WITH WHAT WE WANT.
IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE AN OPEN-ENDED THING.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR THIS MANY NICHES.
WE'RE LOOKING TO USE THIS SPACE.
>> COULD OUR WORKSHOP BE GUIDED BY THE FRIENDS OF BOSQUE BELLO?
>> YEAH, THEY SHOULD MAYBE COME.
>> I'M SORRY, COULD YOU REPEAT THAT?
>> I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN WALK THIS CEMETERY BECAUSE I HAD A QUESTION OF IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH, ARE ALL OF THESE ROWS, IS THAT ALL OF THE CEMETERY OUTSIDE OF THIS, AND THIS IS JUST WHERE THE COLUMBARIUM WAS GOING TO BE? ALL OF THIS IS CEMETERY?
>> YEAH, ALL OF THAT FALLS WITHIN THE CEMETERY.
WITHOUT KNOWING THE EXACT LAYOUT OF THE CEMETERY, I THINK YOU'RE 100% RIGHT THAT WE SHOULD ACTUALLY GO THERE, LIKE WE HAD PREVIOUSLY, FOR EXAMPLE.
>> WHERE'S 14TH STREET FROM THIS PICTURE?
>> YES, SO 14TH STREET IS THAT WAY.
>> I KNEW IT WAS IN THE PHOTO, BUT I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH DIRECTION.
>> BOSQUE BELLO STREET IS AT THE ROAD THAT YOU WOULD TURN LEFT AND COME INTO THE CEMETERY ON.
THIS TECHNICALLY IS A ROAD THAT WAS DEVELOPED.
NOW, I WILL ALSO TELL YOU THAT THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS OF CHANGING THIS ROAD THAT WENT HERE TO STRAIGHTENING IT, AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL OF THAT.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I THINK WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN DO A WORKSHOP.
WE CAN GO OUT THERE TO GET MORE GUIDANCE FROM YOU AS A BOARD JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF THE EXACT AREA.
THERE WERE ALSO OTHER TALKS AND OTHER CONVERSATIONS PRIOR TO EVEN TALKING TO MARQUIS LATIMER, IS THERE IS AN AREA RIGHT IN HERE WHICH COULD BE AN AREA THAT WE WOULD JUST DEVELOP A COLUMBARIUM RIGHT THERE.
NOT THAT IT HAS TO BE THIS, BUT THIS RIGHT HERE, THAT COULD BE MAYBE THAT'S JUST THE AREA THAT WE START WITH.
>> IT DOES FEEL VERY SPREAD OUT IN THIS PICTURE.
I KNOW YOU'RE TRYING TO FIT IT AROUND EXISTING ROADS AND TREES AND GRAVES AND UNKNOWN AREAS, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT.
IT'S HARD TO TELL EXACTLY HOW SPREAD OUT IT IS FROM THIS PICTURE.
BUT IT DOES FEEL VERY SPREAD OUT FROM THIS PICTURE.
>> THAT'S WHAT'S, TO ME, HARD TO GET AN IDEA HOW BIG IT'S LIKE.
>> IT'S ALMOST LOOKS LIKE IT'S LIKE A PERIMETER OF THE WHOLE CEMETERY. I KNOW IT'S NOT.
>> I THINK WHAT WE CAN DO IS, THIS WEEK, WE'LL LOOK AT OUR CALENDARS, AND WE WILL SEND OUT AN EMAIL TO YOU LOOKING FOR WHAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE WHERE WE COULD TRY TO GET YOU ALL TOGETHER TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, AND THEN WE WOULD POST THAT AS A PUBLIC MEETING.
>> ONE THING I'D LIKE TO KNOW TOO, AT LEAST FROM A DESIGN STANDPOINT, IS BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE SOME FAMILIES THAT HAVE MANY GENERATIONS THAT ARE IN THERE AND THEY HAVE AREAS THAT IS REALLY THEIR FAMILY.
THIS LOOKS LIKE ONE COHESIVE PROJECT. CAN I TAKE THIS PICTURE? IS THERE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE OTHER PLACES IN THE CEMETERY WHERE A FAMILY MIGHT BE ABLE TO BUY A SMALLER THING THAT COULD BE PLACED? MAYBE IT'S NOT PART OF THAT WHOLE BIG PROJECT, BUT THERE'S ENOUGH OF A SPOT WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL. DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
>> IT COULD BE LIKE A NICHE, BUT MAYBE THERE'S EIGHT SPOTS IN THERE OR WHATEVER WHERE A WHOLE FAMILY THEY COULD BUY THAT WHOLE THING, BUT IT'S NOT PART OF A GIANT.
>> WE CURRENTLY, GRANTED IF WE BUILD A COLUMBARIUM, WE WOULD WANT THE INDIVIDUALS TO PURCHASE FROM US.
WE WANT THE TRADITIONAL GRAVES TO BE USED FOR TRADITIONAL BURIALS.
BUT WE DO CURRENTLY ALLOW INDIVIDUALS THAT PURCHASE A GRAVE OR TWO GRAVES TO SET A SMALL COLUMBARIUM.
IT MIGHT HAVE THREE NICHES, IT MIGHT HAVE SIX NICHES, ON TOP OF THEIR GRAVES.
>> I'M JUST THINKING TOO FROM A LONG TERM STANDPOINT, AGAIN, OF HOW CAN WE GET MORE SPACES LONGER TERM IF WE COULD
[01:05:05]
IDENTIFY SPOTS WHERE A SMALLER ONE COULD BE PUT THAT SOMEBODY COULD BUY.I FEEL LIKE THAT SHOULD BE PART OF THE SALES PACKAGE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THAT SOMEBODY COULD SAY, I DON'T WANT TO BE UP THE WALL WHERE ANYBODY ELSE COULD BE, BUT THERE'S A PLACE THAT COULD HOLD FOUR AND JUST A SMALLER COLUMBARIUM.
I THINK WHEN WE HAVE THE PEOPLE PITCHING US WHO COULD DO THIS, IF WE COULD ASK THOSE QUESTIONS TOO, BECAUSE THAT MIGHT BE A WAY TO GET MORE.
>> IT COULD GO IN A DIFFERENT AREA EVEN.
YOU COULD MAKE A DIFFERENT SECTION FOUR, THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WHERE IT WOULD BE WITHIN THE CEMETERY.
I THINK OUR MAIN FOCUS SHOULD BE TO PROVIDE A COLUMBARIUM THAT IS NOT SPECIFIC TO ONE PARTICULAR FAMILY.
I THINK THAT CAN BE A PART OF THE PROCESS.
>> MAYBE NOT TO AN EXISTING FAMILY, BUT IF THEY'RE OUT OF SPACES AND THERE'S A PATCH OF AREA WHERE THEY COULD BUILD UP INSTEAD OF OUT, BUT ALSO THAT ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTED TO PURCHASE THAT COULD PURCHASE IT.
>> OR COULD IT BE SINCE YOU SAID THAT IF YOU WANT TO SAVE TRADITIONAL GRAVES FOR TRADITIONAL GRAVES, AND IF YOU WANT THEM TO PURCHASE THEIR COLUMBARIUM FROM US, COULD YOU JUST SELL THOSE COLUMBARIUMS AS AN OPTION OTHER PLACES, AND THEN THEY'D STILL BE PURCHASING THEM THROUGH.
>> WELL, WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND A PLACE TO PUT THEM.
I WOULD NOT WANT TO PUT THEM ON A TRADITIONAL GRAVE.
WE HAVE TO FIND A LOCATION WHERE THEY WOULD GO.
>> IF WE FOUND A LOCATION, THEN IT WOULD BE LIKE YOU COULD BUY ONE OF THESE IF YOU WANTED TO IN THIS AREA.
BUT MAYBE A SMALLER SPOT THAT WOULDN'T FIT THE BIG THING.
>> I THINK OUR NEXT STEPS ARE, WE'RE GOING TO REACH OUT TO YOU, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WORKSHOP SO YOU CAN SEE THE EXACT LOCATION.
STAFF WILL BE PUTTING TOGETHER IDEAS ON FROM WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM YOU, AND IT WILL TAKE ALL THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
>> ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD?
>> WILL YOU BE LOOKING AT LIKE THE NATIONAL COMPANIES AND THEN PROVIDING US WITH THOUGHTS ON GOING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER OR?
I WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE NATIONAL COMPANIES.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE WON'T BE ANY SURPRISES IN THIS.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY FORWARD FACING.
I THINK WE'LL HAVE MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND WHAT THE FINAL DESIGN IS.
MY GOAL IS TO GET A COLUMBARIUM IN THE CEMETERY THAT THE PUBLIC APPROVES AND LIKES.
>> I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS TO ADD TO THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION.
FIRST OF ALL, THANKS, SCOTT, FOR LAYING IT OUT BOTH AT THE COMMISSIONER'S MEETING AND HERE TODAY.
THANKS TO MIKE FOR THE HISTORY OF THE COLUMBARIUM PROJECT.
I THINK I SPENT ABOUT TWO HOURS TODAY TALKING TO TRINITY CHURCH THAT'S LOCATED IN AMELIA PARK.
CAN YOU PUT THAT UP? THANK YOU.
>>IN 2023, THEY PUT A COLUMBARIUM IN TRINITY, AND IT WAS DONE BY AN ORGANIZATION OR A BUSINESS.
IT HAS MANY FUNCTIONS AS A COLUMBARIUM.
IT HAS THE NICHES FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO BE BURIED THERE.
IT HAS THOSE WHO WANT TO PUT UP THEIR WALL, LIKE THEY DO AT THE WALL THAT SITS IN DC.
WHERE THEY HONOR THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE FRIENDS WITH, AND SO FORTH.
ALL THESE THINGS CAN BE ADDED TO A COLUMBARIUM.
ONCE WE HAVE THE DESIGN THAT WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT TO THE COMMISSION, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IT TAKES TIME FOR ALL OF US TO GET ON THE SAME PAGE.
[01:10:05]
I RELISH THE IDEA OF HAVING THIS ABILITY TO HAVE A WORKSHOP, SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE A VISUAL.BUT TO GET THIS ONE DONE WAS VERY INTERESTING.
THEY SAID THEY MADE THREE MISTAKES ON THIS ONE, AND IT WAS DONE IN 2021, IT'S TO PUT THE NAME PLATE ON THESE LIKE THEY WANTED INSTEAD OF NOT GOING TO TRINITY.
GUESS WHAT? IT'S $850, AND IT TAKES 6 MONTHS TO GET THE NAME PLATE.
>> BECAUSE OF THE MATERIAL THAT WAS USED.
LET US THINK ABOUT MATERIAL, ALSO, WHICH ENCOMPASSES THE IDEA OF MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THE PEOPLE THEIR STUFF DONE ON A VERY QUICK TURNAROUND, BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE SOME TIME TO GET THE OTHER STUFF DONE.
WE HAVE A PERSON ON THE ISLAND WHO CAN SANDBLAST THESE NAMES AND DO IT WITHIN 2-3 WEEKS IF WE HAVE A CONTRACT.
ALL THESE THINGS ARE POSSIBILITIES.
HOWEVER, WE DESIGN IT, IT'S GOING TO BE DESIGNED WITH THE IDEA THAT WE ACCOMPLISH WHAT BOSQUE BELLO NEEDS, AND THAT'S OUR GOAL.
I APPRECIATE THE IDEA OF GOING FORWARD, SCOTT, AND SEEING AS MANY THINGS AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, APPRECIATE IT.
>> YEAH, IT'S FUN TO SEE THESE LINGERING PROJECTS FINALLY COMING TO, GETTING SOME LEGS.
>> YEAH, WE HAVE A LOT FOR OUT OF US.
>> WE WILL BE REACHING OUT REGARDING A WORKSHOP.
>> 7.1, THE GOLF STAFF UPDATE. JEFFREY.
[7. STAFF COMMENTS]
>> JEFFREY BIGGERS. GOLF DIRECTOR.
FERNANDINA BEACH GOLF CLUB. HELLO, EVERYBODY.
MR. PELICAN, GLAD YOU GUYS GOT ON THIS.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING EACH ONE OF YOU AND SHOWING YOU THE GOLF COURSE.
MY STAFF UPDATE USUALLY GOES SOMEWHAT QUICKLY, BUT A LOT OF YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF BACKGROUND IN GOLF.
AS I GO THROUGH EACH AREA, I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, AND HOPEFULLY, AS WE GO THROUGH THESE MEETINGS, WE'LL START GETTING MORE ACCLIMATED.
AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST LET ME KNOW.
MY AREAS WILL GO INTO NUMBERS AND UPCOMING EVENTS, AND EVENTS THAT WE'VE HAD TO START WITH.
WE'LL START WITH THE GOLF SHOP WITH OUR APRIL NUMBERS.
WE DID 34 THOUSAND MORE DOLLARS IN TOTAL REVENUE IN APRIL THAN IN 2024.
WE DID 16,000 IN THE RANGE THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
WE'VE HAD ABOVE-AVERAGE TEMPERATURES AND DRY WEATHER.
IF WE GET AVERAGE THIS MONTH EVERY DAY, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY RAIN, WE DO OVER 57,000 ROUNDS, BUT WE KNOW WE CAN'T CONTROL THE WEATHER.
FORTY-SEVEN HUNDRED TOTAL ROUNDS THIS MONTH, AN AVERAGE OF 156 ROUNDS PER DAY.
WE DID 163,000 IN TOTAL GOLF COURSE REVENUE.
GREEN FEES OVER 88,000, AND WE DID ALMOST 16,000 IN THE GOLF SHOP.
LESSONS, WE DID OVER $1,000 IN LESSONS.
WITH THAT SAID, I WANTED TO GIVE THIS OUT.
WE'VE GOT AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR, SCOTT WOMBLE.
>> YOU CANNOT DO THIS. I'VE SEEN A PLAY.
>> I DO WANT TO GIVE SCOTT A SHOUT-OUT FOR BEING THE DIRECTOR OF GOLF AT THE CLUB AT THAT TIME.
WE HAVE THAT DRIVING RANGE OPEN NOW.
HIS LESSONS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE.
WE'RE HOPING TO BUILD ON THAT WITH JUNIOR CLINICS, ADULT CLINICS.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD THING.
THAT'S MY SHOUT-OUT TO SCOTT AS HE'S STARTING HIS TEACHING AT THE CLUB.
THE AVERAGE GOLF GREEN FEE AND CART FEE AT $31.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD NUMBER.
THAT'S BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF GUESTS OUT.
[01:15:02]
WHO DON'T PAY ANYTHING WHEN THEY PLAY BECAUSE THEY PAID AN ANNUAL FEE.SOME PAY A FEE, AND THEN THEY PAY CART FEES, AND THEN WE HAVE GUESTS THAT COME OUT AND PLAY.
THAT'S WHERE THAT NUMBER COMES IN.
AGAIN, THE DRIVING RANGE WAS FINALLY COMPLETED ON MAY 6, WHICH WAS TUESDAY, AND WE OPENED IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS WE COULD START SELLING RANGE BALLS, AND THAT LED US INTO THIS WEEKEND'S GRAND REOPENING, WHICH A NUMBER OF YOU WERE THERE.
EVEN THOUGH IT RAINED HARD AN HOUR BEFORE, IT CLEARED UP AND WE HAD TWO HOURS OF BURGERS AND HIDDEN GOLF SHOTS.
I WOULD ESTIMATE WE HAD ABOUT 40 OR 50 PEOPLE OUT THERE, SO IT WAS A GOOD START.
WITH THAT SAID, ON THE NEXT PAGE, I'VE GOT A PICTURE OF WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THE CONCRETE THERE, THE SIDEWALK, AND THOSE MATS THAT USED TO BE ON JUST THE GROUND THERE.
AS WE OPENED UP, HAVING THAT ON THERE IS GOING TO HELP THAT SIDE OF THE DRIVING RANGE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE GOLF SHOP ASPECT?
>> I HAVE A QUESTION. YOUR NUMBERS IT'S NOT HELL HOT OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE THIS SUMMER.
BUT BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE ARE HERE VACATIONING, DO THOSE NUMBERS PICK UP IN THE SUMMER OR IS IT MORE IN THE SPRING?
>> I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THIS NUMBER EVERY MONTH.
WHEN WE HAVE THE SNOWBIRDS IN, AND THE WEATHER IS GOOD IN THE WINTER, OUR JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, AND APRIL ARE USUALLY OUR BIGGEST MONTHS.
SUMMER, IT WILL GO DOWN BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER, THE HEAT.
BUT WHAT I DID NOTICE IS JUST LOOKING AT NUMBERS FROM THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE 11 MONTHS, AND I STARTED IN THE SUMMER.
WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD SUMMER LAST SUMMER BECAUSE THE COURSE CONDITIONS ARE GETTING BETTER.
WE'RE HOPING TO IMPROVE ON THAT, AND WE'RE HOPING TO CONTINUE TO SELL STUFF IN THE GOLF SHOP RELATED TO THAT, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TOURISTS HERE, AND PEOPLE COME IN TO SEE THE GOLF COURSE.
MAYBE NOT THIS SIZE NUMBER, BUT IF WE CAN CONTINUE TO TREND WHERE WE ARE, WE'LL HAVE A GOOD YEAR. YES.
>> GOING INTO FOOD AND BEVERAGE.
WE DID 1,000 FEWER THAN WE DID THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
ON AVERAGE, WE HAD 19 TOTAL EVENTS IN APRIL, AND EVENTS LIKE THAT, WE HAVE NONPROFITS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF ITEMS THAT GO INTO THOSE.
WE'RE STARTING TO STAY OPEN LATER ON TUESDAY NIGHTS FOR SPARK GOLF, WHICH I CAN GO TO GO INTO A LITTLE BIT LATER.
ON APRIL 11, WE HAD OUR FISH FRY.
WE HAD 48 PARTICIPANTS IN THAT.
THAT WAS GOOD. GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE.
WE ARE SCHEDULED TO GET TWO GREENS MOWERS AND A BUMPER RAKE SOMETIME THIS MONTH.
HOPEFULLY, THEY'LL BE ON TIME.
IT SEEMS LIKE LATELY, EVERYTHING'S BEEN PUSHED BACK A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE'RE STAYING IN TOUCH WITH THE REPS THERE.
ON THE 22ND, WE HAD FREEMAN WELL DRILLERS OUT TO EVALUATE OUR NORTH WELL.
YOU GUYS WILL START TO SEE, AS WE GET YOU OUT, WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE GOLF COURSE, LIKE WHAT MR. MICHAELSON SAID.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET ONE OF OUR PERMITTED WELLS BACK UP SO WE HAVE A SECONDARY SOURCE OF WATER.
>> WHAT WAS THE ASSESSMENT OF THAT WELL?
>> AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE ARE STILL WAITING ON GETTING SOME OF THAT BACK, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE FUNCTIONAL.
THEY'VE STILL GOT TO CLEAN IT.
IF WE GET THAT DONE, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET ACCESS TO HAVING IT WORKING, AND WE JUST HAVE TO HOOK IT UP TO THE OTHER PIPELINE THAT GOES FROM THE BIG WELL INTO THE OTHER LAKE.
THAT WOULD GIVE US TWO SOURCES OF WATER.
IT DOESN'T PUT OUT AS MUCH WATER AS THAT WELL, BUT HAVING THIS SECOND SOURCE IS BIG BECAUSE EVENTUALLY DOWN THE LINE, WE'LL BE GETTING RECLAIMED WATER FROM THE CITY IN FIVE YEARS.
THAT WILL BE ANOTHER ACCESS FROM, I THINK, AMALIA PARKWAY.
WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT SECOND SOURCE OF WATER.
I'M GOING TO GO INTO SOME OF THAT, TOO.
WE CLEANED EVERYTHING UP FOR AND BEFORE THAT GRAND OPENING, AND I DO WANT TO GIVE A THANK YOU TO PARKS AND REC.
SCOTT'S TEAM CAME OUT AND HELPED US OUT WITH GETTING SOME TREES TRIMMED.
WE HAD SOME MULCH PUT OUT THERE, AND I THINK THE PLACE LOOKS A LOT BETTER THAN IT DID.
I DO APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU.
OTHER THINGS GOING ON, MAINTENANCE, TEE BOX RECOVERY, IF YOU PLAY GOLF, A LOT OF OUR TEE BOXES, WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE WINTERTIME, THEY GO DORMANT, AND IT TAKES A WHILE FOR SOME OF THOSE TO COME BACK.
SOME ARE JUST COVERED IN AREAS WHERE TREE COVERAGE MAKES IT TOUGH TO GROW.
WE ARE MOVING SOME OF OUR TEES IN FRONT AND BACK JUST TO GIVE THOSE TEE BOXES A LITTLE BIT OF TRAFFIC RELIEF, AND THEY ARE ALREADY STARTING TO IMPROVE AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AS THE WEATHER GETS BETTER AND WE GET SOME RAIN.
SIGNAGE. IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF PAGES, WE'LL SHOW SOME OF THE NEW SIGNAGE THAT WE'VE PUT ON THE GOLF COURSE TO NOT REBRAND,
[01:20:02]
BUT JUST GET A DIFFERENT LOOK.WE HAVEN'T COMPLETED ALL OF IT.
BUT IT WILL BE ON THE PARKWAY, AND THE ENTRANCES, AND ON EACH HOLE.
IT WILL BE A REALLY GOOD DEAL BECAUSE WE'RE NOT PAYING FOR THE SIGNS, THE COMPANY WE HAVE WILL DO THE ADVERTISING.
WE KEEP SOME OF THAT ADVERTISING PROBABLY ON HOLES 2-8 OR 9, WE'LL HAVE AN AREA WHERE WE CAN PUT SOMETHING WHERE YOU CAN CALL THE GRILL, MAYBE GET SOMETHING TO EAT BEFORE YOU GET IN, SPEED UP A LITTLE BIT OF PLAY THERE.
>> WE DO. WE RUN THOSE ON WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS, WHEN WE HAVE STAFF LIKE THAT, AND THEY DO TRADITIONALLY WELL.
EVERY SATURDAY WE'LL HAVE ONE, ESPECIALLY IF WE HAVE GOLF TOURNAMENTS, WE'LL EVEN RUN TWO DURING A GOLF TOURNAMENT.
THOSE ARE WAYS TO MAKE SOME REVENUE.
FRIENDS OF FERNANDINA BEACH, I'VE GOT TO TELL THEM, THANK YOU.
THEY'VE STARTED THE WORK ON OUR RESTROOMS. THEY'RE DOING SOME PAINTING, PUTTING SOME FLOORING DOWN THERE. THEY'VE DONE SOME HARD WORK.
THEY'RE OUT THERE TODAY. ALL THREE RESTROOMS, IF YOU DID KNOW, WE HAVE THREE RESTROOMS ON THE GOLF COURSE ON EACH NINE, SOUTH, NORTH, AND WEST.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE THEM A COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT IT'S STARTING TO COME AROUND, AND WE APPRECIATE WHAT THEY DO FOR US THERE.
THE AERIFICATION PROCESS HAS BEGUN.
WE GOT BEHIND YESTERDAY BECAUSE OF THE RAIN.
WE COULD NOT GET OUT IN THE AIR, BUT THEY GOT OUT THERE TODAY.
WHEN I SAY AERIFY, THEY'RE PUNCHING HOLES IN ALL THE GRAINS, PULLING A PLUG, AIRING THEM OUT, AND THEN PUTTING SAND ON IT AND TOP DRESSING.
LIKE YOU MIGHT DO THE SAME WITH YOUR YARD, OR ALSO AERIFYING THE FAIRWAYS AND THE TEE BOXES.
THAT'S GOING TO HELP TREMENDOUSLY THERE.
ONCE WE FINISH THIS PROCESS, WE'LL DO ALL OF THAT AGAIN COME AUGUST.
IT TAKES EVERY MAN POWER WE'VE GOT, ALL OUR PART-TIME STAFF, PRETTY MUCH A WEEK TO GET EACH ONE DONE.
WE ALWAYS HAVE 18 HOLES OPEN, WITH US HAVING 27 HOLES.
THAT'S THE BENEFIT OF HAVING 27.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE PICTURES, THE SIGNS ON THE GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE? IF NOT, WE'LL GO INTO MEMBERSHIP SALES.
I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE OUR MEMBERSHIPS ARE FRONT-LOADED.
MOST PEOPLE JOIN EARLY IN THE FISCAL YEAR, SO THEY CAN GET THE WHOLE YEAR'S WORTH OF GOLF, BUT WE STILL, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, HAVE A FEW PEOPLE JOIN.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY THEY PRO-RATED?
>> THEY'RE NOT PRORATED. YOU'RE PAYING ONE ANNUAL FEE FOR THE YEAR TO GET THE DISCOUNTED CAR FEE IN GREENS VIEW.
>> WOULD IT MAKE SENSE AT SOME POINT TO OFFER, IF SOMEBODY JUST MOVED HERE AND THEY GOT HERE, YOU COULD AT LEAST SELL SOME AND [OVERLAPPING].
>> I'LL LOOK AT IT AS IT'S ONE FEE.
IF THEY JOINED IN THE SUMMER AND I'VE HAD THIS WHEN I STARTED HERE BECAUSE WE DID A LITTLE PRO-RATING PRIOR, AND YOU'RE HAVING PEOPLE COME IN, AND THEN THEY JUST WANT TO PLAY IN THE SUMMER.
THEY'RE BREAKING IT DOWN INTO TWO OR THREE MONTHS, AND THEN THEY'RE GETTING THE SAME RATE THAT A MEMBER WHO PAYS ALL YEAR GETS.
WE ENCOURAGE A STAFF, LOOK, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT BEING A MEMBER, MAYBE JUST PAY TO PLAY AS YOU GO, FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
OUR MEMBERSHIP WILL START IN OCTOBER, IF YOU JOIN THEN, YOU GET IT FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.
>> JEFFREY, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE MEMBERSHIP A LITTLE BIT, LIKE THE DEMOGRAPHICS, AND DO PEOPLE TREAT IT LIKE A CLUB, OR ARE THEY DOING IT FOR THE CHEAPER RATES?
>> I THINK IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH YOU PLAY.
I THINK IT'S A MATH EQUATION. HOW MUCH DO YOU PLAY? WE HAVE TWO UNLIMITED PLANS, WHICH MR. PELICAN MISSES, SO HE PAYS ONE FEE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, AND WE DON'T GET ANY MORE MONEY OUT OF IT.
WHEN THE RANGE IS OPEN, HE GETS THE DRIVING RANGE.
WE ALSO HAVE MEMBERSHIPS WHERE EITHER A SINGLE PERSON OR A COUPLE CAN JOIN.
THEY PAY THAT FEE, AND THEN THEY PAY A CART FEE WHEN THEY PLAY OR A WALKING FEE WHEN THEY PLAY.
IT'S LIKE BALANCING YOUR NUMBERS, HOW MUCH AM I GOING TO PLAY? HOW MUCH AM I NOT GOING TO PLAY? DO I RIDE? DO I WALK? THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO AS FAR AS JOINING THERE.
WE HAVE A JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP, IT'S THREE OR $400, AND THAT'S THE SAME THING.
THEY HAVE TO BE 16 TO USE A GOLF CART.
WE ALSO OFFER A RANGE PLAN ONLY TO MEMBERS.
OTHERWISE, YOU JUST PAY FOR THE BUCKETS.
THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE MEMBERSHIPS.
LIKE I SAID, WHEN YOU'RE A MEMBER TOO, YOU ALSO CAN PLAY, BRING A GUEST OUT, AND PAY FOR A GUEST OF A MEMBER, TOO.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT TIME YOU PLAY, WHEN YOU PLAY, AND HOW MUCH YOU PLAY.
I THINK THAT'S HOW YOU HAVE TO DO THE MATH TO DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO JOIN OR IF YOU DON'T PLAY ENOUGH,
[01:25:04]
MAYBE YOU JUST PAY AS YOU GO.>> THERE'S OPEN ENROLLMENT, I GUESS YOU SAID OCTOBER, I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT SYNCS UP WITH THE CITY BUDGET.
THERE WOULDN'T BE AN INSTANCE WHERE, IF YOU JOIN IN JANUARY, IT RENEWS IN JANUARY.
IT WOULD BE TOO HARD TO BUDGET THAT I WOULD GUESS.
>> WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT. IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE LOOKED AT, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST STAYING IN LINE WITH THE FISCAL YEAR.
>> I WAS JUST THINKING THAT IF YOU JUST MOVED HERE IN APRIL AND YOU SIGN UP, AND THEN IT WOULD JUST BE AN ANNUAL RENEWAL, YOU MIGHT HAVE PEOPLE WHO WANT.
>> THERE ARE OPTIONS WE CAN LOOK AT.
>> I THINK WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT AS WELL.
>> WHEN I WAS IN THERE SATURDAY MORNING, I ASKED AT THE DESK WHAT THE RATES WERE FOR THE BALLS.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT DROPPED IN VERY MUCH, EVEN WITH THE CESSATION OF USING THE TOP TRACER.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THE SAME. I HAVEN'T HAD ANYBODY WHO'S QUESTIONED ANYTHING, AS WE'RE JUST GOING TO BE A DRIVING RANGE.
WE DIDN'T DROP ANYTHING WITH THE TOP TRACER, IT'S ALL SAFE.
>> I THINK YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THAT BECAUSE TO ME, THAT'S QUITE A HIGH PRICE TO ALMOST CHARGE AS MUCH FOR A ROUND OF GOLF AS HITTING A BUCKET OF BALLS.
>> WELL, YOU'RE TALKING THE NINE DOLLARS FOR A SMALL.
>> IN THE LARGER IS WHAT RIGHT NOW?
>> YEAH, I THINK THAT'S HIGH MYSELF.
WE CAN LOOK AT THAT FOR NEXT YEAR. ABSOLUTELY.
>> I'D LIKE TO JUMP IN ON THAT ONE.
>> THANK YOU. IF YOU THOUGHT $20 WAS HIGH, AMALIA RIVER IS $30.
>> NO. WE DON'T HAVE A SMALL BUCKET.
WE DON'T HAVE A MEDIUM SIZED BUCKET.
THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 50-55 BALLS IN THAT BAG, AND IT'S $30 A BAG, AND IT'S A VERY LARGE PROFIT MARGIN FOR THE GOLF COURSE.
I WILL RESPECT THE $9, AND I WILL RESPECT THE $20.
PLUS, AS AN ADDED BONUS, WE HAVE A VERY GOOD DRIVING RANGE RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S WORTH GOING OUT THERE AND PRACTICING.
COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAD SIX MONTHS AGO, THAT DRIVING RANGE IS A BLESSING FOR THOSE WHO PLAY GOLF.
AN ADDED NOTE, I'M JUST TELLING YOU WE ONLY HAVE TWO GOLF COURSES.
EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THIS THAT YOU CAN PLAY GOLF ON THIS ISLAND UNLESS YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE OTHER ONES.
I AM TELLING YOU THE PLAY THAT WE'RE GETTING IS SO MUCH BETTER AT THE CITY COURSE.
IT HAS IMPROVED IMMENSELY OVER THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS, EIGHT MONTHS.
THOSE WHO HAVE PLAYED IT ARE TREMENDOUSLY EXCITED ABOUT PLAYING AGAIN.
I THINK THE RATES ARE GOOD FOR A PUBLIC COURSE.
I LOOKED UP SOME OF THE PUBLIC COURSES.
WE'RE IN LINE WITH ABOUT 80-85% OF THEM.
I THINK THE AMENITIES THAT YOU'D LOOK FOR IN A CITY COURSE, WE HAVE THOSE.
WE'RE GETTING BETTER, AND WE WILL BE BETTER WITHIN A YEAR.
THE STEPS THAT WE'RE TAKING NOW, LIKE AERIFICATION, DOING THE PROPER CHEMICALS THAT ARE BEING LAID DOWN AFTER AND EVERYTHING, IS IMPORTANT.
THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO KEEP THIS GOLF COURSE ALIVE AND THRIVING.
I THINK PEOPLE LIKE SHAWNA, JOHN, THEY HAVE PLAYED THE RIVER, AND SHE CAN TELL YOU, THE RIVER IS NOT WHAT THE RIVER WAS TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO.
IT'S A MUCH BETTER COURSE, BUT IT'S A EXPENSIVE COURSE.
>> I'LL ADD ON THAT. I THINK WHEN WE TALK MEMBERSHIPS, IT IS A MEMBERSHIP TO THE CLUB.
I'LL SAY THAT AGAIN, CART FEES INCREASES.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE RIVER, THEY'RE PAYING MONTHLY DUES.
[01:30:02]
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE DUES ARE? THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.>> IT DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP AS A SINGLE, IT'S RUNNING CLOSE TO 300 A MONTH.
AS A COUPLE, I'M GUESSING, IT'S ABOUT FIVE.
>> THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-NINE.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU PAY? THE PARK FEE?
IT'S A DIFFERENT STRUCTURE WITH US BEING A PUBLIC GOLF COURSE AS OPPOSED TO THAT.
>> I CAN TELL YOU, I DO NOT GOLF, BUT I HAVE HEARD PEOPLE SAY HOW MUCH BETTER IT IS, HOW GOOD IT IS. PEOPLE WHO KNOW.
>> IT'S THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE OVER THERE.
PEOPLE ARE NOTICING IT AND TALKING ABOUT IT'S PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW.
>> JEFFREY, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT RANGE PLANS FOR NON MEMBERS?
>> I HAVE NOT. JUST BECAUSE IT'S BEEN THAT BENEFIT TO THE MEMBER TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I FIGURE WE CAN DO BETTER BY JUST SELLING IT BY THE BUCKET.
BUT I WOULDN'T SAY NO TO ANYTHING.
I JUST THINK YOU NEED TO SELL THOSE TO THE PUBLIC.
THEY PAY. REMEMBER, WE CAN FIND WAYS TO GIVE THEM DISCOUNTS THAT THEY'RE PAYING TO JOIN.
>> FOR US, WE'RE A SAMPLE OF THREE, ME AND MY TWO BOYS.
WE TEND TO GO A LOT IN THE SUMMERTIME, AND IT DOES ADD UP TO THE POINT WHERE I'M LIKE, SORRY, GUYS, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE SPENT, LIKE $100 A WEEK ON DRIVING RANGE BALLS.
I CAN SEE, LIKE, YOUNG PEOPLE JUST A DRIVING RANGE PLAN AND IT GETS THEM OUT.
>> TOM, CAN I JUST EMPHASIZE A FEW ITEMS FROM THE MAINTENANCE SHEET JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF MEMBERS.
THE FIRST ITEM ABOUT GETTING GREENS MOWERS AND A BUNKER RAKE IN THIS PAST YEAR, THEY GOT SOME FAIRWAY MOWERS.
I THINK THE MINDSET HAD DEVELOPED AROUND THE CITY COMMISSIONERS OR WHATEVER THAT THE GOLF COURSE DIDN'T NEED EQUIPMENT AND SOMEHOW IT COULD PAY FOR THAT STUFF OUT OF USER FEES.
I THINK OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT'S CHANGED AND THEY ARE PURCHASING EQUIPMENT THAT'S GREATLY NEEDED TO KEEP THE GOLF COURSE IN GOOD CONDITION.
THAT'S BEEN A MAJOR CHANGE THAT'S HAPPENED TO HELP MAKE THE GOLF COURSE A MUCH BETTER EXPERIENCE.
THAT FRIENDS OF THE GOLF COURSE THAT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE DOING THE BATHROOMS. THEY'VE DONE TWO OR THREE YEARS OF MAJOR TREE TRIMMING.
IT'S REALLY REMARKABLE TO SEE PEOPLE IN THEIR 70S AND 80S OUT THERE LUGGING TREE LIMBS AND BRANCHES AND LOADING THEM INTO CARTS, MORE VOLUNTEERING, I GUESS, THE FRIENDS BUY THEM LUNCH.
BUT IT'S JUST THE COMMUNITY COMMITMENT OF THESE FELLAS. MAINLY FELLAS.
THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF GIRLS, BUT IT WAS A FRIENDS, BUT IT WAS JUST TREMENDOUS.
THEM PUTTING BACK INTO THE GOLF COURSE AT THEIR RAGE, EVEN.
THEN FINALLY THAT JEFFREY MENTIONED THAT THEY HAVE TO DO ANNUAL MAINTENANCE.
IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT SITUATION IF YOU HAD TO CLOSE DOWN HALF THE GOLF COURSE IF THERE WERE ONLY 18 HOLES FOR WEEKS AT A TIME.
IT REALLY GIVES YOU THE FLEXIBILITY TO KEEP.
I'VE COME ACROSS OTHER COMMUNITIES.
WHERE THE RACEWAY IS DOWN THERE.
DAYTONA. THEY HAVE 36 HOLES AT THEIR PUBLIC GOLF COURSE.
THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? GLAD TO ANSWER.
>> ANYTHING ELSE ON MEMBERSHIP? GO TO MARKETING.
I SENT OUT A BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, BUT I NEED TO GET EVERYONE'S EMAIL HERE, AND I'LL MAKE SURE YOU GUYS ARE ATTACHED TO THAT.
WE JUST SENT OUT OUR LAST EDITION FOR MAY, JUNE ON MAY 1.
CONTINUE TO USE THE LOCAL NEWSLEADER, MAYBE NOW, ISLAND, AND THIS YEAR, WE ADDED PAXTON MARKETING.
WE ARE IN A KIOSK IN ABOUT FOUR HOTELS ON THE ISLAND.
IF YOU'RE EVER IN HAMPTON INN, MAYBE HERE DOWNTOWN, YOU MIGHT SEE US FLASH UP.
THE MOST RECENT MARKETING, MR. PATTY QUINN, WITH THE VISITORS GUIDE FOR ALL ABOUT AMELIA.
IF YOU GUYS WANT TO CHECK IT OUT, THAT'S THAT ADVERTISING.
I THINK THE MARINA EVEN JUMPED IN AND DID SOME WITH IT.
IT'S GOT A MAP OF THE WHOLE ISLAND AND EVEN ALL OF NASSAU COUNTY.
IT'S A REALLY GOOD MAP. SO DID THAT.
[01:35:02]
ANY QUESTIONS ON MARKETING? I GUESS, FINALLY, ON MY LAST COUPLE OF PAGES, I'LL TALK ABOUT THE TOURNAMENTS AND OUTINGS.WE'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO GET EVENTS OUT TO THE GOLF COURSE, NOT TO IMPEDE MEMBER PLAY, BUT TO GENERATE REVENUES.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I JUST TALKED WITH THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS, THEY SENT ME AN EMAIL TODAY LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING IN DECEMBER.
I THINK THEY'VE BEEN AT THE GOLF CLUB OF NEW ORLEANS IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT A PROPOSAL TOGETHER FOR THEM.
WE'VE ALREADY ADDED TWO OR THREE THIS YEAR.
ONE OF THOSE. WE HAD THE MUSEUM TOURNAMENT.
THEY HAD JUST HAD ONE IN NOVEMBER AND HAD ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER OF PLAYERS.
WE'RE LOOKING TO GROW THAT TO GET THAT OVER TO, MAYBE 100 PLUS PLAYERS.
THE SPARK GOLF, WHICH I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT'S A REALLY COOL THING.
IF YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW, YOU JUST SIGN UP ONLINE.
YOU COULD GO ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
A LOT OF GOLF COURSES HAVE IT, SAY YOU'RE TRAVELING AND YOU JUST SHOW UP AND LOOK UP SPARK GOLF ON YOUR PHONE AND JUST FIND A GOLF COURSE AND SIGN UP, AND YOU SHOW UP AND THEY PUT YOU ON A TEAM.
REALLY, IT'S EASY FOR THE GOLF SHOP STAFF BECAUSE ONCE THEY SIGN UP, IT ALL GOES THROUGH THEM, AND THEY JUST SEND US CARP SIGNS AND A CREDIT CARD.
WE JUST GET THEM OUT THERE AND PLAY.
WE'VE BEEN AVERAGING ABOUT 15-20, WE WANT TO GET IT UP TO 36.
THAT'D BE A FORCE ON EVERY HOLE.
BUT WE'RE STARTING TO GET OUT ABOUT IT.
ONE THING WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE STAYING OPEN A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE RESTAURANT.
IT'S BEEN GOOD. IT'S BEEN GOOD.
IF WE KEEP DOING THIS AND GROW THAT, WE'LL STAY OPEN BECAUSE TYPICALLY THE RESTAURANT CLOSES AROUND THREE O'CLOCK.
GOING DOWN, WE HAD OUR WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE 22ND TO 29TH.
ON THE 26TH, WE HAD THE NEIL HAMPTON TOURNAMENT.
AGAIN, THIS IS ONE THAT HASN'T PLAYED US SINCE 2017, SO TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SAYING THE GOLF COURSE IS GETTING BETTER.
I BELIEVE IT'S GETTING OUT THERE.
I INFORMALLY ASKED WHY THEY LEFT, AND IT WAS COURSE CONDITIONS.
TO HAVE THEM THEY OBVIOUSLY HEARD SOMETHING, REACHED BACK OUT BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN HAVING THEIR TOURNAMENT IN GEORGIA.
EVERYTHING WENT GREAT WITH THEM.
WE'RE HOPING AGAIN MAYBE WE GET THEM BOOKED AGAIN FOR NEXT YEAR.
UPCOMING EVENTS. WELL, MAY 1 IS OUT.
I REALLY WANTED TO MENTION THAT WHEN I WAS ABLE TO GM AND OFFICIATE THE WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION AND SHOOT OUT, AND IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.
SHAWNA MADE IT TO THE LAST HOLE.
BASICALLY, IT'S NINE HOLES, AND YOU LOSE A PLAYER EACH HOLE AND HAVE TO HAVE CHIP OFF.
TO HAVE ALL THOSE LADIES OUT THERE PLAYING ONE HOLE AND AT THE SAME TIME AND OFFICIATE AND TELLING WHO'S AWAY, IT WAS A REALLY BLAST.
I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS ALLOWING ME TO DO THAT.
WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS, WE HAVE OUR MEN'S BLITZ. IT'S AT 10 O'CLOCK.
A LOT OF THE STUFF I DON'T PUT ON HERE, BUT YOU GUYS HAVEN'T BEEN ACCUSTOMED TO IT.
WE COULD HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 40-60 PLAY ON THOSE DAYS.
MAJORITY OF THOSE ARE MEN, BUT WE DO ALLOW GUESTS TO COME OUT AND PLAY FOR OUR GUEST WITH MEMBER RATES.
THEY GET A LITTLE DISCOUNT THERE.
THIS PAST SUNDAY, WE HAD 44 ATTEND THE MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH.
WE RAN IT FROM 10:00-1:00 AND ELECTED TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO PICK A TIME TO COME IN.
WE MAY CHANGE THAT NEXT YEAR DEPENDING.
WE HAD PEOPLE COMING IN AT 10:00, 10:30, 11:00.
BUT IT WAS A REALLY GOOD SHOWING, AND EVERYBODY ENJOYED IT.
OUR NEXT EVENT, WHICH SIGN UPS WILL CUT OFF THIS PAST MONDAY IS OUR STATE NIGHT.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE'RE JUST UNDER 50 SIGNED UP.
I THINK IN THE PAST, THAT ONE'S BEEN A BIG ONE FOR US.
WE'D LOVE TO GET ABOUT 60 PEOPLE EVERY ONE OF THESE EVENTS, AND WE TYPICALLY HAVE AT LEAST 1-2 A MONTH.
UPCOMING EVENT FOR SATURDAY, THE MGA TWO MAN SCRAMBLE, 830 SHOT AND I THINK WE HAVE 24 MAYBE SIGNED UP FOR THAT NOW.
FINALLY, I'M GOING TO RUN A MEMORIAL DAY SALES IN THE GOLF SHOP FOR THE FOUR DAYS EVERY MORE, THEY HAD DECIDED EXACTLY WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE, BUT WE'LL HAVE THAT POSTED IN THE SHOP THAT WEEK OR SO.
>> WE USED TO GO EVERY WEDNESDAY NIGHT TO TRIVIA AT THE GOLF COURSE. THAT WAS GREAT.
WHEN IT FIRST STARTED, IT WAS SLOW, BUT BY THE TIME WHEN IT FINALLY ENDED, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS COVID OR WHAT KILLED THAT FINALLY, BUT EVERY TABLE WAS FULL, AND WE SAW THE SAME PEOPLE EVERY WEEK, BUT THAT ENTIRE BANQUET ROOM WAS FILLED.
>> DO YOU KNOW WHY WE STOPPED?
>> LET ME LOOK INTO IT AND SEE IF I CAN FIND OUT WHY.
SHE COULD TELL YOU WHEN IT WAS AND WHY IT STOPPED.
[01:40:03]
WE ALL HAD DINNER THERE.IT WAS A GOOD TIME. IT WAS CONSISTENT EVERY WEEK, AND YOU SAW THE SAME FOLKS COME OUT.
THEN YOU HAD BIG COMPETITIONS.
BUT I KNOW EVEN WITH SEVEN OR EIGHT PEOPLE AT OUR TABLE, OUR TAB WAS EASILY $150 FOR ALL OF US WITH DRINKS AND FOOD.
I KNOW YOU HAVE TO PAY STAFF LONGER TO STAY THERE FOR THAT.
>> IT WAS FUN. AND IT WAS A GOOD TIME.
>> WE'RE LOOKING TO DO ALL THESE TYPES OF THINGS TO BRING DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET PEOPLE TO SEE THE GOLF COURSE.
IT IS ABOUT THE GOLF COURSE, BUT IS EVERYTHING INCLUSIVE.
>> THANKS, JEFFREY. I TRULY APPRECIATE IT.
ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US, I THINK JEFFREY SHOULD GIVE US ALL LESSONS.
>> [INAUDIBLE], WOULD YOU MIND PLEASE SHOWING THE PICTURES, I THINK I ADDED THE GOLF COURSE FROM THE DRONE PICTURES.
ONE OF US, I'M NOT SURE WHO DID IT, BUT ONE OF THE CITY EMPLOYEES.
NOW, GRANTED, THE DRIVING RANGE FROM JUST THE DAMAGE AND SITTING THERE FOR A WHILE.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THE NEW POLES, THE NEW NETS.
ONE THING THAT I REALLY LIKE ALSO IS THAT'S ONE NORTH RIGHT THERE, AND I THINK SIX NORTH, IT'S REALLY STARTING TO TAKE SHAPE THE FAIRWAYS AND EVERYTHING.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD PICTURE, AND THEN I THOUGHT WE HAD ONE MORE, IF YOU DON'T MIND, KATIE.
>> WELL, I KNOW YOU GUYS WANTED TO LOOK AT, BUT IS IT FUNCTIONALLY? WHEN YOU'RE JUST DRIVING BALLS?
>> IT'S FUNCTIONAL, YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
>> YOU JUST NEED THE LITTLE GOLF BALLS AND BONY TO GO PICK UP THE BALLS. WHAT IS THAT CALLED?
>> I LIKE GOLF BALLS BONY BETTER. [LAUGHTER]
>> ONE OF THE ISSUES IS IT IS PRETTY WET THERE, BUT WE ARE WORKING [OVERLAPPING].
>> BUT THERE WAS DRAINAGE THERE, AND I THINK WE HAVE SOME ISSUES.
WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY STORMWATER TEAM TO FIX THAT DRAINAGE AS WELL.
THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO DO WITH THE GOLF COURSE.
I THOUGHT WE HAD TWO, BUT ANYWAY.
IF YOU COULD HAVE THE OTHER PICTURES READY, IF YOU DON'T MIND, PLEASE.
THIS IS ONE THING THAT WE HAVE DONE AT THE GOLF CLUB ADVISORY BOARD, AS WELL AS PARKS AND REC, BECAUSE WE LIKE TO GIVE UPDATES, AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FROM OUR MEMBERS.
BUT IF YOU DON'T MIND, COULD YOU PULL UP NORTH BEACH PARK? BEACH ACCESS. THIS IS NORTH BEACH PARK.
THAT PROJECT WAS RECENTLY COMPLETED.
THAT WAS PRIOR TO SHRIMP FEST WEEKEND.
WE HAVE JUST A TINY BIT MORE WORK TO DO.
WE HAVE TO ADD A FEW MORE RAILS ON THAT EXISTING BOARDWALK, AND THEN THAT WILL BE FINISHED.
IN ADDITION, WE DID THE ROOFS OF THE TWO PAVILIONS, AND WE GOT TWO NEW PICNIC TABLES IN THERE.
WE DID THAT AT A VERY GOOD COST.
WE HAVE HEARD GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT.
HAPPY TO HAVE THAT JOB COMPLETED.
THEN NEXT, JEAN LAFITTE BOARDWALK.
IT DOESN'T LOOK THAT GOOD RIGHT NOW OR PRIOR TO THE WEEK BEFORE.
THIS IS THE BOARDWALK THAT'S BEHIND OCEAN SOUND AND ALSO CONNECTS THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEHIND THE ATLANTIC RECREATION CENTER.
A LOT OF PEOPLE USE THIS BOARDWALK THAT ARE NEAR THE JASMINE AREA TO CUT THROUGH OVER TO ATLANTIC.
KIDS USE IT TO GET THROUGH TO SCHOOL AS WELL.
BUT WE'RE CURRENTLY REPLACING BOARDS ON THAT BOARDWALK.
THE PLAN WAS FOR POSSIBLY 3-4 WEEKS, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S GOING TO BE FINISHED NEXT WEEK.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO DO A LITTLE PRESSURE WASHING OF THE OLDER BOARDS THAT ARE ON THERE BECAUSE OF SOME MILDEW BUILD UP AND IT BEING A LITTLE BIT SLIPPERY.
THAT'S A PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
THE THIRD AND FINAL PHASE, AS YOU PROBABLY HAVE NOTICED, THAT'S AT THE SKATE PARK.
THERE'S A PICTURE OF THAT ONE AS WELL.
>> YOU COULD PULL THAT ONE UP?
>> THAT SHOULD BE WRAPPED UP THIS WEEK.
[01:45:01]
IT'S THE REFABRICATION OF THE EXISTING SKATE PARK.THE CONTRACTOR WILL BE BACK TOMORROW TO FINISH THAT UP.
HICKORY STREET PARK, THE TENTATIVE DELIVERY DATE IS MAY 26.
THAT WILL BE THE LOCATION OF IT.
WE HAVE A PLUMBER COMING IN THAT WILL DO THE SKELETAL PART UNDERNEATH THE PAD OR UNDERNEATH, AND THEN THE BATHROOMS WILL BE SET ON TOP OF THAT.
A GREAT THANKS TO THE FACILITY TEAM WITH THEIR ASSISTANCE, AND ALSO THE UTILITY TEAM HELPING WITH THAT PROJECT.
THE BATTING CAGES, THIS WAS A PROJECT THAT WAS HELPED PAY FOR BY THE COUNTY GRANT AS WELL AS BABE RUTH.
THE OLD ONE WAS DEMOLISHED, AND THAT IS PRETTY MUCH WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH THAT PROJECT.
THOSE CHILDREN WILL HAVE A GREAT BATTING CAGE WHEN THAT IS COMPLETED.
THE COMMISSION AT THE MAY 6 MEETING APPROVED THE PROJECT FOR THE ATLANTIC RECREATION CENTER REMODEL OF THE BATHROOM, SO WE'RE STARTING TO GET THAT ALL SET UP.
IF YOU'VE NOTICED ANY WORK AT THE TENNIS COURTS ON ATLANTIC AVENUE, THOSE LIGHTS ARE BEING RETROFITTED.
THE PRODUCT WAS DELIVERED YESTERDAY.
THOSE LIGHTS ARE GOING UP TODAY AND TOMORROW, AND THAT PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED.
WE'RE GOING FROM THE OLD LIGHTS TO NEW LED LIGHTS.
THE PUTT-PUTT BUILDING, AS YOU HAVE HEARD WAS DEMOLISHED, AND THERE WILL BE A NEW BUILDING GOING IN THERE.
JUST AS A LITTLE BIT OF UPDATE ON THAT IS, THE FACILITY SIDE OF THE CITY IS WORKING THROUGH THAT.
BUT JUST IN CASE YOU WERE NOT AWARE, THAT BUILDING WAS DEMOLISHED AND A NEW ONE IS GOING IN.
>> THERE WAS SOME STUFF FLOATING AROUND.
>> THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY UPSET.
OH, MY GOD, BUT I WAS LIKE IT'S GOING BACK JUST LIKE IT IS.
WHAT'S THE ANTICIPATED TIME FRAME FOR THAT?
>> I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DATE ON THAT, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I CAN GET BECAUSE FACILITIES IS HANDLING THE MAJORITY OF IT.
I WANT JUST TO MAKE FOR AWARENESS FOR YOU GUYS.
BUT I CAN GET BETTER DATES AND SEND THAT TO YOU.
>> THEN THE ATLANTIC RECREATION CENTER, WE'RE DOING SOME WINDOW REPLACEMENT.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A PHASED APPROACH, AND THAT'S STARTING ON MAY 21.
THIS ISN'T THE GREATEST PICTURE, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, BUT THAT WAS THE WORK THAT WAS DONE AT THE PECK CENTER AUDITORIUM.
THE FLOOR LOOKS I THINK, VERY BEAUTIFUL.
IT'S ONE OF WHAT I THINK IS ONE OF THE BETTER ROOMS. IT'S A REALLY BEAUTIFUL ROOM.
THE FLOOR WAS IN EXTREMELY BAD SHAPE.
>> IS THERE SCOTT, THOSE CHAIRS THAT ARE OVER THERE ARE HEAVY.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PUT ON THE BOTTOM OF THOSE CHAIRS TO HELP THEM SLIDE BETTER, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE AN EVENT OVER THERE, THEY JUST GET DRUG ACROSS THE FLOOR, AND ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT YOU GUYS JUST DID TO THAT FLOOR, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF THERE WAS SOMETHING.
>> WE CAN LOOK. I BELIEVE THERE'S THESE CHAIR DOLLIES THAT YOU CAN USE.
IF THERE'S A STACK OF LIKE FIVE OR SIX OF THEM, YOU CAN PUT THAT CHAIR DOLLY THERE AND MOVE THEM OVER TO WHERE YOU WANT AND THEN UNSTACK THEM INSTEAD OF DRAGGING THEM ACROSS THE WHOLE ROOM.
>> BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING DRUG. I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT WAS GOING ON FOR THAT FLOOR.
>> THEN THIS WASN'T ON HERE, BUT WE DID THIS IS AT THE ATLANTIC RECREATION CENTER.
WE HAD A PIPE THAT BURST UNDERNEATH OUR POOR PLAY SURFACING.
THIS WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE TOOK AN ITEM TO THE COMMISSION ON MAY 6 TO TRANSFER SOME MONEY FOR REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE, SO WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT.
WE HAVE NOT SHUT DOWN THE ENTIRE PLAYGROUND.
WE HAVE JUST SHUT DOWN A PORTION OF IT.
IT'S FENCED OFF, SO WE HAVE REPAIRED THE PIPE.
WE GOT TO BACK FILL IT, AND THEN WE GOING TO REPLACE OBVIOUSLY THE POOR IN PLAY.
IT'S A PROCESS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT.
THEN GOING BACK, I THINK THAT'S THE LAST PICTURE IS PROGRAMS. WE ALWAYS PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY CONNECTION FOR YOUR REVIEW, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THAT'S A LONG DOCUMENT OF ALL THE PROGRAMS. I DON'T NECESSARILY GO THROUGH ALL THAT.
THEN UPCOMING EVENTS IS WILD AMELIA AND
[01:50:04]
THE OPENING OF THE BEACHES IS AT MAIN BEACH THIS COMING WEEKEND, MAY 16 AND 17TH.THE MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY, PARKING LOT A, MAY 26.
FAMILY FUN DAY IS AT CENTRAL PARK, MAY 25, AND THE FISHING RODEO PARKING LOT A, MAY 31, THE PRIDE PARADE AND FESTIVAL IS THE PARADE ROUTE AND AT CENTRAL PARK, JUNE 7, AND THEN SOUNDS ON CENTER, CENTER STREET, JUNE 6.
THEN AN ITEM ON THE HORIZON IS THE WATERFRONT PARK ARTWORK.
AS THERE'S THREE AREAS OF ARTWORK THAT WE WILL BE WORKING PRIOR TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS.
ALSO, JUST AS A QUICK UPDATE IS THAT, PARKS AND RECREATION IS WORKING WITH LISA REGARDING THE PLAY STRUCTURE AND THERE HASN'T BEEN A WHOLE LOT OF MOVEMENT ON THAT SINCE WE HAVE SPOKEN LAST.
BUT WHEN THERE ARE UPDATES, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS ARE AWARE OF IT.
>> IS THERE AN UPDATE ON THE PARK ITSELF? I KNOW DURING SHRIMP FESTIVAL, EVERYTHING'S FENCED OFF DOWN THERE.
IT LOOKED LIKE SOME THINGS HAD MAYBE STARTED.
>> YES SOME OF THE CONCRETE WORK HAS STARTED, SIDEWALK CURBING.
I KNOW JEREMIAH PUT OUT A PERCENTAGE OF COMPLETION WHICH IS REALLY SMALL, BUT IT'S AT THE VERY START OF THE PROJECT.
>> THANK YOU, SCOTT. AT THIS TIME,
[8. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS]
I WOULD LIKE ANYBODY, I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH MR. PELICAN.WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS?
>> I THINK MOST OF THE GOLF COURSE MATERIAL IS COVERED.
I'M EXCITED TO BE ON THE PARKS AND REC BOARD AND GET INVOLVED IN OTHER ASPECTS OF YOUR WORK.
I'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN THINGS, BUT HAD NO INPUT IN THEM.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING A GOOD CONTRIBUTION IN THOSE OTHER AREAS.
I WANTED TO MENTION ONE MORE THING ABOUT THE MEN'S ASSOCIATION.
WE TRY TO REVIVE THEIR SCHOLARSHIP TRUST AFTER THE PASSING OF ONE OF THE MEMBERS RECENTLY, LOWER BRAD AND THEY'VE BEEN RAISING MONEY, SO NEXT SPRING GRADUATION, THEY'D BE ABLE TO AWARD A COUPLE SCHOLARSHIPS TO GRADUATING SENIOR. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MR. PELICAN. ONLY THAT WE HAVE A LOT TO DO, AND IT LOOKS FUN.
ALL GOOD STUFF. SHAWNA DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING?
>> I HELD BACK HERE FOR A MINUTE.
FIRST OF ALL JEFFREY, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF.
YOU GUYS ARE DOING A TREMENDOUS JOB WITH THE GOLF COURSE.
I JOINED THERE A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS AGO TO EXPAND MY GAME.
I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF EMILY RIVER.
BUT FOR ME, THAT COURSE I LIVE ON THE GOLF COURSE, SO IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE A PART OF THAT COMMUNITY.
BUT THE WORK I'VE SEEN YOU GUYS DO OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS JUST BEEN INCREDIBLE.
BUT I AM GOING TO BRING A COUPLE ISSUES TO LIGHT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDRESSED.
I KNOW TWO FOR SURE ARE HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES IN MY MIND.
THE FIRST IS, THERE IS NO HOT WATER IN THE RESTROOMS INSIDE THE FACILITY AT THE CLUBHOUSE.
I KNOW THAT'S A FLORIDA BUILDING CODE AS WELL AS AN OSHA REGULATION THAT THERE HAS TO BE HOT WATER IN PUBLIC RESTROOMS. I KNOW IT IS IN THE KITCHEN.
THERE IS HOT WATER IN THE KITCHEN, SO CLEARLY, THE LINES ARE THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE EVER CUT AT SOME POINT, OR THEY'VE JUST NOT BEEN TENDED TO, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO PUT THAT ON YOUR PLATE IF POSSIBLE.
THE SECOND ONE IS GOLF CART CROSSINGS, THE INTERNAL ONES.
I BELIEVE THIS WAS BROUGHT UP AT THE LAST GOLF CLUB ADVISORY BOARD, BUT I JUST I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A STATUS ON ANY OF THE PAINT.
BUT WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, THERE'S THREE CROSSINGS THAT I THINK JUST NEED TO BE REPAINTED.
THE ONE ON AMELIA ISLAND PARKWAY, WHICH I BELIEVE IS COUNTY PROPERTY NOT CITY ANYWAY,
[01:55:02]
BUT MAY REQUIRE SOME COORDINATION WITH THE COUNTY.THE CROSSING THERE ON VIA DEL RAY, RIGHT UP BY THE GOLF CLUB, AND THEN ALSO THE GOLF CROSSING ON LOS ROBLES DRIVE BETWEEN 8-9 SOUTH.
THOSE OF US THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD KNOW IT'S THERE, BUT THE GOLF CART CROSSING SIGNS ARE HIDDEN WITH TREES AND BRANCHES, AND THEN THE MARKINGS ON THE GROUND ARE NOT VERY CLEAR.
I WALK THERE EVERY MORNING IN THE EVENING WITH MY DOG, AND I SEE, POTENTIALLY SOME FOLKS JUST BLOWING THROUGH THERE WITH GOLF CARTS, AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE AN ACCIDENT.
THE THIRD WOULD BE TO POSSIBLY ASK THE CITY TO DO AN ASSESSMENT OF THE SEWER LINES.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE OF SOMETIMES I GUESS THE ODOR, I CAN TELL YOU IN THE LADIES ST ROOM I'VE NOT BEEN IN THE MENS I CAN'T ACCOUNT FOR THAT.
BUT IT JUST APPEARS THAT IT JUST SEEMS THEY NEED TO BE ASSESSED, WHETHER IT'S A VENTING ISSUE OR A FAILURE ISSUE.
I'M ASSUMING IT'S PROBABLY JUST A VENTING ISSUE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE PASSED TO CITY STAFF FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION.
THEN MY OTHER ISSUE WOULD BE FEE SCHEDULE.
I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU GUYS ADDRESS THAT TONIGHT.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE FEE SCHEDULE YOU BE GIVEN THE FLEXIBILITIES SET AND CHANGE THE FEE SCHEDULE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
VERSUS BEING FORCED INTO THIS IS THE FEE SCHEDULE FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR AND YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW IT.
I WOULD SAY THAT FOR A COUPLE OF THINGS, BECAUSE WE ARE A RESORT COMMUNITY THAT CATERS IN THE SUMMER AND IN THE WINTERTIME, YOU COULD HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO POSSIBLY CHANGE RATES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
BASED ON USAGE, AND THEN IN THE SUMMER AT A LOT OF GOLF PUBS, WHAT I SEE IS THEIR MORNING RATES ARE THEIR STANDARD RATE, BUT ANYTHING AFTER 2:00 IN THE AFTERNOON IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER, MAYBE A SLIGHT REDUCTION BECAUSE OF THE HEAT, BUT IT MAY BE ENOUGH TO DRIVE FOLKS TO COME IN.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I JUST THINK IF YOU HAD THE FLEXIBILITY AS THE PROFESSIONAL AND THE MANAGER TO SET THAT, THAT WOULD BE NICE.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF RANGE BALL PACKAGES.
THAT'S JUST A PART OF I THINK EVERYWHERE YOU GO.
I THINK IT'S A REVENUE GENERATOR THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO LOOK AT, IF YOU COULD SELL A RANGE BALL PACKAGE AT WHATEVER COST, YOU'RE GOING TO GET ALL OF THAT REVENUE UP FRONT.
WHETHER THEY EVER COME AND USE ALL THOSE RANGE BALLS. THAT'S UP TO THEM.
BUT YOU'RE GOING TO GET $200 UP FRONT OR $100 UP FRONT, OR THAT'S JUST EXTRA MONEY COMING IN.
I THINK A PIECE OF THAT, AND I REMEMBER KOKI TALKED ABOUT WAS MAYBE CONSIDER THE FLEXIBILITY OF MEMBERSHIPS STARTING ON THE DATE THEY JOIN AND RUNNING FOR THE 12 MONTH WINDOW.
INSTEAD OF RESTRICTING THEM THAT HAS TO BE BOUGHT ON ONE OCTOBER, IT ENDS ON 30 SEPTEMBER.
I JUST THINK THERE'S SOME POTENTIAL LOSS OF REVENUE THERE BY BEING THAT RESTRICTIVE.
ALONG WITH THAT, I THINK WOULD BE THE GUEST PASSED PURCHASING IS ALLOWED MEMBERS TO BUY GUEST PASSES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME CONCEPT INSTEAD OF JUST LIMITING IT TO THE EARLY MONTHS OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, TO GIVE YOU THAT $400 FOR A 10 ROUND PACKAGE.
WHY COULDN'T I COME BACK IN JANUARY AND BUY ANOTHER 400 OUR PACKAGE? BECAUSE THAT'S AUTOMATIC REVENUE FOR YOU.
IT'S UP TO ME TO THEN USE THOSE PASSES.
WHETHER THEY GET USED OR NOT IS UP TO THE PERSON YOU SELL THEM TO, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO GET THAT REVENUE HIT ESSENTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR VERSUS JUST IN THAT ONE IMMEDIATE AREA.
I'M EXCITED TO BE ON THE PARKS AND REC BOARD.
I WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK NOT ONLY TO THE GOLF SIDE, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANYBODY THAT ARE ON THE GOLF SIDE WITH THE BOARD.
BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO STEPPING INTO THESE OTHER AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY AND BEING PART OF THIS, SO THANK YOU.
>> I'M GOOD. WELCOME TO THE GOLF REPRESENTATIVES.
>> I ALSO WANTED TO SAY WELCOME AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERYBODY.
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT OUR TWO FIELD TRIPS.
>> THANK YOU. I WILL CONCLUDE VERY QUICKLY BY SAYING THAT,
[02:00:06]
I AM SO PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE WITH A TWO ADDITION.I HAVE WORKED WITH JOHN ON FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE.
SHAWNA HAVE DONE, SHE IS DEFINITELY AND WELL VERSED IN THIS CITY, AND SHE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON, SO IT'S A PLUS.
WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE THAT ARE DEFINITELY A PLUS FOR THIS ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.
SECOND OF ALL, I LIKE TO THANK PARKS AND REC.
THEY DEMOED THE BATTING CAGES IN LESS THAN THIS FIVE HOURS TAKING DOWN POLES, MOVING THEM THAT HAD BEEN SET THERE FOR OVER 25 YEARS.
WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENTS IN PARKS AND REC.
UNLESS YOU DON'T KNOW IT, BUT THEY ARE THE BUSIEST PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES, AND THEY DESERVE THE MOST CREDIT.
I DON'T CARE WHAT SCOTT DOES, I DON'T CARE WHAT KATIE DOES, BUT I DO CARE WHAT PARKS AND REC MAINTENANCE DOES BECAUSE THEY'RE THE BACKBONE OF THIS ORGANIZATION, AND THEY DESERVE TO BE CREDITED FOR WHAT THEY DO.
THE DRIVING RANGE ON SATURDAY WAS A BIG HIT.
IT WAS FUN, IT WAS ENJOYABLE, AND I THINK ANY TIME THAT ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS CAN GET OUT TO THESE EVENTS AND BE PART OF IT MAKES IT EVEN MORE SPECIAL FOR THAT EVENT.
IF YOU DO HAVE THE TIME TO ATTEND THESE EVENTS, I REALLY FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE PART OF IT WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
WITH THAT, I AM CALLING THE MEETING TO AN END.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.