More budget woes for Hemming

[VillageVicarage]

I must first be honest and confess that it has been almost two decades since I was last in Jacksonville.  At the time, I was living in Australia, and made specific travel plans to visit JAX in order to visit some of my childhood and young adult memories (both good and not so good).  I'm now living in the UK and still think back to the sadness I had from the visit.

I think to say I was shocked and profoundly saddened by what I saw would most likely not come as a surprise to all of you who have dedicated your lives to this remarkable city.

The Hotel Robert Meyer is nothing more than a ghost now; no more sounds wafting  from the Bali Ha'i lounge, the ticket counters of National Airlines and Delta long gone, and the standby phone for the Atlantic Coast Line ticket office and the Hertz and Avis car hire offices but a memory.

And the breakfasts I enjoyed in the Café Caribé, following a jolly good haircut, manicure and shoe shine, were relegated to only 'oldies' such as myself.  I remembered back to my father becoming senselessly sloshed at the River Club and University Club - depending on who he wished to rub noses with at the time. And all the while, I'd either play in the rooftop pool, or visit the most unusual waitresses in Atkins Pharmacy, who had faces that looked like sour milk, bedecked in their waitress uniforms of the fifties, replete with their bright M-shaped painted lips, and huge corsage on their chests. I loved the sandwiches from there....but constantly suffered nightmares that one of those women might be asked to look after me if my father needed to be away for an extended period.

They too are nothing but ghosts now. However, as I walked around the streets, I could clearly hear an old man shouting 'Short Line on The Main Floor' outside the Morrison's cafeteria across from Hemming Park. And I could just make out music being played by a small ensemble beneath the park's gazebo. But alas, those too were ghosts.

And everywhere I walked, everywhere I looked, I could no longer see any pride. Furchgott's, Ivey's, both long gone. All I saw was rot - human rot, building rot, society rot. It was as if May-Cohens, as it closed its doors, had thrown virtually every bit of litter the store had, out its windows and onto the street below. There was a vortex of litter swirling about at one point in the park. The only person even remotely interested in it was a man who was clearly down on his luck. He kept yelling at no one in particular, something about it all coming to an end soon, as he remained focused on the mini tornado in front of his face.

I looked up to where I enjoyed dining with my father in the Embers, fascinated by the revolving restaurant. And I looked back the other direction, noticing that both Woolies and Penney's were now gone as well.

Even the scents I so vividly remembered were no longer there - the constant battle between the highly questionable stench of the paper mill, against the almost comforting scent of the Maxwell House plant.

I got into my hire car and began the last of the journey I had repeated so many times in my youth,  after our night at the Robert Meyer; over the Bridge, glancing back at the ACL building and the FEC Strauss Trunnion Bascule Bridge, then out Beach Boulevard for an early lunch at an original Lou Bono's, then on to Jax Beach and down to the Ponte Vedra Club. ("never the Inn,"  my father would insist, always the laid back environment of the Inlet, but dining at the Beach club across from the Inn was de rigueur.

It all reminded me that you can never go home.  And sadly, it would appear from this article, the local government doesn't seem to share the same determination to restore and rejuvenate Hemming Park the way this determined group is. Clearly they've worked jolly hard to make a difference.  Why, in Heaven's name, won't the local government give them recognition for this and realise that without their efforts, the park would be in its dilapidated, pitiful, state that it was when I last saw it.

From my very distant eyes, it almost appears as if the local government wants them to fail so they can withhold the funds to use for a project that has more personal meaning to someone else.

Truly Truly Sad!

The sadness you hold in your heart is the yesterday you can no longer see; so put it behind you and always look forward.

Fr Bill+

www.bigworldsmallboat.blogspot.com
www.dogdogma.blogspot.com

[whyisjohngalt]

This too shall pass.

[avonjax]

I think I found it. Here's the amended contract currently before some committees (Ordinance 2015-0556):
http://cityclts.coj.net/coj/COJbillDetail.asp?F=2015-0556\Original Text

It's very clear in the original contract that the management company should have raised the $100,000 in private donations. Now someone wants to actually hold these guys to their (quite clear) contract and is described as acting in bad faith, while the councilmembers trying to amend the contract after the milestone wasn't reached are just doing the right thing.

I guess there are many people who want the city to SUCK! This is the typical BS we have to deal with every day. Just close the park and be done with it. They raised the money so who cares how.... If I was younger I would move to a city that gives a crap about it's downtown. I feel that so many in Jacksonville really don't care. They we may as well close it down, except for the office towers  and let everyone just stay in their suburban paradise.

[mtraininjax]

I feel that so many in Jacksonville really don't care.

That is really the truth. People in Jacksonville, and surrounding areas are moving further and further away from the core of downtown Jacksonville. You see it in the discussions to raise the sales tax in Clay and St. Johns counties, to pay for services due to the increase in new residents. What is the draw to live downtown? A few restaurants, a new district, what is sexy and a must have on every block? I wish downtown were more alive, I really do, and I hope that either 1) The Landing or 2) The Shipyards can re-invigorate the downtown (Northbank). I don't see any real positive growth until either of these 2 projects are started.

[mtraininjax]

that area is actually increasing.

Well the sky is blue and the sun could be orange, but beyond that, numbers work to prove a point....

[Noone]

The Times Union is breaking the story that Bill Guilford is doing the decent thing and butting another plug in Schellenberg's leaky tire.
http://jacksonville.com/news/2015-07-28/story/councilman-introduces-plan-settle-fundraising-dispute-hemming-park-and-restore

As the organization running Hemming Park awaits a crucial $150,000 from the city, a city councilman has introduced an emergency plan to settle the dispute over the group's fundraising requirements that has put their public funding in limbo.

The city says the group, Friends of Hemming Park, fell short of their June 1 $200,000 fundraising goal that was necessary to receive their latest payment from the city, part of the $1 million the city agreed to give the group this year to revitalize the park in exchange for the group raising $250,000 on its own.

The park says it surpassed its total requirements by including concession sales revenue, but the city says the fundraising was limited strictly to private donations.

Now, Councilman Bill Gulliford has introduced an amendment to the group's agreement that changes the fundraising from private donations to all revenues. That plan would put the park in compliance with the contract and allow it to receive the $150,000 payment that was due in June, as well as the remaining $250,000 it's set to receive later this year.

The plan is up for an emergency vote at tonight's city council meeting and will be enacted if it's approved.

I kind of feel like "all revenues" was what was meant, but the contract was poorly drafted.

+1

[Tacachale]

The Times Union is breaking the story that Bill Guilford is doing the decent thing and butting another plug in Schellenberg's leaky tire.
http://jacksonville.com/news/2015-07-28/story/councilman-introduces-plan-settle-fundraising-dispute-hemming-park-and-restore

As the organization running Hemming Park awaits a crucial $150,000 from the city, a city councilman has introduced an emergency plan to settle the dispute over the group's fundraising requirements that has put their public funding in limbo.

The city says the group, Friends of Hemming Park, fell short of their June 1 $200,000 fundraising goal that was necessary to receive their latest payment from the city, part of the $1 million the city agreed to give the group this year to revitalize the park in exchange for the group raising $250,000 on its own.

The park says it surpassed its total requirements by including concession sales revenue, but the city says the fundraising was limited strictly to private donations.

Now, Councilman Bill Gulliford has introduced an amendment to the group's agreement that changes the fundraising from private donations to all revenues. That plan would put the park in compliance with the contract and allow it to receive the $150,000 payment that was due in June, as well as the remaining $250,000 it's set to receive later this year.

The plan is up for an emergency vote at tonight's city council meeting and will be enacted if it's approved.

I kind of feel like "all revenues" was what was meant, but the contract was poorly drafted.

+1

Wouldn't be terribly surprising.

[PeeJayEss]

people cannot be moving away from something while the population in that area is actually increasing. weird post.

Not technically true as written, but I get your point as it relates to gross population numbers. However, mtrain's comments seems to be referencing % of population. So, while Jax is growing, the outlying counties are (or may be) growing more quickly. While there may be increased interest in "urban" living, there are still plenty of people relocating to St. Johns, etc.

[thelakelander]

According to the 2010 US Census, downtown and San Marco are growing. Riverside, Springfield and most of what makes up the urban core were still "declining" in population.

[edjax]

Finance Committee passed 6-1 the Gulliford legislation to allow it for all revenues.

[Tacachale]

Finance Committee passed 6-1 the Gulliford legislation to allow it for all revenues.

Great, hopefully this will solve the problem relatively quickly.

[TheCat]

The City Council's Finance Committee voted 6-1 Monday in favor of legislation that would make it easier for the Friends of Hemming Park to comply with terms of its city contract and receive a $150,000 payment that has been withheld by the city.

The Finance Committee approved legislation filed by Councilman Bill Gulliford that would count all revenues raised by the Friends toward its fund-raising commitments. That would enable the Friends to count net revenues from concessionaire fees, advertising fees and event licence fees.

As it stands now, Friends cannot count those activities toward the $200,000 in "private donations" it was supposed to raise so far. The city withheld a $150,000 payment for June that would have been due to the Friends.


David Bauerlein: (904) 359-4581

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2015-08-03/story/finance-committee-votes-6-1-favor-contract-change-keep-city-money

[thelakelander]

Friends of Hemming Park executive director had to loan nonprofit $7,000 to make payroll

By Max Marbut, Staff Writer

The Friends of Hemming Plaza's budget was stretched so thin last month that when the city withheld a June payment over a contract dispute, the nonprofit couldn't make payroll.
Instead, Friends Executive Director Vince Cavin loaned the group $7,000 on July 14 in a transaction shown as "Vince deposit to be reimbursed."

Six days later, a check written to Cavin was listed to "repay short term loan."

The revelation was shared Monday during a City Council Finance Committee meeting where members discussed amending the contract again for the fledgling nonprofit.

Finance Chair Bill Gulliford introduced a bill last week that would allow the Friends to include revenue from concessions and others forms of income to meet the group's fundraising requirements.

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=545897

[whyisjohngalt]

$7,000 for bi monthly payroll?

Does that mean it's $168,000 a year for payroll to manage this block?  What is the rest of the $1,000,000 of money going towards? How is that not being covered by the concession sales - which almost paid for the year's payroll in just one quarter.

Something doesn't add up.

The goal for this block is self sustainability.  The sooner, the better.

[vicupstate]

$7,000 for bi monthly payroll?

Does that mean it's $168,000 a year for payroll to manage this block?  What is the rest of the $1,000,000 of money going towards? How is that not being covered by the concession sales - which almost paid for the year's payroll in just one quarter.

Something doesn't add up.

The goal for this block is self sustainability.  The sooner, the better.

$7000 was probably just the 'gap' in funding not the entire amount of the payroll.