Bill Prescott to Lead Friends of Hemming Park

[Metro Jacksonville]

Bill Prescott to Lead Friends of Hemming Park



JACKSONVILLE, Fla., August 1, 2016 – This morning the Friends of Hemming Park (FOHP) board of directors announced a change in its leadership team. Bill Prescott, principal with Heritage Capital Group and former Jacksonville Jaguars CFO, will take over on a voluntary basis as the interim director of the nonprofit organization, following the resignation of CEO Vince Cavin. Board Chairman Wayne Wood will take on the additional role as Programming Coordinator.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2016-aug-bill-prescott-to-lead-friends-of-hemming-park

[Snufflee]

Question for the novice... How long has FoHP been around? Many other cities with much larger parks have Conservancy operations/management. These Conservancy aren't overnight successes and take time to mature and develop the needed relationships to be a success. Is/Did the City Council give FoHP time to mature and work through the kinks to develop a long term strategic plan or at the first hiccup was it Jax Business as usual knee jerk reactions.

[benmarcus]

Normally this kind of project takes about 3 years to become steady and five years to become totally self sustainable.  We haven't finished 18 months yet.

My question is, now that Vince is gone and they will STILL have the same funding needs, will the City Council start to get the picture that this is about building a long-term, sustainable asset for the city and not just some park for concerts? Low turnout in municipal elections have consequences and here they are.

[Downtown Osprey]

Normally this kind of project takes about 3 years to become steady and five years to become totally self sustainable.  We haven't finished 18 months yet.

My question is, now that Vince is gone and they will STILL have the same funding needs, will the City Council start to get the picture that this is about building a long-term, sustainable asset for the city and not just some park for concerts? Low turnout in municipal elections have consequences and here they are.

Hell no.  Besides, the whole budget can be fixed by forcing potential donors to eat some home made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and rounding up a discount sink of some sort from a cousin over on the north side.

That and getting all the labor donated.

But definitely. Low turnout for municipal elections and the same assclowns getting re elected for office.

FYI, both Clay Yarborough and Don Redman are running for higher office in the next election.

Yarborough? Cringe.

[Steve]

He sounds like a creative, proactive, problem solver from the looks of his past campaign to get diners downtown.  have to appreciate that type of attitude.

Also seems like the kind of guy who will spend more than 15 minutes getting one bid for $120k projects a la vince and wayne, and council probably won't have to be the one to tell him basics like that since he has actual business experience

needs a fresh young face for programming and marketing.  hope that happens

He is.  And has been on the actual board since its inception, and one of the people who hired and oversaw Vince.

This is a very good thing IMO. Regardless of Vince Cavin's intent or actual doings, FOHP had a bad name, and the organization needed a change of nothing else because of PR.

The flip side is Bill Prescott is a well-known person and incredibly well respected financially. The name Bill Prescott alone should quell any questions about fiscal responsibility, and though I've only met him on a couple occasions (not related whatsoever to his role at the Jags or FOHP), he seems just like an all a around good person that actually cares about the urban core. IMO, the City Council needs to support this organization and make up the funding gap that currently exists.

[Steve]

Yes. Clay wants to represent us in the State Legislature.
https://www.facebook.com/clayyarborough2016/

I'd rather he didn't.

[BennyKrik]

This man seems to have business prowess and testicular fortitude.

[KenFSU]

Sounds like the Black Sheep kiosk is all but dead for now

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=548079

On Thursday, a meeting among Friends leadership, council members and Mayor Lenny Curry's administration hammered out details. Friends likely won't be receiving the full $150,000 anymore.

Instead, nearly $75,000 targeted for a park restaurant but used by Friends for operating expenses will stay in council's hands for now.

That money is part of a $100,000 grant from Southwest Airlines.

The money, along with $11,000 more, was planned by the nonprofit for build-out and operation of a park kiosk to be run by Black Sheep, a popular Riverside restaurant.

The latter portion went to JEA for utility work, but it is being refunded.

However, despite some initial work performed, the project has never been in proper position to proceed because there was no contract between Black Sheep and the city, which owns the park.

Even if such a deal was in place, it would be in trouble anyway. Costs have risen to the point where the shipping-container kiosk needs in excess of $170,000 in public funding to make it happen.

Black Sheep owner Jonathan Insetta did not return a call or emails for comment since Wednesday.

Prescott said he saw the containers Wednesday with hopes the Friends' grant and capital from Black Sheep officials could make something work.

"There's no way that can happen," Prescott told city officials at the Thursday meeting.

He wants to talk to Southwest to determine what else, if anything, would be acceptable for the nearly $75,000. If not, the money would be returned.

Sam Mousa, Curry's chief administrative officer, said the kiosk project was "too scattered at the moment to even discuss."

Wayne Wood, Friends board president, agreed with the comment. Later, Wood said the project was not dead and the delay will help the parties regroup.

With council's decision on possibly locking that funding, though, it's a decision no longer in Friends' hands.

[Local Artist]

These cats should note that this "kiosk" is not going to be a money maker for BLACKSHEEP, it will be a source of advertising by flavor and help to further Insetta/DeVault's brand, but the money isn't the incentive here. It's all but a donation of the concept's name to the city, and they're mucking it all up.

[benmarcus]

my god. 

ass clowns. 




http://jacksonville.com/opinion/ron-littlepage/2016-08-05/story/ron-littlepage-hemming-park-symbol-local-dysfunction

Some council members are suggesting closing the park and building a fence around it that would keep "those people" out of the park.

"Those people" are now being called "congregators" instead of the once favored term "homeless."

By the time the park is reopened, perhaps with a new look and a new plan, perhaps "those people" will have left.

Concertina wire on top of the fence would be a nice touch.

It would fit in quite well with the bombed-out look of the Laura Street Trio (the city that couldn't), the empty Barnett Bank building (the city that couldn't) and the historic Snyder Memorial church that remains unused after all of these years of city ownership (the city that couldn't).

You might as well kiss goodbye the momentum that had been building for a revitalized downtown.

Here's another swell idea making the rounds: Take all of the furniture out of the park that "those people" sit on, replace the bricks with grass and turn it into a passive park.

However, leave the fountains. But wouldn't "those people" still sit on the fountains' walls? Put spikes on the top.

Yes siree, that would send a good message about downtown and Jacksonville.

The most sensible idea came from Sam Mousa, the city's chief administrative officer, during a meeting with several council members last Thursday.

Mousa said that Mayor Lenny Curry's proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 includes $250,000 to operate the park for six months.

He suggested using that time to get a handle on what needs to be done at the park.

It's essential that the city continue on the path that was started two years ago to turn the park into an asset for downtown instead of the eyesore it had become.

The six months would also allow time to solicit proposals from any groups interested in operating the park as some council members want.

It's a far better idea than fencing off a key part of downtown and proving to the world that Jacksonville is indeed a not-so-little city that couldn't.

If this actually happens, I'll work myself into the ground to replace as many of those cowards as I have to, over the coming few years. 2019 is already shaping up to be an interesting cycle, here, and it's still 2 years, 8 months away.

[SuzySpringfield]

Sounds like the Black Sheep kiosk is all but dead for now

I know a lot of people were pumped for this, but I'm thrilled it was cancelled. There are SO MANY existing spaces downtown that it blew my mind that their grand plan was to put an ugly container building in the middle of a small park. The restaurant/bar waste would have been a nightmare as well, as Hemming has a healthy rat and roach population thanks to the underground moisture of the pool and already existing food waste. I also didn't see how the walk-up bar was going to work out since no other establishment is allowed to sell drinks to go unless it's a city sponsored event.

I do hope BS ends up in downtown, just in a beautifully renovated old building.

[Bill Hoff]

I do hope BS ends up in downtown, just in a beautifully renovated old building.

Black Sheep is moving into 100 N. Laura Street (facing Forsyth) about 2 blocks away from Hemming.

[Noone]

Next meeting 8/10/16 2:30 in the Lynwood Roberts room. Will it be televised? On 8/6/16 was at Hemming, RAM, and the locked bathrooms at Unity Plaza. it's not just a retention pond. The Gate to the bathrooms were opened but the 3 bathrooms were locked. Two weekends in a row.

Stay Positive.

[tufsu1]

I know a lot of people were pumped for this, but I'm thrilled it was cancelled. There are SO MANY existing spaces downtown that it blew my mind that their grand plan was to put an ugly container building in the middle of a small park. The restaurant/bar waste would have been a nightmare as well, as Hemming has a healthy rat and roach population thanks to the underground moisture of the pool and already existing food waste. I also didn't see how the walk-up bar was going to work out since no other establishment is allowed to sell drinks to go unless it's a city sponsored event.

The project isn't officially cancelled yet.  If built, it would function like a food truck and or the beer/liquor tents that are in Hemming Park regularly.  You are correct that there is no open carry policy, but people would be able to drink within the specific area of the park.

As for a "brick & mortar" restaurant in an existing building, that is happening too.  Construction on the space is underway.  It will be on Forsyth Street just west of Laura Street.

[KenFSU]

Grabbed lunch over at Hemming Park today. It was a pretty lively scene. Live music. Food trucks. A visible service worker. And lot of office workers milling about. We can argue each individual line item on their books all night long, but people are nuts if they can't see the positive changes that have taken place there under FHP. So much potential with a little more TLC and solidarity.