Pier Contract tops Monday Commission agenda

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Deborah Nelsonn

Santa Rosa Commissioners will discuss the future of Navarre Beach Pier’s management company at their first Committee meeting of the new year, January 11.

Coastal Concessions, Inc. may or may not be thousands in default.  As of January 6, the company still owed the County some $7,000 in underreported gate fees & sales; plus $11,000 in late fees and about $29,000 in utilities the County paid by mistake.

The Board had discussed the possibility of forgiving some of the company’s late fees and reimbursing them for renovation costs at the December 10 commission meeting.   The contract stipulated the facility would be in “turnkey” condition when the management company took it over, but company owners say they spent $180,000 on rebuilds and substandard equipment replacement to bring it up to par.

Commissioners will also consider amending the company’s management contract to reduce their operational expenses.

Coastal Concession management have proposed the County pay them $10,000 per month in credits and cover pier and restroom lights and water; or the County cover maintenance, labor, lights and water; or the County split labor costs with Coastal Concessions.

Also on the agenda, Commissioners will discuss:

*A Public Information Officer employment contract with Brandi Whitehurst.  Whitehurst previously worked in a public information capacity for the West Florida Regional Planning Council.  The job pays $61,600 per year.  She replaces outgoing PIO Joy Tsubooka, who moved to the PIO position in Escambia County.

*Accepting another $40,000 in grant money from Florida’s Department of Transportation.  The grant is part of a landscape U.S. 98 landscaping project from west of Andorra St. to Ortega.  The County asked for the extra funding, which increases the original grant from $171,300 to $211,300, after bids for the project came in higher than expected.  The County approved $80,864 in Tourist Development money, November 5, to cover the rest of the $292,164 low bid amount.

*New sidewalks to connect the Navarre Senior Center and Navarre Public Library to Highway 87.  The $61,000 project will run along James M. Harvell Rd. between Hwy. 87 S and Presidio St. and connect to the existing sidewalk on Hartington Dr.  It will be funded by unspent impact fees.  Santa Rosa established the fees, paid by developers to mitigate roadway costs of new housing, in 2005 and suspended them in 2009.  The County revoked the fees entirely in 2015.

*Avalon Blvd. construction progress.  The four-lane project on the north end of the road began in 2009 and should have been completed by October 2015.  It is now projected to be completed by February 2016.

*Increasing Central Landfill tipping fees.  Officials propose raising Class I rates from $32/ton to $36/ton (reaching $40/ton by 2020); Class III/C&D from $22/ton to $32/ton (reaching $40/ton by 2020); Yard Waste/land clearing debris – $22 (residential) and $24 (commercial).  The change would also implement a $3/ton “host fee” for out of county waste.

*a planned 5K run/cross training workout event at the boat ramp parking lot at Navarre Beach on Saturday, February 27, 2016.

*Use of the Navarre Beach parking lot on April 2-3, 2016 for a two day fitness competition.

*The Sharks and Champagne event at the Navarre Beach Park Saturday, April 1, 2016 hosted by the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station.

*The Fourth Annual Autism OdysSea event at the Navarre Beach Park Saturday, April 23, 2016 hosted by the Navarre Beach Marine Science Station.

*The Annual Marine Sanctuary Run for the Reef 5K race on Navarre Beach Saturday, October 8, 2016 sponsored by the Navarre Chamber Foundation.

*An update on Santa Rosa’s recycling program.  Santa Rosa County recently received notice that the local recycling contractor discontinued their agreement with haulers.  The interruption is predicted to last four to six months, and officials say the process is underway to find an alternative.

*A Pour in Place Safety Surface contract for the Holley Ball Park playground to J. A. Dawson & Company in the amount of $34,589.75 based on comparison shopping through U.S. Communities pricing with funding from District 4 Recreation Funds.

*Purchasing a football scoreboard for the Navarre Sportsplex from Varsity Scoreboards.  The board will cost $7,641.87, proposed to come from District 4 recreation funds.  According to County information, the Navarre Youth Sports Association will reimburse the District 4 recreation fund $5,250.00 upon receipt of a contribution from Buffalo Rock/Pepsi.

*Resurfacing the following roads in District 4 at an estimated cost of $204,247.50:  Estates Circle, Hillary Lane, Valley Road (from Flintwood to Sunrise), Classic Court, Muirfield Drive, Pepperwood Street, Opal Court, Fourth Street (from Andorra St. to 8078 Fourth St.), Larkspur Street, Crescent Road (Irving Dr. to Valley Rd.), Orion Parker Boulevard, Bellingham Street (from Edgewood to Elkhart Dr.), Pineneedle Drive, Snug Water Road (from Valley Rd. to Banyan Dr.)

Public Hearings:  Scheduled for 9:30 a.m., Thursday, January 14, in Commission Chambers:

*A boating restriction ordinance designating Polynesian Isles canals as “slow speed, minimum wake” goes to public hearing 9:30 a.m. Thursday, in Commission chambers.  The neighborhood’s homeowners association requested the restriction for safety reasons.  Residents say speeding boats are damaging seawalls and docks, and pose a hazard to paddle boarders, swimmers and kayakers.

*Vacation of alleyway between lots 3-12 and lots 13-22 in Block 656 of the Avalon Beach Subdivision as requested by Tim Legge and Jerri L. May.