CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK $1.00 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2014 / 22 PAGES, 2 SECTIONS • fbnewsleader.com City voters may decide parks issue ANGELA DAUGHTRY News-Leader City residents may have the chance to vote on funding a park that encompasses the city waterfront, if commis- sioners approve the ballot question before Aug. 5. If approved by voters, funding the waterfront park through a general obligation bond would mean an increase in city property taxes to pay for it. City commissioners held a special meeting Friday to dis- cuss the possible referendum. City Attorney Tammi Bach, who asked for the special meeting, said the ballot question could be worded in a way that asks voters if they are interested in the city project, or could be a question about whether they want a general obli- gation bond, which would require repayment through property taxes. “You can always put in a non-binding question (on the ballot) that would enable you to get the pulse of voters with- out a specific commitment,” Bach said. Veering in another direction, Vice Mayor Sarah Pelican asked about recent Facebook posts by Commissioner MARY MAGUIRE/NEWS-LEADER Johnny Miller (who was absent from Friday’s meeting) County Engineer Jonathan Page oversees reconstruction of Blackrock Road from A1A to Heron Isles Parkway. A new regarding a plan for Main Beach Park. bridge over Lanceford Creek is part of the $3.7 million project. The roadway is closed for another two to three weeks “It seems there’s renewed interest in that, too,” Pelican and work is expected to finish in September. said. Pelican also suggested doing an “unofficial” straw poll with a “not to exceed” cost in the ballot question. Commissioner Pat Gass said she was also interested to know if people would like to see an improved park at Main Bad road at Blackrock no more Beach, but seemed to be in favor of getting direction from the public in general. “If we say the money is for (a specific project), we as com- missioners can’t fudge,” Gass said. Construction delays but end is finally in sight Gass also stressed the need to educate the public. “If we’re going into debt, we need to educate the popu- MARY MAGUIRE involves wrapping stones in sheeting, and Johns River Water Management District, lation,” Gass said. “If money is spent, the people in this com- News-Leader then repeating the process over several lay- said Page, and $35,000 on a hydraulic study. munity are spending it.” ers. Credit the Federal Highway Mayor Ed Boner said he had “mixed feelings” about put- Blackrock Road in Yulee will not re-open “It’s like making burritos with rocks,” Administration (FHA) for this new approach. ting the project out for the voters to decide on. Thursday as scheduled. The construction said Page. “Put some stones in, wrap it up Since 2010, the FHA has been pushing “People trust you to do things a certain way,” Boner said. crew is still building a bridge over Lanceford and do it again.” state and local governments to improve effi- “We can’t go to the polls every time we need to make a big Creek. That doesn’t sound like new technology. ciency, safety and environmental protection decision.” The county’s project manager said during And Page said it isn’t. under a program called Every Day Counts. “I heard (the people) want a water park, and (they) a tour of the work on Friday that he expects “The Great Wall of China was basically The FHA spreads the word through want it right now,” Commissioner Charles Corbett said, the road to open to traffic in mid- to late built by stacking layers of rock,” said Page. workshops and white papers. Page said he pounding the dais. “That’s why we’re here. ... Don’t we June, and that work continues on the $3.7 Page said the process would make a has heard several presentations through the already have an estimate from Zev Cohen?” million, two-mile rebuilding project until the smooth transition between the roadway and Florida Association of Counties. Resident and Florida Inland Navigation District end of September. the bridge. “We don’t buy their stuff hook, line and Commissioner Lynn Williams told commissioners city vot- “We had planned for a 30-day closure, “And remember how much this road sinker, but this is proving to be a good ers would vote “no” to any increase in taxes, whether for but we’re probably looking at another two or dipped here? The bridge is being raised approach,” said Page. Main Beach or a city waterfront park. maybe three more weeks,” said County three and a half feet,” said Page. In fact, he said, the county spent $15,000 “This is a town of many factions,” Williams said. “We Engineer Jonathan Page. The new bridge, which is being widened on additional research to ensure it was mak- need you to weave through this tricky business to come to Page said that a new approach to con- to 44 feet from 20 feet, is also being built over ing the right choice. the right conclusion.” structing the bridge has slowed things down. the existing culvert. “I think that was money well spent,” said Williams also urged commissioners to get going on a But, he said, a more traditional effort would “So we don’t have to dump the concrete Page. recently approved small waterfront park at parking lot B at have meant a 75-day building schedule. box somewhere to be a man-made reef,” Federal and state roadway officials joined the city marina. The estimated cost for that plan is about “So even if we need to add a little more said Page. “That saves time, money and adds local leaders in May for a ceremonial project $200,000. time we’re still going to be well under 75 a green component.” launch. A trade journal wrote a story with a “We could have that park in place by mid-October,” days,” said Page. This approach also saved a year by elim- The construction process, he said, inating the need for a permit from the St. COUNTY Continued on 5A CITY Continued on 3A Dr. Harry Halley $5 million more made things happen for St. Johns ferry The Dr. Harry Halley Bow Tie remembered as one who made a dif- Award for Distinguished Volunteer ference in our world,” wrote Pamela Service is given each year by the Brown, local financial advisor and long- JACKSONVILLE – The St. Johns The $1 million appropriation is the Amelia Island-Fernandina Beach-Yulee time chamber member and board River Ferry has received an addi- result of legislation sponsored this Chamber of Commerce to honor a chair, on an online tribute site for tional $4.97 million to be used toward year by both Sen. Aaron Bean and longtime chamber advocate. It is a last- Halley. the replacement of the slip walls at Rep. Janet Adkins. The St. Johns River ing tribute to a man who made a dif- Harry John Halley, career naval both the Mayport and Fort George Ferry Commission thanked Scott, ference in business, government and officer, government and university landings. Bean, Adkins as well as the entire the community life of Nassau County. executive, civic leader and exemplary The funding consists of a $1 mil- Duval delegation “for recognizing the Halley was president of the cham- public servant, died at age 90 on May lion appropriation in the state’s budg- importance of the St. Johns River ber and a leading advocate for its caus- 23, 2014, in Williamsburg, Va. et (signed by Gov. Rick Scott on Ferry which provides regional trans- es. Beyond that, he served as a trustee Military: As a commissioned career Monday) and a $3.97 million portation options with national sig- and chair of the board of trustees for naval officer who served over 20 years Passenger Ferry Grant awarded by nificance.” Florida Community College at (February 1944 to September 1965), the U.S. Department of Transpor- The $3.97 million grant awarded Jacksonville, which has a campus in Cdr. Halley, USN (ret.) was ordered to tation (USDOT), also announced by the USDOT is administered sepa- Yulee. active duty in World War II while in his Monday. rately through the Federal Transit He also served on the Northeast senior year at Georgia School of “This funding overcomes what Administration’s (FTA) Passenger Florida Regional Planning Council as Technology (now Georgia Institute of was perceived to be a nearly insur- Ferry Grant Program, which provides well as other boards here and in Technology). His naval career spanned mountable amount of capital dollars funds to support existing ferry serv- Tallahassee upon appointment by then field and national levels, both domes- needed to make structural improve- ice, establish new ferry service, or Gov. Lawton Chiles. And that’s not the tic and international including liaison ments necessary for the continued help to repair and modernize ferry half of what he accomplished locally – with the Admiralty and Ministry of operation of the ferry, and will go a boats, terminals and related facilities. this coming after a long and distin- Supply in the United Kingdom, world- long way to replace the slip walls in The grant application was sub- guished career in the military, gov- wide management of shipboard Dr. Harry Halley, a naval com- Mayport and Fort George” said John mitted on behalf of the St. Johns River ernment and academe. mander, died May 23. Crescimbeni, chairman of the St. “Harry was a fine man and will be HALEY Continued on 3A Johns River Ferry Commission.