A.G. Gancarski
James Rinaman represents Old Jacksonville in many ways. A founder of Leadership Jacksonville, the influential training camp for aspirant civic leaders, and a former Chamber of Commerce president, Rinaman’s opinion brings with it a lot of historical insight. He was also a key supporter of former mayoral candidate Bill Bishop before the first election.
In a recent letter to Mayor Lenny Curry excoriating him for disbanding the Port Task Force, Rinaman expressed across two pages his concern about the action.
Rinaman contends Curry “abolished the Port Task Force just as they were reaching the point of completing their work” and offering final recommendations, which would have been the “only unbiased objective findings and recommendations” on those issues.
Then Rinaman had words for the Chamber of Commerce and its decision to withdraw from the agreement in which “they, the city, and the Port Authority had agreed to seek removal of the Rodman Dam” to increase the amount of fresh water flowing into the St. Johns River.
The letter notes the Riverkeeper’s lawsuit (important to note: the Riverkeeper is Rinaman’s daughter-in-law) against the Army Corps of Engineers, before taking note of the opinion of the Corps and the Port Authority that “environmental damage from dredging should be minimal” and that the whole project shouldn’t cost more than $750 million.
Rinaman notes that the record of the Corps in this regard is “abysmal,” saying that they low ball estimates of cost and ecological impact as a matter of practice.
Also, Rinaman notes that there is no identified funding source, and that the actions of the Chamber and the Curry administration get in the way of keeping stakeholders on the “same sheet of music”.
In an email to Rinaman, Delaney contended there “is a lot more to this story. Lisa and I worked together for years and I have immense respect and affection for her, and I know that she is Jim’s daughter-in-law. I would be happy to talk to Jim about the turn of events as I likewise have immense respect and affection for him.”
Delaney attempted to set up a phone call. Florida Politics has asked the former Jacksonville mayor for comment.
