A.G. Gancarski
On Monday, members of the St. Johns River Ferry Commission met with representatives of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority and representatives of the City Finance Department to discuss future funding for the St. Johns River Ferry … and ultimately, “whose baby” (and responsibility) the ferry is.
To this end, an agreement transfer subcommittee will be formed, including Mike Weinstein, Nat Ford, and others with the expertise and a tolerance for such discussions, to decide the relative responsibilities of the JTA and the city going forward.
The meeting followed on earlier reports of a lapsed Joint Participation Agreement which throws questions of full reimbursement of the $450,000 the city was expecting from FDOT into sharp relief.
An all-star cast surrounded the table, including Sam Mousa and Weinstein from the city, JTA CEO Ford, and John Crescimbeni.
Mousa, not a regular at these meetings, asked Crescimbeni about the local option gas tax extension, and his understanding that JTA was to take over the ferry, but now “JTA is looking to define the operations of the ferry.”
“We had anticipated … that the JTA was taking over the ferry. Period.”
Mousa then observed that, because the JTA didn’t get state money, the city was giving $900,000 to the ferry under the assumption it would no longer be the city’s purview.
Crescimbeni, in response, pointed out that JTA was reluctant to take over capital expenditures, adding that the ordinance wasn’t very specific regarding terms such as “operations” versus “capital expenses” regarding things like slipwalls and bulkheads.
Defining capital, another committee member (Richard Redick) said, is inherently subjective; different entities have different definitions of the term, which complicates the discussion further.
Crescimbeni pointed out also that there is no fixed agreement for the transfer, with language disclaiming that if it doesn’t happen, JTA provides a contribution of $450,000 plus adjustments driven by inflation.
“Maybe we heard what we wanted to hear,” Crescimbeni said, regarding transfer.
Mousa stood on his point that the administration understood the transfer was imminent, pointing out the mayor’s support for the ferry and the Ferry Commission.
“We will do whatever we have to do to make this thing work,” Mousa said, adding that the added expense will have them “scrambling for cash again,” if the ferry hasn’t been given away to JTA.
The phrase used by both men and another committee member: “giving the child away.”
Nat Ford, JTA CEO, spoke next of the “significant amount of deferred maintenance” related to the Ferry.
“Originally, we weren’t going to get involved in capital at all,” Ford said, saying “it was the deferred capital that had everyone concerned.”
Ford thought a “50/50 split” would be appropriate, saying that the ferry is “our baby.”
Ford also feels optimistic about future funding “at the state and federal level,” but without guarantees, “whatever’s left over should be a shared responsibility.”
Mousa, amenable to a 50/50 plan, wanted to know the five-year capital improvement program for the ferry.
On the city level, he says it’s “been significantly cleaned up,” and he wants the same strictures applied to the CIP before “anybody agrees to split anything.”
There are two haul-outs in the next five years after the one scheduled in the next few months, Crescimbeni replied.
As well, a slip wall project is about half funded; the hope is federal money.
Beyond that, some ramps/bulkhead improvements are likely necessary, Crescimbeni added.
Weinstein chimed in, saying that the city would want a say in the capital improvement plan if the money split is 50/50.
Funding and grants are interesting, with semantic choices regarding what is maintenance and capital informing eligibility for outside funding.
“The funding challenge and the ongoing expense,” said Lisa King, consultant to the commission, are anticipated stumbling blocks.
Mousa contended that haul outs and bulkhead maintenance are life extending capital maintenance, while capital improvement includes bulkhead replacement and boat replacement.
Weinstein wanted a detailed “item by item” count of what went into the 50/50 split.
JTA CEO Ford laid it bare: “Whatever we do, we should make sure it doesn’t prohibit us getting someone else to pay for it.”
Undoubtedly, that shared purpose will animate the subcommittee responsible with a sense of pragmatic urgency.
