Jacksonville re-ups Friends of Hemming Park contract for 6 months, $415K
[photo: Hemming Park Facebook Page]

Hemming Park

In Jacksonville, friendships aren’t meant to last forever. But in the case of Friends of Hemming Park, they are renewable in six-month terms.

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry wrote senior staff this week with the news that the once-controversial FOHP contract would be re-upped through the end of September.

“Based on our discussions with Bill Prescott, it is clear he is passionate about the future of Hemming … committed to performance metrics and accountability,” Curry said.

The mayor wants to give them a 6 month extension, though he wants the board to know the mayor’s office is “serious about results.”

An ordinance (2017-198) has been filed for the allocation.

“The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department will transfer a total of $415,000 to the Friends of Hemming Park. $240,000 from Parks Playgrounds & Centers for operational expenses and $175,000 from completed capital projects and Countywide Parks Upgrades/Maintenance/Repairs to upgrade the landscaping and make hardscape improvements within Hemming Park,” asserts the fact sheet.

“These capital improvements include landscaping and hardscape improvements throughout the entire park. All impovements will be contracted out. It is anticipated that the improvements will be completed by the end of FY 2017,” continues the document.

Deferral of an amendment to the FOHP contract, asserts the fact sheet, “will be detrimental to the best interests of the community because the Friends of Hemming Park will be working to leverage our dollars with private contributions.”

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. He writes for the New York Post and National Review also, with previous work in the American Conservative and Washington Times and a 15+ year run as a columnist in Folio Weekly. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski



#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, William March, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Jesse Scheckner, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704