Friday, October 06, 2017

‘CRUMBLING CROWN JEWEL’: County plans to let pier die; city of St. Augustine Beach to look for ways to save it








St. Johns County Administrator MICHAEL DAVID WANCHICK won't lift a finger to study low-interest bonds, secured by pledging bed tax revenue, to build a new Pier.

Wonder why?

This nasty man has "plans within plans within plans" and is not to be trusted. Does WANCHICK want to privatize our public resources?  Developer-driven WANCHICK toured the Pier privately with Miami developer DIEGO ARDID and then-Mayor ANDREA SAMUELS in 2014.  No reporters.  No lawyers.  Just the developers, SAMUELS and WANCHICK.  No notes.  No memos.  No class -- we're being excluded from the deliberations and decisions about Pier Park.



Posted October 6, 2017 12:02 am
By SHELDON GARDNER sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com
St. Augustine Record
‘CRUMBLING CROWN JEWEL’: County plans to let pier die; city of St. Augustine Beach to look for ways to save it

The St. Johns County Ocean Pier, which has been built and rebuilt over the years, is now in danger of disappearing.

The county has pumped money into the pier to keep it open to the public, but it’s not clear how long that will continue.

A study of the pier several years ago found that it had a useful life of about 10 years from then, County Administrator Michael Wanchick said. Another analysis is being done following recent hurricanes.

The county owns the pier and the pier parking lot, but Wanchick said he’s open to the city of St. Augustine Beach taking control of the pier. Officials from both governments said their agencies don’t have the money on their own to build a pier.

St. Augustine Beach officials say they are considering searching for a private company to help save the pier.

It’s been called iconic, beach Commissioner Gary Snodgrass recalled.

“It’s the crumbling crown jewel of … the city right now, and so … we’ve got to take the bull by the horn here,” Snodgrass said at a beach commission meeting this week.

The cost to replace the pier is estimated to be between $10 and $14 million, Wanchick said.

“I think it’s unrealistic for anyone to think that they’ll be able to save the pier that stands today,” Wanchick said. “At some point, it will have to be removed.”

But if officials can find a way to have someone else shoulder the cost, the future could be different.

Mayor Rich O’Brien floated getting county approval to ask for proposals for a public-private partnership to keep a pier in St. Augustine Beach. He also plans to talk with Key International, the group that bought the Embassy Suites property, to get their thoughts.

“If something happens to [the pier], it’s gone,’” O’Brien said.

Commissioners supported looking into it and forming a citizen advisory committee.

“I think our options are limitless. … The largest piers that I’ve ever been on would be the one in San Francisco and probably the one at Coney Island, so those are ginormous, but we could have a smaller, less invasive … pier,” Commissioner Maggie Kostka said.

Snodgrass asked city officials to create a report on the current state of the pier and how the city plans to approach the effort, as well as finding organizations that could give the city advice on forming a public-private partnership.

At least one person has suggested pledging bed tax dollars for bonds. Wanchick said while that’s possible, the money’s already being used for other programs and services.

“So which one of those does the community want to eliminate or reduce?” Wanchick asked.

He said he’s open to hearing ideas but doesn’t “see the county leading with its wallet” when there are fire stations, libraries and other things needing attention.

“We understand the desirability of having a pier,” Wanchick said. “I grew up in Florida. … but this is where small, less expensive government begins to bite into a community.”


Alexander Shiraz · 

We can always revisit the insane incentives given to builders who want to construct even more houses in the most desirable county in the state.
LikeReply51 mins
Edward Adelbert Slavin · 

County Administrator Michael David Wanchick lacks authenticity. He lacks decent respect for our small town values.
Our Pier needs to be replaced with a better one, using our bed tax money. Since June 2016, I have pointed out that Florida Statutes 125.0104 (5b) & (5d) allow the County to pledge half its bed tax revenues for low-interest 30 year bonds to build a new pier of which we can all be proud.
So why won't County Administrator Michael David Wanchick do any research or discuss it or return phone calls or e-mails?
Is it because Wanchick, with St. Augustine Breach City Manager Max Royle and then-Mayor Andrea Samuels met privately in 2014 with developer Diego Ardid of Key International in Miami, touring Pier Park and discussing the future of our Pier Park in terms of potential privatization to benefit the Ardids? (They claim there are no records or notes on this conversation. No lawyers were present. No journalists attended. Wonder why?)



NoParty Affiliation · 
Giving control over to St Augustine Beach is NOT the answer. Getting a new County administrator is the first thing. No vision Government Employees need to go!
LikeReply1 hr

Tom Reynolds · 
How sad that County Administrator Michael Wanchick CAN NOT manage the Pier properly. PLUS let us NOT FORGET, the same County Administrator Michael Wanchick CAN NOT manage the County Public Transportation.

Now if this was the Ponte Vedra Pier, County Commissioner John Jay Morris would have the Pier completely remodeled. There would be GOLD RAILINGS and SUPER PLUSHNESS EVERYWHERE! But because it is in St Augustine Beach .....FORGET ABOUT IT................. PLUS the County Administrator, is the Ponte Vedra Residents come first and only kind of COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR!

The current St Augustine Beach City Manager needs TO GO before any kind of management of the Pier Park can happen. The GUY is completely CLUELESS!

Plus NO GIVING THE COUNTY PROPERTY AWAY PERIOD!

WHAT KIND OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WOULD EVEN THINK ABOUT GIVING AWAY COUNTY PROPERTY!

It is TIME FOR CHANGE AT THE COUNTY Management LEVEL AS WELL AS ST AUGUSTINE BEACH CITY GOVERNMENT management.

St Johns County and St Augustine Beach deserve GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT WITH VISION and MODERN DAY MANAGEMENT SKILLS!

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