Exh 3AAGENDA ITEM 3A
AUGUST 11, 2003
August 5, 2003
MEMORANDUM
TO: The Honorable Mayor
and Members of the C
FROM:
SUBJECT: Follow{up Report
Additional Palm Tree for Town Center; A request was made at the last commission meeting for
the city to add a medulla palm at the southwest corner of the Ahern/Ocean Boulevard intersection.
One had originally existed at that location several years ago, but was relocated as part ofthe most
recent Town Center renovation project. There aze no physical problems with placing a palm tree
back at that location. The cost is estimated to be $4,200. City staff has already expressed a concern
that the present budget for the Ocean Boulevazd extension of the Town Center Streetscape Project
will not be enough to cover the cost once the bids are in, so the addition of a palm tree would
probably require a budget increase. A good time to consider this addition will be when the bids aze
brought to the Commission for approval
Sidewalks on Sherry Drive; A concern was raised about the sidewalks on Sherry Drive being a
public safety hazard because of the way several of them turn pedestrians more directly into the
intersections. The engineers that designed the Core City Project are looking into options for
improving the situation and will make recommendations on a street-by-street basis within the
next several weeks.
Grates on 9`h Street; It was reported that some of the recently installed grates on 9s' Street were
not set properly and li-iade noise when hit by automobiles. The City's inspector. on the project
checked into these the following day and they should be repaired by the time of the City
Commission meeting.
Pavin¢ on l1'h Street; The Commission asked if it would be possible to include a complete
repaving on 11~' Street between Seminole Road and Parkside Drive because the partial repaving
done by the City's contractor had left the road rough. The cost to put a new overlay on this
section of 11"' Street is estimated at $8,500. Staffs recommendation is to wait on any decision
to repave this section of street until the final Core City Change Order when the available balance
is known. A number of other proposed project additions have also been "put on the back burner"
until the project is nearing completion that should also be considered at that time.
Woods Across from the Laeoon in Selva Lakes; Someone asked if the city would consider
maintaining and/or cleaning up a section of woods beginning at the northeast corner of 11 `h
Street and Linkside Drive. The only maintenance the City has done in this area in the past is to
cut the trees back so that they would not protrude into the right of way. The Linkside
AGENDA ITEM 3A
AUGUST 11, 2003
Homeowners Association has cut the grass since the creation of the subdivision. It is not
recommended that City crews take on any additional responsibility for this area.
Flasher on Plaza Drive; It was reported that one of the faces on the flashing light at the
intersection of Plaza Drive and Royal Palms had been broken. It has since been repaired.
Hazardous Waste Collection Day; ABer the most recent success in the Hazardous Waste
Collection Day held on Saturday, July 26`h, the Commission asked if the City of Jacksonville
could hold similar events more frequently in the beaches area. Councilwoman Elaine Brown has
been asked if this is possible. She said she would look into it and report back when she has an
answer.
Stage for Bull Park; A suggestion was also received at a recent event held in Bull Park for the
City to purchase a small stage that could be used by entertainers. City Recreation Director
Timmy Johnson is looking into various options and cost for a portable stage that could be used in
Bull Pazk as well as in other city facilities.
Comalaint on Utility Due Dates; Commissioners recently received a letter from a citizen
complaining that the city's due dates for utility bills were unreasonable. They had left town for a
two-week vacation and received a notice from the City when they returned that the bill was past
due and a late fee would be assessed. The City Code Section 22-29 states as follows;
"The bills for service shall be due and payable on the date of billing and shall become
delinquent fifteen (15) days thereafter. Ifthe bill is not paid within fifteen (15)
additional days (or thirty (30) days from the billing date), service will be discontinued."
The City of Atlantic Beach established an automatic payment service a couple of years ago to
accommodate customers who have issues such as this with timely payment. It is an automatic
bank draft program whereby the amount of their utility bill is automatically drafted from their
checking account on the due date. It is a voluntary program that is free to all the Atlantic Beach
utility customers. _ .
Another option would be to extend the due dates for all utility bills. However, this brings two
financial problems upon the City. The first is a one-time decrease in cash flow resulting from
customers taking a little longer to pay their bills and the second is an estimated increase in the
amount of bad debts written off. For each additional day that the City provides for payment of
utilities, the City's customers would be expected to delay their payment for one additional day.
If the City expects approximately $9.5 million per yeaz from utility billings (water, sewer,
sanitation and storm water) and there aze 261 working days in any given year, then the cash flow
reduction to the City would be equal to $36,400 per day ($9.5 million/ 261 days per yeaz). The
additional loss through bad debt write offs is not that easy to calculate.
They may be other alternatives to providing additional help to people with problems paying their
utility bills on time if the City Commission would like to explore them
AGENDA ITEM 3A
AUGUST 11, 2003
Signs to Tide views/Dutton Preserve; A recommendation was made at the last commission
meeting that the City could improve the public's use of the parks by adding new signs to the
Dutton and Tideviews Preserves. This suggestion has merit because the directional signs to
Dutton Island Preserve had not yet been relocated after the just-completed Church Street
extension project. The public will be directed to both Dutton and Tideviews Preserve from
Mayport Road via Church Street. With both pazks on the same sign, the number of signs can be
reduced. The public will then be directed to Tideviews Preserve going south on Main Street at
the Church Street intersection and to the Dutton Preserve by continuing going straight west on
Church Street. The relocation of these signs should be complete within the next couple of
weeks.