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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 06-11-2008 FORT PIERCE HARBOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE Meeting Held On June 11, 2008 Convened at 3:08 p.m. Adjourned at 4:05 p.m. This meeting of the Fort Pierce Harbor Advisory Committee (FPHAC) was held Thursday, June 11, 2008 at 3:08 p.m. in Conference Room 3 on the third floor of the Administration Building, 2300 Virginia Avenue, Fort Pierce, Florida. ROLL CALL Roll call was taken. Members Present: Howard Conklin, Chairman Mary Chapman, Vice Chairman Gerald Kuklinski, Commissioner Grande’s Appointee John Holt, Commissioner Smith’s Appointee David Souza, St. Lucie Village Pieter Stryker Also Present: Gail Kavanagh, SLC Commissioner of F.I.N.D. Mark Crosley, Assistant Executive Director for F.I.N.D. Katherine Mackenzie-Smith, SLC Assistant County Attorney Charles Grande, County Commissioner, District 4 APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES: The minutes from the May 8, 2008 meeting were unanimously approved. NEW BUSINESS: Guest Speakers, Gail Kavanagh and Mark Crosley of the Florida Inland Navigation District: The mission of the Florida Inland Navigation District (F.I.N.D.) is to perform the functions of the “local sponsor” of the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway project in Florida, which is a State/Federal navigation project. In this capacity the District provides all lands required for the navigation project including right-of-way and lands for the management of dredged materials removed from the waterway channel during dredging activities. F.I.N.D. has four District programs: 1.Land Development & Management – The District is involved with the development and management of the lands that are provided for the Intercoastal Waterway project Fort Pierce Harbor Advisory Committee June 11, 2008 Page 2 2.Assistance Programs – Funding assistance is provided to other governments within the District to develop waterway improvement projects 3.Manatee Regulatory Signage – Installation and maintenance of all signage within the District for boat speed regulation for manatee protection 4.Public Information – Publication and distribution of approximately 31 free brochures concerning waterway related issues F.I.N.D. is an independent taxing authority. The maximum millage rate is .1 mills. The current rate is .0354. F.I.N.D. generates approximately $26-$27 million a year. Approximately $710,000 is from St. Lucie County. The majority is collected within Miami- Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. The total budget for fiscal year 2007/2008 is $74,957,833. Attached is a copy of the F.I.N.D. Condensed Budget Summary. F.I.N.D. has 22,000 acres of right-of-way, 35,000 acres of dredged material management, and 3,500 acres of long-term dredged material management. They have currently opened bids for “SL2”, which is at the north end of the County. It’s a 13- acre containment site located on 56 acres. The project will cost between $1-1.5 million. Since 1986, the assistance program has distributed about $105 million in District assistance. The $105 million is translated into about $311 million totaling waterway improvements and 761 projects. Since 1986, F.I.N.D. has supplied a little over $5 million in assistance to St. Lucie County, which translates to about 46 projects and almost $18 million worth of waterway improvements. Howard Conklin asked how F.I.N.D. determines the depth of the Intercoastal. Mr. Crosley said they do a survey every three years to determine the depth. Mr. Conklin asked, “Would the South Causeway dock complex that the County owns, if the County envisioned expanding it, would that project be eligible for F.I.N.D. funds?” Mr. Crosley said he was not sure, but from what has been described, it would be a great project. There are certain parameters a project has to fall within, such as, it has to be public and has to be open to the public without prejudice. Jerry Kuklinski asked what was the average depth they dredge to. Mr. Crosley stated the controlled depth with the Intercoastal Waterway is 12’ to Fort Pierce and 10’ to the south of that, typically they dredge 1’-2’ over. John Holt asked who designed the Taylor Creek restoration. Mr. Crosley was not sure. Mr. Holt stated they ruined it by lining it with rocks and all the habitation is gone. Mr. Conklin stated St. Lucie County is eligible to get back 80% of the $710,000 contributed. He suggested F.I.N.D. have some data on the economic liability of barge traffic in terms of consumption of fuel and movement of cargo versus truck and rail. Mr. Conklin also stated there used to be a hump south of Taylor Creek that Harbor Branch would hit when transporting their research vessels and the committee has always advocated support for Fort Pierce Harbor Advisory Committee June 11, 2008 Page 3 their request for dredging. Mr. Conklin asked Ms. Kavanagh to see if David Roach, the Executive Director of F.I.N.D., would come and speak with the committee possibly in October or November. For additional information regarding F.I.N.D. please visit www.aicw.org. A ten-minute documentary regarding the Indian River Lagoon was shown. The th documentary was done by three 8 graders, Todd Condon Jr., Morganne Lenning and Cole Pomykacz, and was originally played at the June 10, 2008 Board of County Commissioners th meeting. These 8 graders won first place in the National History Day Contest in the Junior Division for a Documentary. They are now going to the National Competition at the University of Maryland. OLD BUSINESS: Mr. Conklin asked Katherine Mackenzie-Smith if the County had received any information on the Summerlin Dock. Ms. Mackenzie-Smith said the County is renewing the lease and they have a Florida Fish and Wildlife grant they are using to put in a lower tiered “T” dock. She said the organization Sisters Under Sail, have put in a request to Mr. Anderson to use the Summerlin Dock. Mr. Conklin stated there is a Coast Guard regulation that clearly states indivduals are subject to both criminal and civil penalties for causing unnecessary openings of a bridge by not lowering antennas and outriggers. Mr. Conklin asked Congressman Mahoney if he would look into the Coast Guard dedicating more enforcement to that regulation and the response was they did not have the resources and it’s really up to the operator of the bridge to enforce. He stated someone may have spoken to somebody because he noticed someone having to lower his or her outriggers. Mr. Conklin will see if Vonnie Lofton, the Dockmaster of the Pelican Yacht Club Marina, could come and speak to the committee regarding the hurricane preparations for the harbor and the level of activity at the harbor due to gas prices. Mr. Conklin made a recommendation for the minutes, “To have the County Administrator have staff inquire and to find funding and grant monies for the dock project on the South Causeway.” The motion was passed unanimously. ADJOURNMENT: At 4:05 p.m. the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting will be held Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 3:00 pm in Conference Room 3, on the third floor of the Administration Building. Respectfully submitted: Stephanie Bush