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Fernandina Beach mobilizes to take over city marina management after operator exits
The city of Fernandina Beach is preparing to take over day-to-day management of the city marina after its private operator notified the city it intends to walk away from the contract, a move that will go before the City Commission for approval March 3.
If commissioners approve the transition, Alliance will leave April 1, requiring the city to quickly assume operations while preparing for upcoming waterfront construction projects.
Those three options — reassigning the contract, seeking new bids or city management — were presented for commission consideration, but staff believes current conditions make contracting impractical.
He added that city staff had reached consensus at a recent commission workshop, although a formal vote has not yet occurred.
Glisson said staff is already preparing for a possible transition, including evaluating marina management software, staffing impacts, insurance needs and transferring existing slip agreements.
“A lot of moving parts — everything from insurance to software, hardware,” he said.
Board member statements echoed staff concerns that ongoing redevelopment work would complicate private management arrangements.
Westrec Marinas began operating the marina for the city in January 2010 after a competitive selection process, marking the start of long-term outside management. Later contracts shifted operations to Oasis Marinas, which eventually merged into Alliance.
Glisson characterized the operator’s decision as sudden.
Under the current agreement, most marina assets — including equipment — revert to city ownership when the operator departs, reducing financial exposure for the city, according to Glisson.
The proposed management shift comes as marina operations are outperforming last year’s financial results.
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About $118,000 ahead in total revenue compared to last year
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$31,000 increase in net operating income, about a 12.4% gain
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Growth in transient dockage, annual dockage and fuel revenues
“We’re seeing nice gains in the operations,” Ferguson told the board.
Staff is also exploring adoption of DOCWA marina software, which Ferguson said could connect Fernandina Harbor Marina to approximately 450,000 registered boaters and thousands of participating marinas nationwide.
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Dinghy dock rehabilitation beginning in March
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Seawall construction and demolition work
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Mooring field improvements
Glisson said committing to a new outside management contract while those projects disrupt operations would be unrealistic.
The City Commission is scheduled to consider the contract termination and staff recommendation at its March 3 meeting.
Comments
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rswarner
Keep it simple and direct. Now is not the time for third party management. Excellent decision.
Wednesday, February 25 Report this
BobAllison
The change in the plans of Oasis should be seen as a blessing for the City. The history of employing contractors to manage the marina was the result of a series of City Managers to attempting to reduce and simplify their own management responsibilities. Fernandina Harbor Marina was my idea. I spent four years of my career creating this fine asset for the City. This included leasing the City's waterfront, cleaning up what had been for years a public dump site, permitting the marina, raising the private funds and government grants to build it and actually supervising its construction. The intent at the time was to rescue downtown from what was then a local depression and to generate new income for the City to offset consistent losses in its operation of the City's golf course. Chris Ferguson is well qualified and capable of profitably operating the marina for the financial benefit of the City. Sarah Campbell brings to the City business management skills missing with previous City Managers. This change is a win-win for Fernandina Beach.
Bob Allison
Wednesday, February 25 Report this