OHPA votes on charter changes; recognizes outgoing commissioner Richard Bruce

Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm

Reporter - News Analyst

November 14, 2016 6:12 a.m.

OHPA Commissioners and staff (l-r) District 4 Commissioner Carrol Franklin; Attorney Clyde Davis; District 2 Commissioner and Chair Danny Fullwood; District 1 Commissioner Richard Bruce; District 3 Commissioner and Vice Chair Adam Salzburg; Administrative Officer Joanna Cason.

The Ocean Highway and Port Authority (OHPA) voted 4-0 on November 9, 2016 to approve Resolution 2016-4, altering some provisions of Section 7 of their charter with respect to Specific Powers. A second resolution – 2016-5 – would have changed elections from partisan to non-partisan. Only OHPA District Commissioner Carrol Franklin supported this item. He moved approval, but his motion died for lack of a second.  The meeting was held at the Office of the Nassau County Tax Collector.  District 5 Commissioner Ron Braddock was not in attendance.

The recommended changes, which follow months of discussion and deliberation by both a citizens charter review committee and OHPA, will now be forwarded to State Senator Aaron Bean and Representative-Elect Cord Byrd for action by the legislature.

At the end of the meeting, OHPA commissioners recognized retiring District 1 Commissioner Richard Bruce for his service on the board in many positions, including chair. Bob Sturgess, who was elected to fill the District 1 position created by Bruce’s retirement, was also in attendance. He will take office on November 21, 2016.

Recommended changes for Specific Powers include an expanded Section 7, subparagraph (6) adding power “to manage, replace, enlarge, improve, regulate, control, repair and establish” the following:

• Educational and research facilities, including but not limited to those devoted to marine construction and marine science, navigation, and propulsion;
• Hydroponics, aqua-culture and mariculture;
• Agriculture and sylviculture;
• Transportation, logistics and supply management.

Attorney Clyde Davis (l) read the proposed Charter changes discussed at the previous workshop; Chair Danny Fullwood tracked the changes.

Also recommended is the potential to “create, construct, extend, enlarge, establish, erect, install, and maintain any and all manner of cable, communication, cellular telephone, fiber-optic, microwave, and other data and information transmission facilities and their transmission equipment, including any cable, conduit, line, wire, or other means necessary for the transmission of high-speed data, signal, voice internet, and all other utility and telecommunication services.”

Commissioners removed “beach casinos” from the list of recreational facilities it might maintain.

Under the same subsection, they inserted language to enlarge upon their current ability to supply public utility services to include “the generation of electricity from all sources, be they conventional or alternative sources, including but not limited to solar panels and solar energy from all sources, wind energy from all sources, including turbines and windmills, and hydro-electric power through collection of kinetic energy from the ebb and flow of tides.”

Recommended changes to Section 30 clarified that any acquisition, construction or equipping of an oil refinery was restricted to “organic oils of any kind, including fish oils, pine oils and tung oils.” To further clarify, commissioners added a statement: “This shall not include any authority to construct a petroleum refinery.”

Section 34 changes related to toll roads. This language has been broadened to include “other transportation infrastructure or intermodal facility.” Also, the geographic limitations have been removed. However, commissioners stressed that there is no intention to make the Shave Bridge a toll bridge.

In Section 35, the commissioners approved broadening the authority to construct and finance any toll road or other transportation infrastructure or intermodal facility.

District 1 Commissioner Richard Bruce (l) receives a plaque commemorating his service from OHPA Chair Danny Fullwood.

Toward the conclusion of the meeting, commissioners recognized District 1 outgoing Commissioner Richard Bruce. They presented him with a plaque that listed the various posts he had held during his tenure, including chairman. His replacement, newly elected commissioner Robert “Bob” Sturgess will take over on November 21, 2016.

Additional articles on the Charter Review Committee and the various issues considered appeared in earlier posts on this site.

Editor's Note: Suanne Z. Thamm is a native of Chautauqua County, NY, who moved to Fernandina Beach from Alexandria,VA, in 1994. As a long time city resident and city watcher, she provides interesting insight into the many issues that impact our city. We are grateful for Suanne's many contributions to the Fernandina Observer.