During the past four years, the City of Apalachicola has faced the same fiscal difficulties as many other cities in America, difficulties many have now labeled the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. A steady decline in property values, homes lost to foreclosure, bank failures, layoffs and salary freezes unfortunately are now all part of the current economic landscape of Apalachicola, as with the rest of our country.
Notwithstanding these difficulties, at the start of my administration, staff and your city commissioners joined me in devising a course of action that has been extremely beneficial for our community. From the onset, we took a pro-active approach in reinforcing our city as a strong and vibrant place for all of us to continue to live, work and play, and because of these efforts, Apalachicola has fared better, and perhaps achieved more, than most communities of similar size and circumstances.
With an eye toward economic growth, we began our efforts with my initiative to reactivate the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). Breathing new life into this vital group, we appointed new members to its board. In addition, we solicited assistance from the University of Georgia Project Riverway South to start a visioning and planning initiative.
Our efforts continued as we passed a resolution in support of an application for a Florida’s Main Street Program, a movement by communities that focus on revitalization and management of their downtown and commercial districts. Some of our efforts, being impacted by the reduction of freshwater flow down the Apalachicola/Chattahoochee/Flint River Basin, led us to enter the Tri-State Water War litigation between Florida, Georgia, and Alabama to protect and preserve our way of life. Furthering our commitment to protect and preserve, we later took BP to task over funding for our oil spill protection strategy and to date, Apalachicola has received more than $100,000, in cost reimbursements from the oil giant.
Our efforts have also included your elected city officials having the foresight to forge invaluable partnerships with various state and local agencies and organizations, with the goal of benefitting you, the citizens of Apalachicola. Such partnerships have linked us with the Florida Park Service, the Three Servicemen Statue South, Inc., the History, Arts and Culture Committee, Franklin’s Promise Coalition, H’COLA, Apalachee Center and Historic Apalachicola, Inc., all of which have added value to the lives of Apalachicola residents. Solidifying our relationship with the community, we launched the Community Pride Partnership Initiative, which gave birth to a host of other great projects, such as the City Square Community Garden, the Community Services Complex, the Apalachicola Dog Park, and summer concerts at Riverfront Park.
During these past four years, we celebrated our recognition as one of America’s Distinctive Destinations and we fought back tears during the unveiling of the Three Servicemen Detail at Veteran’s Memorial Plaza. Both significant events greatly impacted our economy due to the increase in tourist and visitors who left behind their dollars in our hotels, our restaurants and our stores.
Fully understanding the cyclical nature of our business community, we supported local businesses by granting them a two-month waiver on a portion of their water and sewer bills because of decreased sales receipts brought on by the seasonal decline in tourist-related traffic.
To promote affordable housing, we donated property to the Franklin County Land Trust, and to minimize the onus of property taxes, we successfully balanced last year’s budget without cutting services, raising taxes or increasing fees.
Most importantly, working together, your city commissioners and I were able to procure our fair share of Federal, State and local Tourist Development Tax dollars for land purchases, programs and projects while working in true partnership with the local community.
Furthermore, we were able to create temporary jobs through the renovation of the historic Holy Family site, turning this old structure into a much needed and desired Senior Citizen Center/African-American Museum and by transforming the old Family Dollar Store into a Police/Fire station, as well as through the installation of an $8 million dollar wastewater reclamation system. We were also able to stem the loss of permanent jobs by taking over as lead agency for Elder Care Services, and by taking over as grantee of Project Impact, a $500,000 dollar per year Department of Education-funded after-school and summer enrichment program.
To preserve our working waterfront, we used funds acquired from the Florida Communities Trust and the Stan Mayfield Grant to purchase the McLemore Property, and the Boat Works Building.
We resurfaced the 14th Street tennis court, installed ball field lights at Sylvester Williams Sports Complex, repaired Battery and Lafayette Park Fishing Piers, repaired Anders Fishing Pier and renovated Battery Park Marina, Riverfront Park and Franklin Square 6th Street Park.
We also realigned the intersection at Highway 98 and Prado, replaced the dock and seawall at Riverfront Park, purchased a new fire engine with accessories and with much jubilation unfurled and proudly flew our first ever municipal flag.
We are now in the midst of planning for the renovation of Scipio Creek Marina to help sustain our local seafood industry, an industry with a vital role not only in our immediate area, but with a far-reaching impact throughout the state of Florida and beyond. We are also in the process of making needed repairs to the lights and landscaping at Lafayette Park, which is known throughout the region for its allure as a wedding destination.
Furthermore, I’m proud to say that we are currently the recipients of yet two more grants, one to assist in developing a plan for the preservation of gravesites at historic Chestnut Street Cemetery and the other provides funding for a much-needed facelift of downtown Apalachicola.
Recognizing the need for safe activities for our children, we have established a dedicated youth center, housed in the gym of the former Apalachicola High School.
What a remarkable difference leadership and teamwork can make, for as you can see, in just four short years, we have accomplished much and exceeded many of the expectations placed before us.
Yet, while I am indeed very much pleased with the progress our city has made through these many efforts, as your mayor, I realize there is still much work to be done, many challenges ahead and if we, your elected officials, are to meet these challenges, city government must remain open, honest and continuously-working towards the good of all the citizens of Apalachicola.
We must reinforce the partnerships initiated over the past four years of this administration, partnerships which have proven to be key components in our city’s overall action plan and although we have experienced success because of these important alliances, we cannot rest on the positive outcomes gained.
As your mayor, I must continue to work diligently alongside our city commissioners, and staff seeking creative ways and innovative approaches that can be implemented hand-in-hand with our current efforts to deal with the historic economic downturns our city, as well as so many other American cities, continue to experience.
Through our collaborative efforts as your governmental leaders, I am confident that we will be able to generate productive solutions that will build upon the foundations already assembled; further assisting us in combating our current economic circumstances and re-energize Apalachicola.
While the course ahead remains uncertain, the positive strides our city has enjoyed thus far provide me the assurance in knowing we are currently on the right path and with your support in re-electing me as your mayor for the next four years, this path will continue to lead all of us forward, towards an even more productive Apalachicola, a community filled with citizens who want the best for their city, as do I, and who enthusiastically work towards the best for their city. It is in this regard that I remain.
Truly yours,
Van W. Johnson, Sr., Mayor
The Historic City of Apalachicola
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