Setting Our Priorities

The City of Apalachicola along with the rest of the nation is in perhaps one of the worst economic times witnessed since the great depression.

Beginning in 2005 through the first quarter of this year, approximately one thousand homes was lost to foreclosure in Franklin County.

The local unemployment rate is up 1.4 percent from a year ago at 8.9 percent and projected to rise again with announced layoffs in the public sector.

Local mom and pop shops are teetering on the brink of closure, while leaving private sector workers unsure of their employment status.

During our most productive time of the year, national publicity surrounding the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill halted the sale of Gulf harvested seafood and kept visitors away from the area nearly all summer.

A five-year decline in the assessed value of real property has created an unstable tax base, which has put at risk essential governmental services.

Given all of these conditions, our community should be engaged in a productive conversation concerning how best to keep our local economy afloat.

Yes! The city has a host of other problems that need addressing as well. However, at this particular time, none compares to our current state of affairs, and if we don’t start the conversation soon, the other problems won’t even matter.

In addition, any efforts to improve our situation will be useless until all community components set aside their differences and start working together.

The city took the first step at its Aug 11 special meeting, where it unanimously moved to collaborate with the newly established Historic Apalachicola, Inc., to make application for national accreditation as a Main Street Program through the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Historic Apalachicola, Inc. is a volunteer group of residents and business owners interested in improving economic conditions in Apalachicola using the Main Street four-step approach.

Main Street has been around since the 70’s, its four-step approach places emphases on organization, promotion, design, and economic restructuring and has helped countless communities throughout the country bounce back from the brink of economic disaster.

Teamwork is essential for a successful Main Street Program and a successful Main Street Program in Apalachicola has the potential of renewing confidence in our commercial districts through an improved image. An improved image would lead to the creation of new jobs by attracting new businesses and new businesses would generate the necessary commerce to sustain our economy.

The best part about Main Street is the partnership with local government to promote a healthy community where people want to live and work. The City of Apalachicola has a demonstrated commitment toward such collaborations.

It’s your community too and I encourage you to get involved.

Main Street program on the move

At the Apalachicola city commission August 11 special meeting, the commission gave the go ahead to the newly established Historic Apalachicola Inc., to make application for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street program.

The Main Street Program is a self-help program aimed at getting everyone involved and working together to encourage consumers and investors to live, work, shop, play, and invest in Apalachicola through organization, promotion, design, and economic restructuring.

The Historic Apalachicola group is a volunteer-driven, non-profit organization made up of individuals committed to achieving national accreditation as a Main Street Program and implementing programs solely for the Apalachicola community as outlined by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Current board members include Harry Arnold, Jamie Atchison, Leon Bloodworth, George Coon, Cindy Giametta, George Mahr, Pam Mahr, Shirley Pace, and Lynn Wilson.

After receiving official recognition from the city, the group held their first organizational meeting two weeks later at Verandas Bistro and Wine Bar in historic downtown Apalachicola.

According to Joan Jefferson, Coordinator for Florida’s Main Street programs, Main Street works best with Planning Boards, Chambers, Community Redevelopment Agencies and Historic Preservation groups to restore prosperity and vitality to downtown areas and commercial districts.

In fact, throughout the nation, thousands of other communities are using the Main Street approach to revitalize their commercial corridors.

For more information on how to get involved and to make Apalachicola the best that it can be, send email to info@historicapalachicola.com.

Apalachicola to hold workshop today at 1:00PM

The City of Apalachicola will be holding a Workshop today at 1:00PM, June 15, at City Hall – 1 Bay Avenue – Apalachicola, to offer an opportunity for the City Commission and the public to learn more about the Florida Main Street Program.

Joan Jefferson, Coordinator for Florida Main Street, will be on hand to explain the operation, purpose and function of the program, answer questions and address comments on the potential benefit to the Apalachicola community.

As always, the public is invited and encouraged to attend.

New group formed to lead Economic Redevelopment in Apalachicola

Apalachicola, FL - At a joint workshop held on April 12 between the Apalachicola Planning and Zoning Board and the City Commission, a newly established non-profit corporation, Historic Apalachicola Inc., announced its creation and asked for support.

According to a written statement released by the group, the organization is committed to attaining the Main Street designation and implementing the program for Apalachicola as outlined by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and supported by the Florida Department of Historic Resources.

The Main Street program gives a framework that helps communities implement their own ideas. Main Street is a volunteer-driven, locally envisioned, community based program with proven results. It is a trademarked Four Point Approach supported by eight guiding principles.

As a unique economic development tool, the Main Street Four-Point Approach® is the foundation for local initiatives to revitalize their districts by leveraging local assets—from cultural or architectural heritage to local enterprises and community pride.

Since its formation on April 6, the new board has met twice and has set fast to work. The group has committed that no membership fee will be charged and while the program will focus on a specific area, the entire community will benefit.

The board is made up of business and property owners as well as concerned citizens, members are Harry Arnold, Jamie Atchison, Leon Bloodworth, George Coon, Cindy Giametta, George Mahr, Pam Mahr, Shirley Pace, and Lynn Wilson. Joe Taylor has been selected by the group to serve as their volunteer coordinator.

The program is back to where it was a year ago, when the community was discussing with the state’s Main Street and Waterfronts program’s leaders how Apalachicola could be the model for those programs working together.

The Mayor of Americus, Georgia, Russell Thomas had this to say about the program, “For the longest time, we all waited for a white knight to ride into town and fix the problem. But the Main Street people made us realize that the only way to get it done right was to do it ourselves."

Taylor asked the commission, P&Z board, and audience to spread the word that the Main Street program is not a duplication of the good work of existing organizations. The fact is it will complement partners throughout the community and support a broad range of interests.

The board will be completing organizational tasks and will begin resuming public meetings to build out the four committees over the next several months. If you are interested in volunteering, please email info@historicapalachicola.com or contact Joe Taylor at (850) 323-0176.

Mayor puts newly created DIB on hold

City administrator Betty Taylor-Webb is in the process of sending notices to members of the recently created Downtown Improvement Board (DIB) notifying them that they can’t meet, organize, or act until further review.

The city commission appointed the sixteen-member board at their July 14, special meeting at the behest of the downtown merchants to promote economic development and historic preservation in the downtown commercial district.

However, the next day Webb discovered and immediately notified commissioners that the appointments were made contrary to established city procedures.

In an email alerting the Mayor to the discrepancy, Webb wrote:

“Whenever possible and as time permits, I study and focus on all items placed on Commission agendas prior to the meeting in an attempt to gather information and research past board actions that may be related to the topic to assist you and the Commissioners in making the most informed and best decision possible for our City. I have in the past brought information to the Board’s attention that I believe has resulted in a more thorough and unbiased decision-making process.

Time did not allow me to follow my procedure for the items listed on the agenda prior to last night’s Special Meeting. After a follow-up review this morning, I feel I must bring it to your attention that, in my opinion, the Downtown Improvement Board issue should be readdressed by way of the Ordinance adoption process. The City, in the past, had an appointed Downtown Development Association (aka: DIB) that was “De-Authorized” by the Commission in an effort to establish a Community Redevelopment Agency, this action was taken pursuant to Ordinance Number 88-11, dated January 3rd, 1989. Therefore, I believe legally to re-instate such an agency it must follow suit to be designated and its members appointed by means of an Ordinance adoption.

I may indeed be incorrect so I will have the City attorney review it as well, but in the meantime I strongly urge you and the Commissioners to take this information I have brought forth under advisement.”

Accordingly, Webb was instructed to put on hold all activities of the newly appointed board until city attorney J. Patrick Floyd could review the procedure and advise the commission.

Downtown Improvement Board Created

In other business before the city at its special July 14 meeting, commissioners approved at the request of downtown business owner Joe Taylor the creation of a Downtown Improvement Board (DIB).

Taylor told commissioners that the mission of the DIB would be to unify a broad range of interests in order to plan and coordinate a downtown revitalization program to promote economic development and historic preservation.

He further stated that the DIB would maximize public and private resources to recommend and implement improvements to promote the downtown area by developing identity for “Historic Apalachicola” as a National leader in cultural and heritage tourism.

Taylor said that the DIB would create an inviting atmosphere in the commercial district that conveys a positive visual image while maintaining the unique character and appropriateness of historic Apalachicola and that the DIB would support existing businesses and recruit compatible new businesses.

City commissioners appointed the following members to the DIB: Susan Gary, Lynn Wilson-Spohrer, P.J. Trowell, Dixie Partington, Amanda Kollar, Steven Bartlett, Donnie Gay, Steve Rash, Beverly Hewitt, George Mahr, George Coon, Tom Daly, Anna-Maria Cannatella, Harry Arnold, Joe Taylor, and city commissioner Valentina Webb.

Special City Meeting Today

The City of Apalachicola will be holding a special meeting at city hall 12 noon today to meet with representatives from the USDA Rural Development to review for signature the obligation forms for the $506,459 loan and $150,000 grant for the Police/Fire Station Project.

The city will also consider a request from the downtown merchants to create a Downtown Improvement Board.

As always, the public is invited and encouraged to attend.

Main Street Program

City Officials and Staff are collaborating with local downtown merchants to achieve national accreditation as a Main Street Program. Throughout the nation, communities are using the Main Street approach to revitalize their traditional commercial districts. The objective of accreditation is to help garner the necessary attention that will attract new businesses and more visitors to the downtown area.

Main Street Programs work well when combined with Community Redevelopment and Historic Preservation to restore prosperity and vitality to downtown areas and commercial districts.