Last modified 9/22/2008 - 10:18 pm
Originally created 092408
And that includes the new assistant city manager post, despite some opposition.
By DREW DIXON, Shorelines
ATLANTIC BEACH - Despite some of the sharpest criticism so far from some residents over the new addition of an assistant city manager position, the City Commission Monday approved the 2008-09 budget.
The commission voted 4-1, with Commissioner Carolyn Woods dissenting, in favor of the $29-million spending plan. The budget takes effect Oct. 1.
But it was one item, the transfer of Police Chief David Thompson as recommended by City Manager Jim Hanson to the newly opened assistant city manager post, that drew the most criticism.
Resident Alicia Paley said Hanson "is failing this community in monumental ways. ... To argue that we need all of these top-heavy, executive-type positions to function efficiently is nothing short of ludicrous."
Paley called on Hanson to resign which was met by support for Hanson and Thompson by members of the City Commission and staff.
A point of criticism in recent weeks has focused on Thompson's continued salary of $109,000 annually when he shifts to assistant city manager and that the position was not opened for any other candidates. Current police Capt. Michael Classey will move into the chief's position, another job that was not opened for applicants or consideration of any other candidates.
While Woods said she has no reason to doubt the talents of Hanson or Thompson, she said she still opposed the position shift on economic principle.
"In this time of [national] economic crisis, I don't think we should be expanding our operating expenses and creating new positions. That's going to be an ongoing burden," Woods said. "I just think we're making a mistake with this budget."
But City Attorney Alan Jensen, who also was once a city commissioner, said the individual verbal attacks on Thompson and Hanson went too far.
"Attacks on their integrity and their honesty and their credibility are totally unwarranted," Jensen said. "These men are high in integrity, high in honesty and high in credibility. There's no cronyism or good-old-boy politics going on here at all."
Mayor John Meserve agreed. "We know what the job description is that we've asked the assistant city manager to do. It's a matter of public record the grants he [Thompson] has gotten in the past and the millions of dollars he's brought to this city and we expect him to charge on forward with those things," he said.
Thompson said he has been with the city since the early 1980s and most residents know of his integrity in public service to Atlantic Beach. Beyond those residents, he welcomes the challenge to convince any doubters.
"We'll have to win them over with results," Thompson said.
The commission also unanimously approved the property tax rate for the next budget year. That rate will remain at $2.99 for every $1,000 of assessed property value. That means a property owner with a home worth $200,000 and a $50,000 homestead exemption will pay about $448 in annual city property taxes, excluding other taxing authorities such as the Duval County School Board.
In other action:
-The commission agreed to pay 75 percent of the wages for about a dozen city employees who wanted to come to work but couldn't when City Hall was closed during Tropical Storm Fay Aug. 21 and Aug. 22.
-The commission approved four new geographic districts that will be assigned to each of the four commission seats and their representatives.
The district assignments include: One in the area of the southeast corner of the city stretching from the ocean to about Royal Palms Drive and Plaza Road. Another district will stretch further west from that southern area of the city across Mayport Road to the Intracoastal Waterway. A third district will run from the ocean west through the Selva Marina area in the northern part of the city. And the final district would roughly run from about the Selva area west across Mayport Road to the Intracoastal.
-The commission gave unanimous approval for a $1-per-month increase in the city's storm-water service rates for each customer in the city.
-The commission gave approval for a slight increase in garbage and recycling collection in the city that would hike the average monthly rate from $17.10 per customer to $17.78.
Drew Dixon can also be reached at (904) 249-4947, ext. 6313
