Overdue Jax maintenance needs could get funding boost

Facing long overdue capital maintenance, the City of Jacksonville has found close to $2 million that it’s looking to put toward a range of projects.

But it’s just the beginning of what’s needed.

A bill has been filed for Jacksonville City Council consideration which would sweep up $1,851,281.13 from various accounts for capital projects that have been completed and had leftover funding. That money is proposed to go to eight broad areas, including mitigating roof leaking, repairing two buildings, and more.

“We’re putting the money toward serious needs that have been long unaddressed,” says Jacksonville City Councilman John Crescimbeni.

Crescimbeni- who is involved on a special committee that's been combing through the City's Capital Improvement Plan- says the money they've found so far in open accounts that should have been closed out has been helpful, but there is still a lot more the City has to address.

“One of the easiest things to cut in the short term is spending money on maintenance. Now, that does come back to haunt you later down the road,” he says.

Closing the accounts for completed projects and sweeping up the money is only one part of what the Committee has been involved in. They also put mechanisms in place to ensure continued auditing of the accounts, which is how the City has found this additional money now. While Crescimbeni acknowledges it only gives a little to each of the projects, he says they're all high priority projects.

“We could probably use twenty times that and still not be caught up with where we need to be,” he says.

Under this proposal, $465,000 will be used to replace six HVAC units for Animal Care and Protective Services. Documents filed with the bill say breakdowns with the current HVACs “have led to deficient indoor air comfort and potential health issues for staff, visitors, and the animals under the City’s care.” $150,000 would be used to restore St Andrews Church and Merrill House, which the City says are no longer “structurally sound”. Another $126,939 is earmarked for replacing the chiller at the 911 Call Center at the Police Memorial Building because the equipment is about ten years past its life expectancy. $359,342 is proposed for unspecified countywide maintenance at government facilities, $250,000 for unspecified maintenance at non-sports entertainment facilities, and $130,000 for roofing repairs to buildings experiencing leaks. The later areas are all noted as ones that have continued to defer maintenance, but are in “desperate” need of repair.

One non-maintenance project is $150,000 proposed for designing a roundabout at the intersection of Rogero Road and Arlington Road. The City says this comes at the request of the Neighborhood Association, and the Traffic Engineering Department is preparing a study.

Finally, $225,000 would be allocated to removing the tent at the Met Park stage, if the proposal passes. WOKV first told you earlier this month that the Mayor would recommend removing the tent overhang, which was previously determined to be structurally unsafe.  The stage itself would remain for future use, according to the bill documents.

Crescimbeni says he expects more money to be continually freed up as the City stays proactive in closing project accounts, but while there are some economic factors that are improving, the City also still continues to deal with rising costs, like the pension contribution. He says, for now, every little bit helps, but they can eventually reach a level where the maintenance needs are near impossible to catch up on.

This bill is being introduced to the City Council on Tuesday and still faces several weeks of vetting before a final vote.