Monday December 10th, 2007 - 6:29PM

Council OKs first step in approving CMPA budget

Pensacola's City Council took the first step to continue funding the non-profit Community Maritime Park Associates (non-profit CMPA) when it met under a parliamentary protocol called "The Committee of the Whole" and voted 7 to 2 to recommend that the 2008 budget pass when is formally presented to the City Council later this month.

Supporting the budget's passage, Councilman Jack Nobles told his council colleagues that, "the 2008 budget funds things we will need to do anyway."

He referred to those items that must be done no matter what eventual use is decided upon the park's land.

"Regardless of what's built, some items will have to be funded anyway," agreed Ed Spears, acting executive director of the non-profit CMPA told Friends.

Mr. Spears listed:

1) Geo-technical Survey: A survey of the land to see what needs to be done to make it suitable for building.

2) Sturgeon Report: How will construction of the park affect the Gulf Sturgeon, an endangered species that mates in areas near the park.

3) Wave Modeling: A report filed on what effect the park's bulkheads will produce on adjacent properties when the park is built.

When asked about hiring a permanent executive director for the non-profit CMPA, Mr. Spears noted that, "the budget can fund the position."

In response to a question by Council member Jewel Cannada-Wynn about what the Supreme Court's decision on bonds means to funding the non-profit CMPA, John Fleming, the city attorney, said, "We can spend dollars, we just can't issue bonds."

Mr. Fleming speculated briefly about the idea that the referendum vote could give legal authority to issue bonds based upon only the city's portion of funds in the Community Redevelopment Agency's treasury.

"I been thinking about that at night," Mr. Fleming told council members.

Mayor John Fogg took pains to explain that the situation with the CMP and the Supreme Court's case are very different in substance.

The mayor noted that the case before the Court involved a tax district that never voted "yes" or "no" on issuing the bonds at litigation.

In the CMP's case, there was a referendum, and voters decided to approve issuing bonds as part of the finance package needed to construct the park.

Council member Mike Wiggins summed it up: "We need to obey the will of the voters."

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*You're connected to more than 10,000 Friends of the Pensacola Bay Area's Vince J. Whibbs Sr. Community Maritime Park!

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Email Board of Trustees members with your thoughts and ideas!

Here are the email addresses for the Board of Trustees members. Remember, the non-profit Community Maritime Park Associates, Inc. (non-profit CMPA) operates in full compliance with Florida's Government in the Sunshine Act. All email communications are open public records available to anyone who asks for them.

The syntax for the Board members is first name.last name@whibbspark.org

Collier Merrill: collier.merrill@whibbspark.org

Dick Baker: dick.baker@whibbspark.org

Dr. Jimmy Jones: jimmy.jones@whibbspark.org

Eddie Todd: eddie.todd@whibbspark.org

Rev. Hugh King: hugh.king@whibbspark.org

John Merting: john.merting@whibbspark.org

Juanita Scott: juanita.scott@whibbspark.org

Judge Lacey Collier: lacey.collier@whibbspark.org

Kathlyn White: kathlyn.white@whibbspark.org

Rodney Jackson: rodney.jackson@whibbspark.org

Susan Story: susan.story@whibbspark.org


Acting Executive Director on loan from the City of Pensacola

Ed Spears: espears@ci.pensacola.fl.us

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Questions? Ed Spears has the answers!

"When in doubt, call Ed to find out!"

Here is the contact information for Ed Spears, acting Executive Director of the non-profit CMPA:

Edward E. Spears, Neighborhood & Economic Development Administrator, City of Pensacola
180 Governmental Center, Pensacola, FL
P.O. Box 12910 / Pensacola, Florida 32521
(850) 436-5655 (office) / (850) 595-1143 (fax) / email: espears@ci.pensacola.fl.us

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Don't miss even one exciting second as the CMP goes from vision to reality!

Get your own FREE subscription to the Friends report: http://supporters.communitymaritimepark.com

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That's it for this week - until then, "Thanks!" from all your friends . . . who are Friends of the Pensacola Bay Area's Vince J. Whibbs Sr. Community Maritime Park!

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