According to St. Johns County Administrator Michael Wanchick, when it comes to the question of financials, St. Johns County’s eyes might be a lot bigger than its wallet.
Wanchick spoke about the county’s financial issues at the Ponte Vedra Beaches Coalition meeting on Monday. Part of the problem, Wanchick said, is a handful of challenges the community faces as a result of growth and natural disaster. He cited hurricane damage and recovery projects such as beach renourishment that have resulted in significant expenditures.
Wanchick also pointed out that St. Johns County is the third-fastest growing county in Florida, and eighth in the U.S. With population growth follows growing pains such as expanding public safety, updating libraries, increasing Parks and Recreation services and renovating the St. Johns Golf Club, he said. In addition, the county recently absorbed the town of Hastings, including its associated assets, debts, liabilities and service requirements. Part of that involved demolishing the town’s civic center, which was deemed unsafe. All in all, it can be expensive to be so popular.
“We talk about the No. 1 quality of life and the school system — all these things are interrelated,” Wanchick said at the meeting, which was held at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library. “I tell people that it’s great to have the No. 1 school system, but the reason we have the No. 1 school system, in my opinion, is that it’s because our quality of life is so high.”
Wanchick pointed out that the “quality of life” the county revolves around reflects the public services it provides. The same services that cost money also cause it to be such a valuable place to live, and in turn, bring in the type of people who place a high priority on education for their children.
Some distinctions that Wanchick said St. Johns County touts are: healthiest county in the state, low crime rate, lowest unemployment rate in Florida, abundant natural resources, diverse arts, culture and award-winning libraries. In addition, the county also has the lowest combined taxing structure in the state. Wanchick said, in fact, the county hasn’t raised any taxes in the last 12 years.
“It’s the same thing with Parks and Rec,” Wanchick said. “I don’t think in the entire time I’ve been county administrator we’ve added any new field space. But we’ve grown by 50,000 people. … Many of our parks are in need of upgrades and new equipment. We’ve got a couple playgrounds we’ve had to shut down. The facilities and the jungle gym don’t meet the ADA requirements or they’re just not safe.”
The facts are, the community simply can’t afford to fix its playgrounds.
“If I have one lament in the time I’ve been as the county administrator, it’s that we are not on a financially stable path, in my opinion, for the future,” Wanchick said.
Currently, the county, with the advisement of the Board of Commissioners, is looking at exploring a “Fees for Service” model for levying more funding. The model is based off the idea that individuals who use a specific service within the county pay for that service, while others who do not use it are exempt from paying. The recent Request for Proposals process for paid off-beach parking is one example of this model.
Wanchick said there has been some animosity about the idea, mostly because people feel like the county is “nickel-and-diming” them. He stated, however, that he worries the program will create a community of “haves and have-nots.”
To resolve issues like this, Wanchick stressed the importance of engagement.
“The community needs to engage in a meaningful dialogue with the County Commission,” Wanchick said. “We had two public hearings about the budget after five o’clock and 12 people came. And most of them didn’t speak up. So, in turn, it makes the commission guess what the community wants. … It’s your job to let them know.”
Wanchick was adamant that people voice their concerns to the commissioners. He said that the “question” the commission answers, will in fact, affect the county for decades or generations to come.
“You can have a very high quality of life, but if you take it for granted, it can slip away from you,” he said.
Wanchick has served as the county’s chief administrative officer since 2007 and is responsible for implementing and overseeing all departments, policies and programs of the Board of County Commissioners. For those interested in voicing their concerns, Commissioner Jeremiah Blocker will be hosting a town hall Meeting on May 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Crosswater Hall at Nocatee. In addition, Blocker will host office hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, May 17, at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library.
