Okaloosa County BOCC — November 4, 2012 — Colin Baenziger — reading text

Internet Research Morrill, Christopher Note: This research will be presented in reverse chronological order Savannah Morning News (GA) September 25, 2009 BEST, WORST OF TIMES LOCAL ECONOMY 'RIGHT IN SYNC' WITH REST OF STATE, NATION Author: ARLINDA SMITH BROADY Economic growth in the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Chatham, Bryan and Effingham counties, significantly slowed in 2008, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis. Out of 366 metropolitan areas, Savannah ranked 144 with a Gross Domestic Product growth rate of 0.2 percent. "These statistics suggest that the Savannah area profile is right in sync with the rest of the state and the nation," said Jeffrey Humphreys, director of the University of Georgia's Selig Center for Economic Growth. "This recession was really tough on the entire region, and recovery will be slow." The slowdown in economic growth didn't just affect this region, data showed. About 60 percent of metropolitan areas saw economic growth slow down or reverse. Real Gross Domestic Product growth slowed in 220 of the nation's 366 metropolitan statistical areas last year, from 2 percent in 2007 to 0.8 percent in 2008. Downturns in construction, manufacturing, finance and insurance restrained growth in many metropolitan areas, including Savannah, with government spending showing the most growth. "No one was really surprised by the data," said Chris Morrill, Savannah assistant city manager. "We knew the recession hit us harder and later than a lot of areas." And although it's down from previous years, the city is doing better than the state as a whole, which saw slightly negative growth at -0.6 percent. "We're investing our very limited resources in economic growth and quality of life," Morrill said, "and what's a more important quality of life issue than jobs?" -30-  Internet Research Morrill, Christopher Note: This research will be presented in reverse chronological order Business in Savannah (GA) September 16, 2009 CITY PROJECTS WOULD HELP DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS Author: ARLINDA SMITH BROADY During a meeting of the Downtown Business Association last week, Savannah Assistant City Manager Chris Morrill outlined developments designed to help the association's members and others. The first step in unifying economic development efforts was to unify the city logos, Morrill said. So the city commissioned a new logo based on the city squares. "It's uniquely Savannah, and it ties all the departments together," Morrill said. Another important step, he said, was to grow population. So the city annexed enough land to increase its area by 40 percent. "We were losing population for the past 30 years," Morrill said. He compared Savannah's fate to Detroit, where residents moved to the suburbs, causing the city to raise taxes to fight crime and urban blight. Now, several plans are in the works, including developments around Ellis Square and the fort under construction in Forsyth Park. The Whitaker Street Garage, which lies beneath the square, has been in use since October 2008. To break even for operations and debt service, the garage must make $1.3 million this year, said Sean Brandon, director of the city's Mobility and Parking Department. By the end of July, revenue figures for the Whitaker Street Garage are at $766,000. "We'll probably make our projections," Brandon said. "It's feast or famine. ... Some weekends we clear as much as $10,000, and others the garage is nearly empty." The above-ground portion promises to be people friendly. "It will be the only square with a building on it," Morrill said. There will be a hospitality center and permanent restrooms. One of the most fanciful features is the fountains with 12-foot water jets that can project 260 colors of LED lights. Those fountains can be turned off, and the square is wired to accommodate concerts and other forms of outdoor entertainment. It can hold about 1,000 people and will have tables and chairs instead of benches. "Benches aren't good for interaction," Morrill said. "We want this to be a place to gather and be with friends and family." As for the fort at Forsyth Park, a temporary band shell will accommodate concerts, plays and other events but can be disassembled for everyday use. When the band shell isn't in use, fountains similar to ones at Ellis Square will be in place. "We envision a very family-friendly atmosphere where kids can play and parents can relax," Morrill said. A restaurant leased by the Kessler Group, owner of the Mansion on Forsyth, and "the best bathrooms in town" will be another draw. These projects and others are part of the city's plan to partner with businesses to create a prosperous region. "We need to move away from the mentality that citizens and businesses are customers," Morrill said. "We need to work toward partnerships. The way to get out of this recession faster is to build community relationships." -31-  Internet Research Morrill, Christopher Note: This research will be presented in reverse chronological order Savannah Morning News (GA) September 9, 2009 MORE CITY BUDGET CUTS COMING AS REVENUES FOR 2010 LOOK LOWER, TEAMS OF SAVANNAH CITY EMPLOYEES PROPOSE CUTS TO SERVICES, DEPARTMENTS Author: LESLEY CONN The city of Savannah is looking at further reducing staff, merging offices and ending some services - decisions that will be made in the coming weeks to trim another $3 million in spending by the end of the year. The bleak prospect for 2010 will further spur spending cuts. City budget analysts already see a $10 million decline in general fund revenue compared to 2009, sales tax revenue remains unpredictable and property assessments that generate the bulk of city income have been ordered frozen until 2011 by the legislature. One of the more visible city services being evaluated: Ending the Savannah-Chatham police department's mounted patrol unit. Officers would be rotated into patrol cars to fill vacancies. "We're questioning everything," said Assistant City Manager Chris Morrill. "If it was just about today, we'd be OK, but the problem is we don't know about revenue for the rest of the year." A lower city revenue base, he said, is likely going to stay lower for the next 10 years, which will require the city to re-examine its spending. The city already has reduced spending by about $12 million this year to offset lower revenues. That largely has been accomplished by leaving non- essential jobs outside public safety vacant. Nearly 200 of the city's 2,600 positions are unfilled. Bret Bell, the city's director of public information, said the city is continuing to look at eliminating positions, but "we're not looking at mass layoffs." BUILDING A BUDGET Many of the spending cuts for the 2009 budget will be implemented immediately and will be handled as part of day-to-day operations. Others, such as a proposal to end the mounted patrol unit, have evolved as teams of city workers participating in a new budgeting process for 2010 evaluate city services. The teams are evaluating services under a variety of umbrellas, such as neighborhood vitality, public safety, health and environment, poverty reduction and economic development. City Manager Michael Brown will use their recommendations to build the city's proposed budget in October. That will be presented to City Council members, who will evaluate the proposal and can mandate changes before approving the budget in a series of public hearings. That, too, shows a lean year ahead. The proposals the teams received for city services totaled $221 million, but the projected revenue available for them equaled $214 million. LOOKING FOR SAVINGS Among some of the other cost-saving measures: -32-  Internet Research Morrill, Christopher Note: This research will be presented in reverse chronological order - A employee task force created to find savings in city mowing services identified $627,000 in cuts. Some was achieved by notifying citizens who had "tree lawns" - grassy strips between their street and sidewalk - that the city no longer would trim them. But larger savings were found by not hiring seasonal staff, reducing mowing frequency along streets, cutting back on plantings and using in-house staff to maintain Laurel Grove Cemetery rather than fill a maintenance contract. Small outlying parcels will be contracted out, Bell said, which will cost less than hauling the city equipment as far south as Coffee Bluff to trim a small lot. - Consolidating fire and police dispatch services by Jan. 1. The primary reason, Morrill said, is to improve services, but some cost-savings are anticipated. - Merging offices and employees. The Citizen Office, which coordinates public notices to neighborhoods during large city projects and other city initiatives, will merge with the Public Information Office. Susan Broker, director of the Citizen Office, is filling an administrative position in the city manager's office left open since Sean Brandon, the former assistant to the city manager, became the city's director of mobility services and parking in April 2008. Three staffers under her will move into Bell's office, and by November, the city no longer will pay rent at an office on Oglethorpe Square. Annual savings: $15,000 in rent. "There are talks about doubling up other offices, and even though there may not be a personnel reduction, there are reductions in rent, in office equipment and other resources," Broker said. "Basically, everyone in the city is going through their budget and looking to see what they can do without at least for the next year." -33-  Internet Research Morrill, Christopher Note: This research will be presented in reverse chronological order Savannah Morning News (GA) June 19, 2009 CITY STANDS BY RIVER PROJECT OFFICIAL SAYS $20 MILLION OBLIGATION FOR SAVANNAH RIVER LANDING STILL A 'GO' DESPITE FLAGGING ECONOMY Author: LESLEY CONN, 912-652-0326, lesley.conn@savannahnow.com The city of Savannah isn't backing away from its commitment to Savannah River Landing, even as the economy challenges the waterfront development and the city budget. At a City Council workshop session Thursday, Assistant City Manager Chris Morrill outlined the $20 million in road, drainage and other improvements the city will undertake. That money will come from revenue collected from a special tax allocation district established around the riverfront development. Alderman Tony Thomas was the first to question why the city was proceeding during the uncertain economic times, especially given that from a public safety standpoint, President Street and General McIntosh Boulevard have been issues for years. He said he supports the project but added: "This raises a question for me. I've never seen us push an issue this hard." The improvements, Morrill said, are about more than public safety. "Savannah River Landing cannot really have any economic development until we deal with President Street," he said. Aldermen Van Johnson and Jeff Felser later said they believe the city is sending mixed messages about the development. "It was always my understanding of them as being mutually exclusive projects," Johnson said. "Today I got the impression they are tied together." Savannah River Landing's developers have invested $60 million in site improvements, Finance