City Managers, Tourism Directors, Annexation, oh my!

No excuses for my long absence from this blog ...but I have a few anyway.  Our city manager resigned on February 10 and the trauma from that is finally easing up. Thanks to Regina Alexander (city clerk turned interim city manager), Michele Windham (building inspections clerk turned city clerk), and the rest of our fantastic city employees the city has been working fine & dandy. There are a number of highly critical issues on the table and no end in sight at least through June 31 when our final, balanced budget is due. They include, but are not limited to, the budget, finding a new City Manager, finding a new Director of Tourism and Economic Development, reviewing a new personnel policy, working to stem the tide of new state legislation aimed at taking power and revenue away from municipalities, finding the best possible use for the Garrison House, making sure our water and sewer fund can retain an acceptable reserve balance after the sewer reversal project is paid for, deciding if the SMART proposal is a good short term use of the closed sewage treatment property, and a number of other items I don't want to bore you with (unless I already have).

It is my deepest hope that we can find a City Manager the Board can all agree upon and work with in a productive and contentious-free environment. Regina has done a truly amazing job of taking care of business and elevating the morale of our city employees. The search will begin soon, but I don't expect the new boss to take over before we complete the budget. I believe this will go a long way to enabling the Board to find common ground and work with (instead of against) each other.

The budget this year will be the most daunting and difficult challenge we've faced.  Southport's total property valuations saw a 27% reduction with the most recent assessment. In order to bring in the same amount of revenue as last year we'll have to adjust the tax rate. The City cannot afford to take a 27% reduction in our budget because we're already driving on fumes as it is. The result is that many folks will be paying the same amount in city tax dollars as last year. However, if your property was devalued less than 27% it is likely you'll be paying more.  Conversely, if your property value went down more than 27% you'll be paying less.

Needless to say, setting this rate will be a big decision for us and I don't expect we'll be making any friends whatever the number turns out to be.

Finding a Director of Tourism and Economic Development is long overdue. This person will have a much wider range of responsibility than our previous tourism director. Economic development is the hot buzzword these days, but in the case of Southport it goes hand and hand with tourism. Supporting existing businesses and working to bring in new enterprises will be his/her main responsibilities. The bottom line is to get local cash registers ringing off the hook all year round. I've heard we have a number of applicants already, so I hope we can have this position filled by May 1.

If you've been to any of the last 3-4 Board of Aldermen meetings you've heard about the SMART proposal for use of the decommissioned sewer treatment property.  If you haven't, please go here to read about it. The original proposal was for a 10 year lease, but later it was reduced to 5. The Board discussed the proposal at length during our retreat on January 29, 2011 and decided that we didn't want to tie up the property for that long. We set in motion the process for developing a waterfront plan and that property would be part of it.

But in February, Dr, Kimberly Jones (owner and CEO of Alganomics) decided they could work with a 1-2 year lease. I feel that this change deserves a reconsideration of the proposal. Even if the waterfront planning process comes up with a different use for that property, nothing will be done on that plot of land for at least 3-4 years. Why not give their business model a chance? It might turn out to be the best use for that property and the City can get a 2 year test drive to see how it works. There's no cost to the city.  In fact, it would bring in money in the form of lease payments and the expense of removing the concrete tanks (a considerable sum) will be delayed or eliminated.  The sustainable business model in the proposal includes fish farming (black sea bass or flounder), then using the waste from that to feed oil-producing algae for biofuel. The water coming out of that process will be cleaner than what went in.  Furthermore, the facility will be powered by a combination of wind and solar energy. The ultimate goal is to develop a mariculture industry right here in Brunswick County. Brunswick Community College--and even South Brunswick High School--have aquaculture programs.  UNC Wilmington has a nationally renowned Center for Marine Science. Could there be a better place for such a cutting edge industry?  We could be the Silicon Valley of aquaculture! Go to the April 14 Board meeting and see what happens, and feel free to give your opinion during public comments.

Southport went through a "traumatic" time when the A-frame sign and sidewalk obstruction issues were on the front burner (click here for my take on all that). Now we're embarking on the most controversial process known to North Carolina municipalities: city-initiated annexation. For those who don't live in the Tar Heel State, municipalities are allowed to incorporate areas just outside their city limits. It is known in the press and among those not part of a municipality as forced annexation because the city doesn't have to ask permission from the residents they plan to annex.  That's likely to change as the state legislature is attacking this method of city growth with extreme prejudice.  For now we're following the current laws but that could change at any moment.

It sounds awful on the surface because an outside entity is putting another layer of taxation on residents who don't want to pay one cent more to the government (don't we all?). Boiled down to its essence, city-initiated annexation is about people who utilize the multitude of services that a city provides without paying for them. Development around Southport has resulted in many businesses and residents being so close to our city limits that they can't help but drive on our roads, receive fire and police protection, enjoy city-sponsored events and festivals, and otherwise take advantage of what we have to offer. But these things cost money, and the county residents who live so close (and in some cases are surrounded by properties in the city limits) pay nothing for them.  Annexation of such properties is the only way in which a city can achieve a fair tax base for its citizens.

Another Beautiful Southport Sunset

For more on this please go to my website.  It must be noted that nothing has been decided regarding the proposed annexation.  The only thing the Board of Aldermen have done is to get the process started.  Citizens, both in the proposed annexation areas and within the city, have ample opportunity to give us input and ask questions.  It is not a done deal and public feedback will play an important role in our decision making process. Please send questions or opinions to me through the comment section below or via e-mail. There is a public information meeting at City Hall on April 26 at 6:00 PM, and a Public Hearing on May 12 (same place and time).

Thanks for reading, I look forward to your comments and I promise to get back here soon.