Columbia County Observer

Renovation of Blanche Hotel on the Launching Pad:  Will everyone have a chance to participate?

"If this project is something the community doesn't want, we need to know that," Dennille Decker

Posted December 4, 2014  01:55 pm

By Stew Lilker

Chamber of Commerce Director, Dennille Decker.

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The renovation and revitalization of downtown Lake City's deteriorating Blanche Hotel was on the docket at yesterday morning's Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAB or Board) meeting. City Manager and EDAB member, Wendell Johnson, gave the committee an update. He announced that a committee was formed and Chamber of Commerce Director Dennille Decker had taken "a leadership role in putting the stakeholders committee together."

The first meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on December 16. Later in the day, Ms. Decker's recollection of events was a little different. She did not attend the EDAB meeting.

City Manager Johnson told the Board, "We had a small meeting, Glenn [Hunter], Dennille Decker from the Chamber and myself a few days ago. Dennille has taken a leadership role in putting the stakeholders committee together."

Your reporter asked City Manager Johnson if the meeting was going to be advertised.

The City Manager was silent.

Economic Development Director Hunter jumped in, "I don't see why not."

Mr. Johnson followed up, "It's a meeting that's going to be held here. If you'd like, I'll put it on the City website and have a Chamber put it on their site. The objective of the meeting is obviously to get input from the public and feedback, so it would be to our advantage to do that. It's at 8:30 a.m. right here on the 16th."

The Committee

Chamber Director Decker told the Observer, "Glen [Hunter] called and asked if I could attend a meeting with him, Chamber President John Kuykendall, and Wendell [City Manager Johnson] to talk about the Blanche project. He wanted to tell us what the deal was – what they have been working on."

According to Ms. Decker the committee membership was chosen after Mr. Kuykendall left, by her, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Hunter.

She said, "We just threw out names. There was really no scientific process... I want everybody to understand that everybody on this committee knows nothing more than they have read or heard."

The Objective

Mr. Johnson told the EDAB: The objective of the stakeholder meeting is to start discussing, and obviously, getting feedback and understanding of the Letter of Intent.

As reported earlier, the Letter of Intent has not been approved by the City Council and is being rewritten.

Mr. Johnson continued (as spoken), "Public input is to investment of tax money, taxpayer money -- those kinds of things. The impact analysis is gonna be really the foundation of what we have to compare our investment with. I don't think we'll have that by the 16th, but certainly I believe we'll have it by the first part of the year -- hopefully by the end of this month.

Stephen Douglas

EDAB member Stephen Douglas asked, "Wendell, what's the purpose of the Impact Analysis?

Mr. Johnson answered:

"The concept of the impact analysis is gonna determine what kind of revenue is gonna come into the project in the form of construction phases of it -- what is that gonna bring -- I don't know all of the actual model and the details... I'm not an expert on this kinda thing -- I'm familiar with em'. But it will give us an understandin' of I think to base judgment on this to whether or not the commitment that the tax hook that the city and the county -- the tax commitment of taxpayer dollars from the local level -- return on the investment is gonna be understood to a level of confidence."

More on the Committee with Ms. Decker

Your reporter asked, "How do you decide from the small handful of people on the committee whether or not everybody wants to renovate the Blanche?"

Ms. Decker answered, "We will have a town hall meeting in around January. When I found out today that I was the Chair I was a little taken aback, because I don't have the necessary information."

Ms. Decker explained that the short notice of the meeting caused it to be scheduled at 8:30 in the morning on December 16.

Ms. Decker wrapped it up, "I can understand how the public could be upset about the inconvenience of the early hour. This was not a slight to keep anybody out. I can assure the public that there will be times when they can voice their opinions."

A little while before post time, Ms. Decker followed up, "Not only will there be time for public opinion, but we want that opinion. If this project is something the community doesn't want, we need to know that."