Lake City Report -
June 18, 2010
Blanche
- Airport - Old City Hall - Budget
Columbia County, FL (Posted June 20, 2010 06:00 am)
by City Manager Wendell Johnson and
staff
From City Manager Wendell Johnson
Blanche Hotel Redevelopment Initiative
At the request of the City, Jones Edmunds
Engineers, Inc. has completed a Structural
Engineering Assessment and issued the final
written report on June 15, 2010.
The assessment reveals that the Hotel Blanche
is basically sound and capable of being
renovated for most conventional commercial
and/or other mixed uses.
The brick masonry is solid with only a few
cracks from either settlement or thermal
expansion. The roof is in fair condition.
No public safety issues were identified in
the report.
Following a meeting this week with Blanche
representatives, a property appraisal appears as
the next order of business.
Further discussions will be scheduled.
Airport Terminal Project
The City was notified by the FDOT that
additional funds of $800,000 have been approved
for the project bringing the total to DOT
funding to $1,675,000.
The project is presently on hold pending
approval from the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) of an additional $600,000
to $800,000 in construction funding.
Staff continues to coordinate with the FAA
and the City’s contractor (Mandese/White
Construction, Inc.) and expects to be in a
position to issues a notice to proceed during
July 2010.
Old City Hall
The Staff’s final construction inspection of
the site was completed this week and the
contractor has complied with all requirements.
To fully stabilize the vacant lot and provide
interim use, the Staff has proposed Council
approval to install a two inch (2”) layer of
milled asphalt to the 50,000 sq. ft. site. This
will allow for liberal public parking and other
limited uses.
Fiscal Year 2010-2011 Budget
The “call for estimates” has been distributed
to the Staff and departmental reviews will
commence beginning next week.
No later than July 19, 2010, the Staff will
distribute the draft budget and request Council
to approve a proposed millage rate for TRIM
Notice purposes.
The Staff will also request Council to
approve an August 2010 workshop schedule for the
FY10/11 Budget.
The City Staff Report is available in pdf format
here.