by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
For years, the Florida Theatre — and everyone who has rented the 1,900 -seat City-owned venue — has employed two off-duty emergency medical personnel from the Jacksonville Fire & Rescue Department to work all Theatre-sponsored events. At $350 for four hours, having medical staff on hand is an expensive line-item cost for every show.
If City Council approves a December recommendation from the Mayor’s Budget Review Committee, no one renting the Florida Theatre or any other City-owned indoor venue within one mile of a JFRD station will be required to have medical personnel on site.
“It’s part of the Special Events ordinance,” said Susie Wiles, chief of communications for the City.
Both the Florida Theatre and the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts are owned by the City and are within one mile of the fire station on Liberty Street. Wiles said she was not sure if Veterans Memorial Arena was within the one mile radius or not.
Wiles said the initial discussions to waive the fee started three years ago. The proposed change gained momentum as a result of non-profits — one of the major renters of facilities such at the Florida Theatre and Times-Union Center — starting to have financial issues.
“There was a double whammy. At the same time, the (JFRD) union raised its rates. It really is a hardship on the cultural community,” said Wiles, who stressed the City will not receive any financial benefit from the ordinance code change. “This is something that was sought by the cultural community. The rates are pretty significant.”
Toni Chadwell is director of rental operations for the Florida Theatre. She said the change “absolutely makes sense” and will benefit those who use the Theatre much more than the Theatre itself.
“This is good for us, but it’s also good for our rental clients,” said Chadwell, adding the Theatre’s clients are the “starving artists and the non-profits.”
Currently, rental clients of the Florida Theatre pay the medical personnel fee. Other acts, such as the upcoming Jackson Browne concert, are considered Theatre acts, thus the fee is paid by the Theatre.
Ticket prices, said Chadwell, “are not in the equation,” and the fees have no impact on the price of a ticket. Chadwell also said there were only a “handful” of instances last year when on-site medical personnel had to physically do anything.
“I don’t mind having them when we have a full house of 1,900 people. I would rather be cautious,” she said. “When we are half-full, it should not be the City’s choice. It should be the client’s choice.”
Robert Arleigh White, the executive director of the Cultural Council, said the number of incidents at venues requiring on-site medical personnel to intervene is very low and likes the proposed change.
“It does save an awful lot of money,” said White, adding he’s sure the non-profits will take the savings and invest the money right back into other programs or extra shows. “Every dollar is targeted for delivering a service to the public. The savings will go into improving that service and expanding that service.”
Wiles said the bill has been introduced to Council but has not been approved by the full Council yet. She also said the changes do not affect the City requirement that Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office personnel be on-site at the same venues for events and concerts. Wiles said the difference is JSO personnel are primarily on the street and not based in stations scattered across the city.