by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Thursday’s Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting was light on agenda items requiring action from the Commission.
However, a 15-minute presentation from Doug Roche, executive director of the Florida Inland Navigation District, may have been just as beneficial as an agenda filled with action items.
The taxing authority has been in existence since 1927 thanks to the Florida Legislature and FIND’s primary objective is to provide funding for projects on the 400-mile ICW that have value to the general public. Those projects range from primarily dredging to keeping the waterway open and navigable to boat ramps, docks and piers.
“Jacksonville is one of our greatest waterways partners,” said Roche.
Prior to 1927, the Intracoastal was privately owned from the Florida-Georgia border through Miami-Dade County. Roche called it a “toll canal” and all along the waterway were chains that prevented boaters from proceeding unless they paid a toll. Eventually the Florida Legislature was able to lobby Congress to de-privatize the waterway and put its waters under the control of the State. Today, the Army Corps of Engineers oversees the ICW from the federal level while FIND is the state representative.
Economically, that partnership is working well. Each year, the 12 counties through which the ICW flows are eligible for FIND grants, which must be matched by either the local government or through private funds.
Roche explained that FIND’s mission isn’t necessarily to over-regulate the ICW, but rather assure the waterway stays safe for all users, there is plenty of public access and the funds that FIND provides are used to help something many don’t consider an economic engine.
“We only have six employees. We are a really small bureaucracy,” he said, adding FIND either outsources or partners with someone on virtually everything in an effort to hold down its costs. “Administration is 1.2 percent of our budget. We spend 98.8 percent of your tax dollars on the waterway you and your family enjoys.”
Roche said FIND currently has $237 million worth of contracts for capital improvement projects that will provide 4,500 jobs either directly or indirectly within the next year or so. A 2005 study showed that the Intracoastal Waterway in Duval County alone is the basis for 392 businesses that had an economic impact of $2.3 billion. Of that, $725 million is in the form of wages for almost 20,000 people.
“The entire Intracoastal Waterway has an economic impact of $17.4 billion a year,” said Roche, adding that impact affects 220,000 jobs.
In order to keep the ICW safe and navigable, FIND spends about $16 million annually on dredging projects.
“We invest $16 million to generate $17.4 billion. That’s a pretty good investment,” said Roche.
In Jacksonville, Jody McDaniel of the Planning Department works directly with FIND to establish a list of projects the City would like to complete. Lately, McDaniel has been working with Waterways member Steve Nichols — who agreed to chair a FIND subcommittee — on the City’s wish list for next year.
“We will present our new FIND projects recommendations to the Waterways Commission in January,” said Nichols.
Roche understands that municipalities have tight budgets and project lists as long as highways.
“Projects are competing for limited funds,” he said. “Last year was the highest amount of grants ever. We did so even with the economy and that was to put people to work.”
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