Legislation to renew Downtown Vision Inc. for a seven-year period mainly drew supporters during a public hearing Tuesday with the City Council Finance Committee, with most of the speakers advocating for the organization.
The City created a Downtown Business Improvement District in 1999 to collect a non-property tax assessment on Downtown private property owners, with the funds to be used by DVI to enhance Downtown services. The City also pays for the assessment of buildings it owns within the district.
The original DVI contract was for five years, which was renewed for another seven years and expires Sept. 30. The legislation would renew the contract for another seven years, through 2019.
Retired attorney John Welch led off the hearing with background on the organization before other members affiliated with the group praised its work and stressed the need for continued City support.
“If DVI didn’t exist today, it’d be very different. It’d be a dirtier Downtown, less safe, not as attractive and welcoming and certainly, in my opinion, not as vibrant,” said Mike Jennings, DVI chairman and Prudential vice president of government affairs.
Jennings held up letters of support from Downtown business owners and stakeholders whom he said also wished for DVI’s continued existence.
Ed Frazier III, DVI board member and Rayonier senior vice president, chief administrative officer and corporate secretary, expanded on Jennings’ comments and said that “loud and clear” the vast majority of Downtown business owners consider DVI’s work “not only worthwhile, but essential.”
Pam Smith, DVI board member and owner representative for El-Ad Florida, which owns the EverBank Center, said DVI’s work and success leads to more and better business for Downtown as a whole.
“They (DVI) know what they are doing, they’ve done it, they can do it better and — with a little more money — they could fly and Downtown Jacksonville could explode,” she said.
Likewise, Dan King, Hyatt Downtown general manager, said DVI’s services, such as the ambassador program, are tools for customers to enjoy and a selling point when the administration is competing with other cities for business.
Not everyone was a backer, though.
While 11 people stated their support, one, Jerry Moran, La Cena Ristorante owner, was against its renewal.
Moran said that when the organization was created, he was a supporter but “nothing has changed” and that his patrons are still accosted by vagrants and the area’s cleanliness is overstated.
“I am speaking against the DVI board, but I am street level, I see what is going on,” he said.
Moran said Art Walk, which other supporters called a success, has “turned into a rabble” and having the City do the work of DVI would be more efficient.
The legislation will be reviewed only by the Finance Committee, but another public hearing will take place during the full Council meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
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