Downtown Vision Inc. board members learned Wednesday that ongoing decreases in property values may lead to reductions in the organization's Downtown ambassador program.
Thursday afternoon, the organization sent an email with details on its plan that will take effect April 1.
According to the email by Downtown Vision Executive Director Terry Lorince addressed to Downtown stakeholders, the ambassador program will be reduced from 13.8 full-time equivalent positions to 10.6 positions.
"Our challenge now is to minimize the impact of these service cutbacks on the overall cleanliness, safety and hospitality of Downtown," Lorince said in the letter.
The cleaning ambassadors will focus on larger trash items and special detail deployment, which includes pressure washing spots and spills, graffiti removal and urban-camping cleanup, she said in the letter. The organization anticipates "minimal disruption" to the cleaning services.
In addition, the hospitality ambassadors will keep more flexible day and evening hours and have reduced Sunday hours.
"Our goal is to make sure that ambassadors are available when people are Downtown and when you need them most," Lorince said in the email.
She said in order to accommodate requests for ambassadors at special events, requests should be made to the organization two weeks in advance.
Downtown ambassadors perform streetscape cleaning and hospitality services such as assisting visitors and reporting maintenance issues to the City.
Downtown Vision is funded by an additional ad valorem tax levied on Downtown properties, a 90-square-block improvement district plus a contribution from the City's general fund based on the value of municipal property within the district.
The organization has been withdrawing funds from its reserve account to cover the shortfall between revenue and expenses.
Lorince told the organization's board on Wednesday that reducing operating expenses represents "the first step in getting us on the right track."
She discussed some of the potential ambassador program changes to the board such as eliminating positions and leaf and weed removal from sidewalks and tree beds.
Ambassador services are currently scheduled 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, said Jennifer Hewett-Apperson, Downtown Vision director of district services.
Hewett-Apperson on Thursday said the organization is looking at reducing the ambassador expense because it's the largest line item in its budget.
The program represents 44 percent of its expenses – $575,459 in the $1.3 million budget adopted for 2012-13.
The second-largest line item is $379,871 for staff salaries and benefits.
Hewett-Apperson said Downtown Vision is considering adopting "demand-based scheduling" to ensure ambassadors are on the street when there is a large number of people Downtown.
"We are doing a lot of research. We are looking at best practices to address the budget issues in a way that causes the least pain," she said.
Jennifer O'Donnell, manager of Chamblin's Uptown and a member of the Jax Pack Downtown merchants association, said she is against curtailing the ambassadors' weekend hours.
"How does that promote business Downtown?" she said.
"We have a lot of tourists and visitors Downtown on the weekends. The ambassadors answer their questions and give them directions and give them a sense of safety," said O'Donnell.
Vikki Wilkins, co-owner of the UPS Store, said having ambassadors Downtown on Saturday and Sunday is important. With the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office reducing Downtown police patrols on weekends, having ambassadors on the job provides a set of eyes and ears on the street, she said.
"The ambassadors are who report issues Downtown. Every business has to assess how it's doing business, but eliminating that service on the weekends isn't the answer," Wilkins said.
Scaling back the ambassadors schedule would impact guests' perception of Downtown entertainment if that meant the ambassadors would not be on duty when audiences leave a show, said Florida Theatre President Numa Saisselin.
"It would be a shame. The ambassadors are a nice presence on the street and some people like to be walked to their cars," he said.
Lorince said if the ambassadors' schedule is reduced, Downtown venues might have the option of paying Downtown Vision a fee for its after-hours services, an arrangement similar to hiring an off-duty police officer.
Saisselin said if it comes to that, he could "completely sympathize" with the organization's position.
"It is a more perfect world when multiple organizations work together to make Downtown a better place. It's a less perfect world when organizations have to shift responsibilities," he said.
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