$938,000 Budget approved for 450th

With an amended budget submitted for consideration by the St Augustine City Commission tonight, lowering the budget for the City’s 450th Commemoration to $799,320, Mayor Joe Boles, in a display of extreme hubris, made the motion to approve the original, higher budget requested by 450th director, Dana Ste. Claire. The motion was seconded by out-going stand-in commissioner, Don Crichlow, who has just returned from a city-paid junket to Spain with his girlfriend. The measure passed in a split 3-2 decision, with Roxanne Horvath, who also just returned from a city-paid junket to Spain with her husband.

During public comment, several citizens spoke against overfunding the 2015 finale which represents four-years of waste, false starts, fraud, and a complete disconnect with the taxpayers in the city. Speaking in favor of continued spending? Glenn Hastings, the director of the Tourist Development Council and $106,915.23 a year Tourism Cultural Events Director for St Johns County; Richard Goldman, the director of the Visitor Convention Bureau, funded by the Tourist Development Council; Jim Browning, president of the recently inducted Focus 450th Inc non-profit organization whose charge is to develop lasting legacy projects and events and create the 450th anniversary initiatives including citizen driven, public-private partnerships, at private expense, or through corporate sponsors.

Vice Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline and Commissioner Leanna Freeman each attempted to further discussion against the motion; citing a nearly doubled expense for people working in the 450th department — both as employees and a $78,000 a year “marketing strategist”. All totaled, about $400,000 for paychecks, insurance, and payroll taxes next year. Neither Sikes-Kline nor Freeman traveled to Spain on the city tab this year. Both voted no to the motion, which passed, anyway.

City Manager John Regan has not returned to the state from his city-paid trip to Spain, nor has 450th director Dana Ste. Claire. So, assistant city manager Tim Burchfield presented the amended 450th budget to the commission for consideration. No matter, Boles seized the moment and raised the ante rationalizing that when you throw a birthday party like this, that he believes is going to put St Augustine on the map worldwide, you can’t skimp on cost because we won’t have another opportunity to do this again for another 50 years.