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$112,372.80 for Dog Park at Ed Austin Regional Park 2010-0922
When a canine park is well designed and maintained, it is a wonderful place for dogs and their humans to play. Here are several thoughts about this legislation and the proposed leash free canine park.
1. Government should not be competing with the private sector. Jacksonville has private dog parks with at least one that is nationally recognized. If there is a need for such a facility then it should be done by a private investor. The interference of goverment in the dog park business will only discourage private investment.
2. Is this a function of government? The City is suppose to provide parks per the city's charter. However, parks have been traditional defined as a place where humans go to recreate. Parks have never been considered a place set aside, at taxpayer expense, for unleashed dogs or cats, or birds, or rodents, or iguana or potbelly pig or anything else that some could or does consider a pet.
3. Is it necessary? There are private parks providing the service. There is no necessity.
4. Is it the best use of limited funds? When unemployment is so high, with taxes going up, with more fees being levied, with a pension system that is underfunded, when duck ponds are full of trash because they are not cleaned regularly, when the parks have overgrown grassy areas, is this really the best use of the funding? No.
5. Fecal matter. If you are a member of a private dog park, you either clean up after Fido or you are out! In the city, are we really going to hire someone to monitor or to chase down someone who does not scoop? Who is going to end up scooping?
6. Animal health and safety. In a private park, dogs have to be spayed and neutered if they are more than eight months old or you are prohibited from using the facility if your dog is in heat. This policy reduces aggressive behavior. You also have to provide proof of current immunizations when you apply for membership. Is the city going to require this or are they going to police the area and give out tickets for violations (revenue stream)?
7. Lawsuits. In a private park, your dog must not be aggressive. If it is determined that the canine is aggressive then the membership is revoked. How will the city address this issue and what will be the expense to implement the policy? At some point, there will be either an attack or an illness that is related to the dog park. Will the city be sued? I do not know what the future holds but I am concerned.
8. Clean up stations. There are clean up stations in private parks. This is a place where you can wash the dog off. There are also areas where fecal collections bags are available. Will these be available at this proposed park? If there are shower stations, what are the anticipated expense for the water? How will the City insure that water is not wasted by leaks or when the water is left on? What is the cost of fecal collection bags, who will stock them and what measures will be implemented to guard against theft or vandalism?
9. Jacksonville Beach has a free dog park. There is a list of 17 rules but there is no attendant to enforce the rules. How will Jacksonville enforce similar rules? Here is a link to the rules page for Jacksonville Beach's rules page?
http://www.pawsparkjaxbeach.com/rules1.php
I am certain that there are other factors that have not yet come to mind. The ones I have detailed provide sufficient doubt to the wisdom of such an expenditure.
I recommend that this bill not be passed.
List of Dog Parks in Jacksonville area from the Jacksonville Humane Society:
Confederate Dog Park, (956 Hubbard St., Jacksonville) Springfield, free to the public.
Dog Wood Park of Jacksonville, membership-only.
Julington Creek Animal Walk, membership-only.
Paws Dog Park at Wingate Park, free to the public.
Poochies Swim and Play Park, Inc., Inc., membership-only.
Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve, free to the public.
Treaty Park (1595 Wildwood Dr., St. Augustine), free to the public.
Veterans Park (1332 Veterans Prkwy., St. Johns County), free to the public.
Views: 4
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Roma and Tom Cox on
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amazing! The city also created, and now maintains a bike trail from Baldwin to Jacksonville . They also maintain some golf courses
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Permalink Reply by Dawn Holder on
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The Charter does say that the city is required to provide for Parks but there is only so much land that we can afford to maintain properly. It is my opinion that we have surpassed that point! I was a volunteer at what is now the Tillie Fowler Regional Park for several years and the grass was always obscuring the paved road. There is bamboo in that park that impeded the walking paths which volunteers cleaned up at one point.
Parks often have over flowing trash containers which is a sanitation issue.
Look my discussion on the $8,000 for electricity. That is a case where we are "paying" to use a PRIVATE park/facility. There is no amount listed on the bill but the total for that bill is over $14,000 years and the terms are up 15 years, for a potential cost of $210,000 at current costs just to mow, take out the trash and pay JEA bill. That does not include the funds to make improvements to this private park/facility, increased labor costs (city employees to pick up trash and mow) or the increases in JEA rates which are going to increase.
I don't know what to do but I do know that we have to STOP spending money like this.
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You are doing more than you think Dawn. Approximately 10 years ago I began talking to people about the cost of illegal aliens, corporate welfare, the deficits, and other issues. As a business owner in the construction industry, I saw things few others witnessed. Almost no one saw what I was seeing. I was told that the illegal labor force was great because it made for cheap products. They did not see how all the welfare amounted to the most costly labor force in history (not for the employer, but for the people).
Back then almost everyone thought NAFTA, WTO, ext (corporate welfare) was free trade, and did not realize that government subsidies to a few select companies, and government regulation was not "Free Trade"m and were destroying American businesses. But, like you, I kept talking because something kept moving me to do so.
Now everyone is talking about these things now. Judge Napolitano last night mentioned "corporate welfare". 70% of the population is against open borders.
So I understand your frustration about reaching so many dead ends. But you see what others are not seeing because of your experiences. Keep talking, but be good to yourself in the process because turning things around will take years of effort. Keep a calm slow steady pace, and know that a Higher Power is working with you.
I did not mean to give a lecture (forgive me). I just remember how hard I was on myself, and how calming now to know that others like Judge Napolitano, Glen Beck, Ron Paul, the Tea Party and many others are reaching more people than I. Had I know what the future held, I would not have fretted so much, and would have taken better care of myself.
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Thanks for the kind words and I don't view your comments as being a lecture.
I am one of those people who bites off more than they can chew. However, my husband is very good about let me know when I need to take a break. I have been reviewing local bills for a couple months now and posting them elsewhere. I just decided to post some here too. I have set aside some projects so that I could focus, and hopefully that will help. There are some things that I don't research at all. I am absolutely ill equipped to comment on Future Land Use Maps or zoning issues. I don't research appointments either. I just look at the appropriation and policy bills so that cuts the number of things that get reviewed. Posting is easy, I post it here and then cut and past to two other locations. One location is a website that my eldest started for me and the other one is the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County's email group.
Maybe someone will come along and take on the things that I feel ill suited to address. I have some help on some of the issues. I might post some of their work or recommend that they set up an account and post it themselves. I will keep your sage advise in mind and I appreciate the concern. It is a marathon not a race!
God Bless,
Dawn
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This waste of money has been approved in committee. It will pass into law unless we can convince someone to pull it and have it voted up or down individually. If we can't convince someone of this the it will be lumped with other bills and passed with one vote under the Consent Agenda.
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