The Gainesville City Commission voted Thursday on a seven-part motion aimed at boosting economic development and placing different city projects into a singular plan.
To fund the initiatives, city staff presented the idea of a general obligation bond that could generate from $65 million up to $200 million in 10 years. That bond would need to be voter-approved and would show up as a tax increase.
The City Commission didn’t directly address if they’d try to use a bond, but the list of unfunded projects would require tens of millions to complete. The plan for 8th Avenue and Waldo Road alone could cost up to $100 million, including a stadium, a new multipurpose center and a pool. Other unfunded projects include a revamp for City Hall and the Historic Thomas Center, park development in Southwest Gainesville, a cultural arts center and Public Works emergency operations enhancements.
In a later budget workshop on Thursday, city staff showed a $5.3 million gap between expected incoming revenues and current planned expenses. Commissioners and city leaders said they’ve gone through multiple years of position and service cuts since the Florida Legislature decided to remove operational control of Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) from the city and give it to a newly created authority.
While annual general fund budgets remain tight, city leaders noted that conservative management over the course of years has yielded a reserve fund above what’s needed. The reserve fund contains around $18 million more than the minimum required to meet state standards.
At a March budget meeting, commissioners said it’s time to spend the fund, but they want to find one-time expenses for the money, not just filling recurring budget holes.
The economic development meeting looked at creating a regional Leadership Council with Santa Fe College, UF, Alachua County, the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce and other stakeholders. Commissioners also approved of an idea to create an ombudsman position to liaison between major development projects and city departments.
The presentation looked at projects on city-owned properties like the Old Fire Station and the Power District. The city is trying to sell the station and had plans for the Power District before the split with GRU halted the project.
Another project where an ombudsman could help coordinate would be Lot 10. The city sold the property with certain assurances that a multi-story building would rise within a certain timeframe. That contract has been extended multiple times, most recently in December, but construction hasn’t started. Commissioners have said they would be hesitant to approve another extension.
The approved motion allows city staff to continue negotiations with the Alachua County Public School district on a partnership over the Citizens Field renovation, potentially even allowing the district to own the property in order to access capital funds. The School Board of Alachua County voted this week to prepare and send a proposal.
Another part directed staff to begin talking with Alachua County over the Gainesville Community Redevelopment Area (GCRA). Both governments contribute to the funding pot for the GCRA, but that contract expires in 2029 and needs to be renegotiated to extend longer.
The motion also directs city staff to put together a work plan for a general obligation bond with a schedule of potential projects and costs. A goal would be to place the bond before voters no later than 2027.
City Manager Cynthia Curry said the work plan would likely come in the next month for consideration. She said the commissioners have directed staff to tackle economic development and the city has a lot of projects in the works. But Curry said city-wide economic development can’t happen in a vacuum without other partners or funding.