Town manager says OPAA must provide insurance and sign lease before use continues

The Orange Park Culture and Recreation Committee heard an update Feb. 11 on the unsigned license agreement for OPAA Park and was told the town will not finalize the contract until OPAA provides required insurance and documentation.

Town Manager William Whitson said the document the town council previously approved has not been signed because OPAA and its attorney proposed changes the town will not accept. "None of the changes suggested by their attorney will be acceptable," Whitson said, but he described one narrow amendment the town can accommodate: secure, limited fuel storage for small field-maintenance equipment.

Whitson summarized the fuel issue: containers must be stored in a flammable-liquid storage cabinet, be proper containers and be less than 30 gallons. "If they could do that, then our folks ... are okay with that," he said, referencing a written response from the fire chief.

Emily Hodges, town attorney, and staff stressed insurance and other deliverables remain outstanding. Hodges said the town had only recently received the attorney comments and that the town still needs copies of the certificates of insurance showing commercial general liability and property insurance and naming the town as an additional insured.

OPAA representative Mister Harris told the committee OPAA holds separate policies for park premises, football/cheer and baseball/softball and that the organization expects to provide the certificate listing the town as additional insured imminently. "The 1 policy we're waiting for is having you guys added as an additional insured," Harris said.

Committee members and staff noted the license requires several deliverables to bring the town records up to date. Whitson and Hodges identified documents the town had asked for: bank statements from 07/01/2023–06/30/2024, profit-and-loss and balance sheets for the same period, the IRS tax-exempt filing for the fiscal year preceding the agreement and a program report that lists participant fees, expenses, revenue and the number of town-resident participants for 07/01/2023–06/30/2024 (and then an updated report through March 31, 2025 due April 30, 2025).

Hodges and Whitson recommended immediate compliance. Whitson said his office would recommend that, absent receipt of the additional-insured certificate and the outstanding deliverables by the next business day(s), the town should consider suspending OPAA operations on town property until the documentation is provided. "If we don't have it soon, then we're going to have to close down their operation," he said, suggesting a firm deadline to prompt compliance.

On background screenings, Hodges said the town will add a citation to the new Florida statute that, as of Jan. 1, 2025, specifically requires background screening for adults volunteering or working with children in athletic programs. She told OPAA's attorney she had already sent a revised draft reflecting that statutory reference.

Where discussion moved to timing, Whitson confirmed the license term, if executed, would run through Sept. 30 of the current year and that quarterly deliverables are required, the next one roughly due at the end of April. Staff reiterated the immediate priorities: a signed agreement, an additional-insured certificate, and the other listed financial and program reports.

The committee did not take a formal vote on the contract at the meeting; staff said the town council had already authorized execution of the license but that town staff would withhold signing until requested documentation arrives and is validated.

Ending: Committee members urged OPAA to provide the documents quickly so the town can finalize the license and, if appropriate, amend the agreement with the limited fuel-storage language. Staff said they will report back if documents arrive or if the town moves to suspend operations.