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Orange Park council denies fee waiver for Community Care Day; applicant urged to pursue standard permit
Summary
The council voted 5–0 to deny a request from Lynn Martinez and Mount Zion AME Church to waive park and municipal fees for a free Community Care Day planned for June 6, 2026. Council cited liability, staffing, sanitation and parking concerns and suggested administrative follow-up if the group pays established fees.
Lynn Martinez, speaking for Community Care Day 2026 in partnership with Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church, asked the Orange Park Town Council on Feb. 3 to waive municipal fees so the group could hold a free outreach event at Town Hall Park on June 6 offering health screenings, food and social-service referrals. Martinez said the organizers expect 700 to 1,000 attendees and that waiving fees would allow limited church funds to be spent on services rather than site costs.
Council members pressed for logistical details and fiscal clarity. Town staff noted the town’s baseline fee estimate was about $600–$605 (park rental $200, event permit $50, public-works staffing $270, power/water $50, fire inspection $35), but cautioned that actual costs for an event projected at several hundred to more than 1,000 people could be substantially higher once porta-potties, trash removal, traffic control and additional public safety staffing are counted. “We have multiple questions…there’s a lot of unknowns and fiscal exposure,” the town manager said during the discussion.
Council members also raised public-safety and parking concerns, asking whether the applicant had secured liability insurance naming the town as an additional insured and whether volunteers or private security would handle traffic and crowd control. Martinez said she had submitted proof of liability insurance and was working with physicians and volunteers to provide medical services; she acknowledged the event was new for her organization in this community.
After discussion, a motion to deny the request to waive all applicable fees carried on a 5–0 vote. The council’s vote was recorded as: Councilman Dunfield — Aye; Mayor Anderson — Aye; Vice Mayor Sandlin — Aye; Councilman Vogel — Aye; Councilman Taylor — Aye. Staff told Martinez she may proceed administratively to pay the regular fees and work with staff on outstanding insurance and logistics requirements.
The denial preserves the town’s current fee schedule and asks administrative staff to continue working with the applicant on compliance and detailed cost estimates. Martinez was directed to contact staff about paying the standard fee and completing required permitting steps if she wished to keep the June 6 date.
