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City commissioner Chip Ross praises marina rebuild, urges board to acknowledge contributors
Summary
Departing city commissioner Chip Ross told the Fernandina Beach Marine Advisory Board that the marina has been rebuilt, debt reduced, and urged the board to recognize staff and contractors; he cited FEMA payments and projected debt elimination within six years if current trends continue.
Chip Ross, a Fernandina Beach city commissioner who identified himself during public comment, recounted the marina's recovery and urged the Marine Advisory Board to acknowledge the people who led the effort.
"When I took office seven years ago, the southern part of the marina was mostly closed in disrepair and mired in mud...the marina was heavily in debt, about $12,000,000," Ross said, adding that the southern portion has since been rebuilt, dredged and is now fully operational. He said the northern part has also been repaired and that a new management company, Oasis, "has excelled at operating and maintaining the marina."
Ross said litigation led to FEMA paying "the entirety of what FEMA originally promised, which was $6,500,000," and an additional $300,000 that a court ordered to cover interest and costs. He said those payments, along with loan forgiveness and other steps, reduced the marina's debt and that "the debt should be eliminated in six years, if the current conditions prevail." Ross attributed the progress to a handful of people, naming Dale Martin, project manager Bronson Lamb, assistant Kathy Chapman and commissioner Lynn Williams for their roles.
Board members responded during the meeting's discussion period with mixed tones of gratitude and correction. One member noted attendance records and past criticisms, and others said the board had offered recommendations that had not been accepted by the commission or contractors. The exchange included points of clarification about which officials had participated in earlier efforts, and several board members expressed support for continuing to protect and grow the marina.
Separately during old-business discussion, members and Ross revisited the status of Brett's building and Atlantic Seafood. Ross and other speakers said multiple engineering reviews had found the Brett's foundation in poor condition and that raising the structure to meet flood‑zone requirements was not feasible; demolition estimates cited in the meeting ranged from about $750,000 to $1,250,000 for demolition alone, with replacement costs depending on design.
The meeting record shows no formal board action on Brett's during this session; Ross framed his remarks as public comment and historical context. The board approved the prior meeting's minutes (with a name-spelling correction) and proceeded to other agenda items before adjourning.
The Marine Advisory Board did not take a formal vote on the FEMA payments, debt figures or demolition estimates reported by Ross; those figures were presented as his account during public comment. Next procedural steps mentioned by members included possible outreach to the city commission, pursuit of RFPs for Brett's, and continued liaison with the new city commission after it is seated.
