Daily Record Financial News &
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Vol. 102, No. 203 • Two Sections
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
DIA to vote on Healthy Town
By David Chapman Staff Writer The project that could transform the Southbank is making healthy progress. Healthy Town, the current moniker for the large mixeduse project led by Peter Rummell and Mike Balanky, seeks approval today from the Downtown Investment Authority for the development rights on the former JEA Southside Generating Station. In effect, it means the develop-
ment plan submitted by Elements Development of Jacksonville — Rummell’s group — works with Downtown’s business improvement plan. The development rights granted would mean Elements could proceed with its ideas for Phase I of the three-phase project. The initial phase calls for 500 residential units, 200 hotel rooms, 94,400 square feet of commercial and retail offerings and 200,000 square feet of office space. Phase II and III are smaller — 200 residential units and 100,000 square
feet total of commercial and retail for part two and 470 residential units and 94,100 square feet of commercial and retail for the final phase. A news release from Elements this morning showed renderings and described the guiding principles for Healthy Town. They include: • Unintentional exercise, with a design that encourages walkability. • “Gen H,” a community of all ages that embrace health living. DIA continued on Page A-2
Special to the Daily Record
Developers release renderings, plan naming contest
A street-level rendering of Healthy Town, the planned mixed-use community along the Southbank. The concept focuses on healthy living from groups of all ages.
Council backs off budget appeal
‘Little salesman’ to big businessman Klempf found success in eggs and restaurants
Property appraiser’s raises will go through By David Chapman Staff Writer
By Karen Brune Mathis Managing Editor
Not wanting all eggs in one basket
A half-century later, Klempf runs Foodonics International Inc., which comprises Dixie Egg Co. and nine other companies in the egg business. Dixie Egg was founded in 1948. Klempf continued on Page A-4
Public
Jacques Klempf is renovating the Cowford Chophouse for a summer 2016 opening.
legal notices begin on page
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Photo by Karen Brune Mathis
Hauling them in a little red wagon, 8-year-old Jacques Klempf sold eggs doorto-door in his 1960s Beauclerc neighborhood. “Jacques was very entrepreneurial,” recalled customer Joanne Roobin. She said the boy was prompt, pleasant, sweet and attentive to detail. The eggs were nice and fresh. If one was cracked, he would replace it. That made an impression. Klempf ran and built the business — enlisting the customers, filling orders each Saturday and collecting the money. “He was a little salesman,” said Roobin, mother to Klempf’s friends Sonny, Jon and Todd. Klempf bought those eggs from his father, eventually following him as president of the Jacksonville-based Dixie Egg Co. Back in the neighborhood, he paid his dad 65 cents a dozen and sold them for a dime more. Until he wised up, he split the profits 50-50 with his older brother, who helped count the money. “I got a little smarter each year,” Klempf said. That venture lasted about three years but it led, as Roobin expected, to so much more.
Facing long odds and the possibility of spending more than it could save, City Council halted its appeal of the Property Appraiser’s budget to the state. Council members during budget reviews had concerns with Jerry Holland’s budget including about $365,000 in pay increases. In late July, some council members pushed back on the merit pool and competitive pay adjustments, calling it an issue of fairness. Many city employees haven’t seen increases — and actually have had cuts — in the past several years, they said. After receiving the go-ahead from council, Mayor Lenny Curry’s administration asked the Department of Revenue to adjust the Property Appraiser’s budget to reflect no increase. Instead, a compromise emerged: The state approved about $182,000 of the increase, eliminating the merit pool and keeping intact some of the competitive pay adjustments. Council was on track to continue the appeal, but most members decided it wasn’t worth it. The resolution to pursue the appeal was defeated 17-2, with John Crescimbeni and Al Ferraro the lone two in support. Matt Schellenberg called the pursuit “admirable” but said information from a couple of state organizations regarding similar appeals showed the success rate was almost nonexistent. Lori Boyer afterward said as facts came in about other city departments having some forms of increase, it was a harder case to make to the state why the property appraiser couldn’t. The time and money spent might end up exceeding the savings, she said. Compounding the issue was another bill filed late that would have spent up to $50,000 on hiring outside legal counsel to Council continued on Page A-2
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