Daily Record Financial News &
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017
Vol. 104, No. 064 • oNe SectioN
FBC is closer to $10M site in Nocatee
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JU partners with Ocearch
Special to the Daily Record
First Baptist Church Jacksonville still awaits the $10 million in donations it needs to break ground, but it is taking a step toward a new campus in Nocatee. Judson Leverette, director of business administration for Downtown-based First Baptist, said leaders continue to work on architectural plans for First Baptist Church Nocatee. Leverette said Nocatee was chosen because it is a growing community. “That’s where a lot of our young people are living right now and it makes it a whole lot easier for them to have a church in their community,” he said. Leverette said some churchgoers don’t like to drive Downtown anymore. “They want something closer to home,” he said. Nocatee is about 26 miles from Downtown, where First Baptist has its large main campus at 124 W. Ashley St. Preliminary engineering plans are in city review for almost 22 acres of the Nocatee site, identified along Valley Ridge Road. The site straddles the county line. The majority of the campus is in Duval County, with sports fields in St. Johns. Plans show a church, playground and the sports fields. They also indicate a preschool day care. The proposed building footprint is 40,850 square feet, but that doesn’t include multiple stories. Leverette said that was the extent of the plans for now. Connelly & Wicker Inc. is the civil engineer. He declined to predict a start and completion date and said the project will be paid for by donations, not with debt. First Baptist owns the land. In July 2013, it acquired almost 22 acres of Duval County property and 7.29 acres in St. Johns. A Nocatee presence would accommodate the 500 members who now attend Sunday morning services at Ponte Vedra High School and others — existing and new. First Baptist Church also has satellites in Ortega and at the University of North Florida, where a trailer is brought in for Sunday night worship. He said membership exceeds 15,000 people. MATHIS CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
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Chris Fischer’s Ocearch was in Jacksonville four years ago when it tagged Lydia, a great white shark. Ocearch and Jacksonville University announced a multiyear partnership this morning.
Deal brings opportunities, prestige to university By Marilyn Young Editor As the Ocearch vessel made its way up the St. Johns River Wednesday afternoon, it was heading home. Its new home at Jacksonville University. The world-renowned shark research nonprofit and the university were scheduled to announce this morning the launch of a partnership that JU President Tim Cost calls “one of the most substantial things we’ve ever done as a university.” The Ocearch at Jacksonville University venture is part of Cost’s strategy to pursue signature programs, such as marine sciences, that
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will attract students from around the world. The union pairs Ocearch founder Chris Fischer, whom Cost described as the “modern Jacques Cousteau,” with JU’s Quinton White, a leading expert on water issues in Northeast Florida. Fischer joined the JU faculty Jan. 1 as explorer in residence. Though he won’t teach classes, he is available for lectures. Cost said he expects Fischer to continue to carry a heavy schedule of public appearances. “What he does that attracts attention to the sciences for young people is really stellar,” Cost said. “He is a charismatic style leader.” Cost said the multiyear agreement required a six-figure invest-
ment from the university. (He would not say how many years and the amount of the investment is not public record for the private institution.) “I consider it a moderate investment for the magnitude of the return,” he said. The investment and the benefits go beyond the Marine Science Research Institute, of which White is executive director. It allows JU “to go to students and their families around the world and talk in a different way,” Cost said. Not only will the program attract students interested in marine sciences, it’s something those from other disciplines can participate in. OCEARCH CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
HRO headed for vote Tuesday; referendum push likely
It appears the latest chapter in Jacksonville’s Human Rights Ordinance story that started nearly five weeks ago could end Tuesday. Maybe. Three City Council committees — Finance, Rules and Neighborhood, Community Investment & Services — voted this week to send Ordinance 2017-15 to the council as a whole. If enacted, it would expand the city’s anti-discrimination law to
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include members of the LGBT community, based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Council members Aaron Bowman, Tommy Hazouri and Jim Love introduced the latest legislation Jan. 4. Since then, the debate has centered on many of the issues that surrounded similar proposals in 2012 — which was defeated by a 10-9 vote — and in 2015 when a bill protecting the rights of LGBT people was withdrawn before it was put to a vote. When the proposed ordinance was taken up Wednesday by
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By Max Marbut Staff Writer
If you think simply passing this ordinance will end it, you’re wrong. Put it on the ballot and be done with it. Bill Gulliford
On why he will probably introduce ordinance for referendum on human rights ordinance expansion the Finance Committee, council member Bill Gulliford offered an amendment that would put the question to the voters in a refer-
endum in August 2018. Gulliford said he has received hundreds of emails from constituents who wanted to voice their
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opinion on the issue and it looks to him like a nearly even split. “To me, it’s (a referendum) the only way,” he said. “Since it affects so many people, it makes sense to put it out there.” Citing the discussion about expanding rights protection that started in 2012, Gulliford said he’s convinced that no matter what the full council does Tuesday, the debate likely will continue. “If you think simply passing this ordinance will end it, you’re wrong. Put it on the ballot and be done with it,” he said. HRO CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
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