Hollywood
Waterfront Opportunities
City considers Marine Advisory Board to stem tide of decreasing
revenue flow
By Jonathan Del Marcus
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Hollywood City Commissioner Heidi O’Sheehan |
Hollywood City Commissioner Heidi O’Sheehan doesn’t believe the
city is taking advantage of its coveted
oceanside location.
So, on Feb. 20, she recommended that
Hollywood form a new Marine Advisory Board to tell the City
Commission how to diversify and increase the city’s revenue
sources and derive greater benefits from its waterfront setting.
The board would have three goals: to increase economic revenue for
marine industries in
Hollywood,
to encourage students and residents to pursue marine industry
careers and to increase marine activity opportunities for
residents and tourists.
Through discussions with Frank Herhold, executive director, Marine
Industries Association of South Florida, and her attendance at a
marine industry conference at the Broward County Convention
Center late last year, O’Sheehan became convinced that Hollywood
was not taking advantage of its position as a sought-after home
for those seeking marine lifestyles.
“I think it’s something that
Hollywood has kind of overlooked,” she said. “A lot of people
live in Florida because they like the marine lifestyle. We have
a lot of water line, but not that many marine activities.”
O’Sheehan noted that the marine industry had a $10.8 billion
economic impact in
Broward
County alone in 2005.
She also pointed out that the nearby Fort Lauderdale Boat Show
creates more economic impact on the state of
Florida than even the Super Bowl.
Plus, the marine industry needs more than 220,000 employees — 73
percent of whom work in the three
South Florida
counties.
“We have really significant work force needs,” she said. “This is
an area where not every kid is going to go on to college. The
marine industry can show a path for a career that they can
follow.”
The commission appeared to agree about the usefulness of the board
last Wednesday, as all of the commissioners, including Mayor
Peter Bober and Vice Mayor Richard Blattner, approved the
concept. O’Sheehan recommended that the board be composed of
seven to nine members, including at least three
Hollywood residents and three marine industry representatives.
The commission will vote on the matter at a future meeting. Once
approved, the new board would begin meeting in June or shortly
thereafter, O’Sheehan envisions.
“We want to move forward with resident and industry concerns,” she
noted.
O’Sheehan, who was elected to the city’s District 3 seat Jan. 29,
is serving her first four-year term on the commission.
“There are going to be a lot of budget cuts,” she said. “We need to
look for new ways to expand our revenue base and to diversify.
And I don’t think
Hollywood
has made full use of the potential that we have.”
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letters@miamisunpost.com |
