This week allegations were made over redevelopment at Jekyll Island.
At a Senate committee meeting earlier this week, things got tense as Republican Senator Jeff Chapman of Brunswick traded barbs with the head of the Jekyll Island Authority.
Recently, redevelopment at the state owned park has centered around Chapman's allegations that the Jekyll Authority has purposely under reported its revenue for more than a decade. "He published in all the media that we had hidden $11 million dollars from the public and that is an absolute untruth and the senator knew it when he said so," said Jekyll Island Authority Chair Ben Porter."
Chapman responded by saying,
"If the Chairman of the JIA has issue with and is bold enough to believe that the state department of audits records aren't accurate, well, I'll let him deal with them."Chapman also contends the group has been negligent. First by allowing property at Jekyll to fall into disrepair. Secondly, by accepting a redevelopment proposal that radically changes the footprint of property on the island. Not true, however, says Jekyll Island spokesman Eric Garvey.
"That's a misunderstanding of the conditions of Jekyll Island. Now, most of the properties were built in the 60's. They grew old ... about the same time, because they were built about the same time. So, to accuse Jekyll Island Authority previous administrations over mismanagement, I just think is not accurate."In addition to accusing Jekyll Island officials of under reporting revenue, Chapman says the group has under counted visitors to the site, by as much as 1.5 million visitors as far back as 1995. Chapman says he was able to track the numbers by combing through state archives of the DOT, because park visitors pay a fee.
Chapman was the main sponsor behind legislation that would have prohibited new private residential housing on any state-owned land, and would have limited the style and character of any new structures built in state park property. And, while Chapman called the defeat of the bills a blow for the average Georgian, Island officials say the opposite is true.
"Pass these three bills and I will promise you, you have killed the revitalize initiative that's underway. If you don't want to stop that, you need to stop these bills," says Porter.Two of the three bills did not make it past the Senate Economic Development Committee. However, Chapman has vowed not to give up the fight.
The redevelopment plan for the state owned park calls for a 64 acre site with more than 1-thousand rental units, including condominiums and time shares. Total cost for the plan is 352-million dollars.
