Deck The Chairs (DTC) has an updated contract following a unanimous vote by the Jacksonville Beach City Council to approve a new three-year contract.
During a March 2 council briefing, city officials directed staff to negotiate a new agreement and narrow it down to a three-year window to allow for the completion of the downtown hotel construction to determine the impact would be on pedestrian traffic in the downtown area “and see how Deck The Chairs would fit in in the future rather than do a five-year agreement or longer,” said City Manager Mike Staffopoulos.
“The other key focus points that council had for guidance was that we had a right-to-audit within in the agreement. So, staff went out and over these last few months has negotiated with Deck The Chairs on a new agreement.”
Highlights of the new agreement include three consecutive years beginning in 2021-22 and ending in calendar year 2023-24, a revised audit responsibility and a restructure of the city-agreed services to include installing lights at Latham Plaza, SeaWalk Pavilion space and City Hall. Also, a provision of annual funding for $7,500 per year for lighting and audio-visual expenses and city would maintain the current financial language based on approval of the City Council.
“Deck The Chairs requested that two new exhibits be attached at the end of the agreement. As you may recall from last year, Deck The Chairs came forward last year and asked for additional funding in excess of $10,000 for specific expenses last year and that didn’t make it into the budget,” noted Staffopoulos.
“The $7,500 is basically a menu list that can be used toward items that are referenced in the agreement. One of the reasons that there is a dollar amount proposed over the next three years is that in community conversations, there has been a desire to maintain 'family friendly activities' in the downtown area. Deck The Chairs rates rather high amongst the people that find it fits the category.”
“I truly believe you will do the right things … but this approval will be based on council opinion. We essentially rely on opinion alone in assessing the worthiness of this event and where the DTC fits in the framework of future downtown events,” said Jacksonville Beach resident Ken Marsh. “Is it going to be determined on opinion again or will there be more substance behind it?”
Kurtis Loftus, founder of Deck The Chairs, said the DTC mission promotes the arts and fosters community pride and involvement through a creative display of public art featuring lighting and 18 iconic lifeguard chairs. The event also supports the city’s vision and promoting core values including safety, family-friendly, walkability, small community feel, open space, entertainment and mixed uses.
“Jacksonville Beach has worked decades to position the city as a great place to live, work and play. As a young organization, Deck The Chairs appreciates the opportunity provided by the city leadership to create a unique public-private partnership that supports the positive narrative that winter at the beaches is safe and welcoming,” said Loftus.
“In 2012, the Jacksonville Beach winter holiday season at the beaches was dark and the downtown space was void of Christmas decorations and activity. Residents and business leaders took notice and activated themselves to develop a concept that could provide a family-friendly holiday experience at the Beaches. In 2013, Deck The Chairs was launched and instantly captured the imagination of the Beaches by welcoming residents and visitors to a safe, fun and creatively-decorated beachfront space.”
Since its inception, DTC has grown into a quarter of a million-dollar annual event with six weeks of free public art with 18 iconic lifeguard chairs as the central focus. Following the formal partnership in 2016, Loftus said attendance has continued to grow to over 60,000 annual visitors. In 2019, Deck The Chairs partnered with Beaches Go green to create a whimsical octopus garden manufactured entirely from single-use plastic. Area restaurants have reported a 30 percent sales increase in December.
“Deck The Chairs is proud of the partnership we’ve developed with the city of Jacksonville Beach in a welcoming, safe environment. Through continued city support, we believe Deck The Chairs can be a sustaining economic instrument for the Beaches during the winter season,” said Loftus. “We hope that our hard work is the beginning of a template for future partnerships and more and more people get inspired by what we are doing and find ways to make the community the best we can be.”
Mayor Charlie Latham called the event a “shining star” for the Beaches, particularly during a season of social unrest and a global pandemic. “When it first started, there was a glimmer of hope that we could create something that would be comparable to St. Augustine and I think Kurtis has been able to do that,” he said. “You can go there the first day or the last day and it’s going to be crowded.”
