It was a transformative shift for Fernandina Beach's governance Wednesday, as incoming City Manager Sarah Campbell along with two newly elected city commissioners unofficially attended their first commission meeting.
For Campbell, it was a return to the commission chambers for the first time since her controversial hiring last September. She witnessed farewell tributes to three departing commissioners while preparing to inherit a slew of major municipal projects worth millions.
Campbell, who was hired from the city of Orange Park by a narrow 3-2 vote in September, begins work on December 2 with a significantly altered commission makeup. Two of her staunchest backers – Vice Mayor David Sturges and Mayor Bradley Bean – lost their reelection bids Tuesday, while Commissioner Chip Ross, who opposed her hiring, is stepping down due to term limits.
The political landscape shift leaves only Commissioner Darron Ayscue as the remaining supporter of Campbell's hiring to run the city. Mayor-elect James Antun had previously voted against her hiring, which drew close scrutiny due to family connections – Campbell's husband serves as district director for U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean, father of the outgoing mayor.
Among Campbell's most pressing challenges will be ruling on Rayonier Advanced Materials' (RYAM) controversial bid for a bioethanol production facility. The decision falls solely under the city manager's authority, not the commission's, according to the city's Land Development Code. While the code prohibits chemical manufacturing, and an expert legal opinion has classified RYAM's proposed operation as such, the company plans to argue its process constitutes fermentation instead.
Interim City Manager Jeremiah Glisson outlined the review process, explaining that the first step is "what does the TRC (Technical Review Committee) need from RYAM to bring forward the application for review? The TRC review process is a collaborative effort with city staff and they review how it meshes with all aspects of city code, the Comprehensive Plan. There may be multiple (TRC) meetings. And ultimately any decision or determination is made by the city manager, but that decision is not made in a vacuum, it's a collaborative effort."
RYAM has not indicated when it would apply for the building permit.
Campbell also inherits numerous major infrastructure projects, including:
The $2 million+ Amelia Waterfront Park, scheduled for construction from December 2024 to May 2025
A $1.2 million downtown revitalization initiative
The $3.47 million Alachua Street opening project
Marina improvements including dredging ($750,000) and fuel tank replacement ($425,000)
A $2.65 million airport taxiway rehabilitation project
Perhaps most daunting is the unfinished riverfront flood prevention wall, estimated at over $16 million to complete, whose recent engineering plans were rejected by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Adding to the challenges are four key leadership vacancies: city engineer, fire chief, airport manager, and comptroller positions all need to be filled. The city engineer role, vacant since Charlie George's passing in August, is particularly crucial given oversight of more than 50 ongoing projects.
The reconstituted commission, including newly elected Genece Minshew, Joyce Tuten, and Tim Poynter, will be sworn in on November 19, marking the beginning of a new era in Fernandina Beach's governance under Campbell's administration.
Public comments were dominated by tributes to the departing commissioners, particularly Ross, a retired emergency room physician known for his detailed, data-driven analysis of city issues.
"Chip Ross can best be described as a lightning rod. And a lightning rod can best be described in two ways depending on whether you agreed with him," said Tammi Kosack. "But what goes without dispute is the amount of time, effort and dedication he poured into his role as city commissioner. He took the time to learn and understand and reach out to people to understand the issues. In this arena (historic downtown) both Faith and Chip walked the talk. They preserve and care for both the built and the natural environment."
Paul Lore emphasized that beyond public service, the commissioners are foremost members of the community.
"I think everybody deserves a piece credit because that's what makes Fernandina work the best," said Paul Lore. "We had agreements, disagreements but above all we're going to see each other somewhere around town, there's nothing stronger than loving one another no matter what."
Why did we vote in Genece Minshew and Joyce Tuten? They lied about their party. We voted red except for them. I hope we're all ready for the gay parades and public schools transitioning your kids. And this thing is easy, you can't have chemical manufacturing. Period.
Under the radar is the fire chief position. RYAM's ethanol plant requires some sophisticated equipment to deal with an ethanol explosion/fire. RYAM has not said it will provide that equipment, which would require the city to obtain it and provide the necessary training. The fire chief is a member of the the Technical Review Committee. In his review of the application he could/should require that RYAM provide that equipment.