Four candidates vying for three open seats on the Fernandina Beach city commission this November homed in on key city issues Wednesday night at the Atlantic Rec Center.
Seat 1 candidate Joyce Tuten, Seat 2 candidate Genece Minshew and Seat 3 candidates Christy Kelly and Tim Poynter addressed a crowd of more than 200 people, with others watching via live stream while taking question for 90 minutes.
Also, on the podium was Commissioner James Antun, who is running for mayor.
Choosing not to participate were Mayor Bradley Bean (Seat 1), Vice Mayor David Sturges (Seat 2) and Commissioner Darron Ayscue (Mayor).
The Mayor's race:
Commissioner Antun stated: "Currently as we sit now, we're on the horizon of a lot of changes in our city. And I look forward to being not only able to preserve our beautiful island that we have with wonderful beaches and a wonderful downtown. I also look forward to being able make sure that this city can continue to maintain what is has rather than shoot from the hip. I'd like to discuss opportunities on how we can make money for the city without increasing (tax) millage. I'd discuss opportunities on how we can put back public feedback to drive agendas at meetings. If I'm the mayor I won't stop until we can allow that to be the very first priority that people are heard first."
Commissioner Ayscue was absent.
Summary of the candidate's answers:
Opportunities/obstacles/vision
Tuten:
"We are facing a vision of what we all imagine the future to be for our children and grandchildren. But we can't wish to be there without putting processes in place to get there."
She said a revolving door of making last minute decisions was not the way to achieve a vision for the city.
"We can reach our vision if we have better leadership."
Poynter:
"When you don't have leadership, things fall apart. The last couple of years we've really been struggling with leadership on the commission."
He pointed to the commission moving public comment from the beginning of meetings to the end of the agenda. Poynter talked about the city's Land Development Code stating people have property rights, but so do the citizens of Fernandina in regard to city owned property. He opposes public/private partnerships involving city owned parcels.
Minshew:
"The lack of leadership over the past several years have been obstacles to our success."
She added the other obstacle was the lack of long-term planning. She said the city's five-year capital improvement plan was not being followed.
"We need to be thinking longer term about what we want the city to be."
Kelly:
"The opportunities in the future ... our children, our families to take care of them first. Opportunities for public/private collaboration with the integrity of our small town are huge and they're everywhere. We can bring in responsible business owners and development and do it wisely and bring some revenue into the city for projects we desperately need without putting a penny on the taxpayer."
She said the obstacle has been the absence of a full-time city manager.
First priority
Poynter: "We haven't been on the same page for a long time. Nationally we're not on the same page, county wide we're not on the same page and locally we're not on the same page. It's not going to take a lot to make this place great. Until we start looking at ourselves it's not going to happen."
He said conducting town hall meetings would be an important part of having everyone on the same page.
Tuten: Her priority would be team building.
"An easy, super first fix would be to start some town halls. We are not all going to agree on all issues. But we can come pretty close if we discuss."
She said if the city doesn't involve citizens in discussions "We cannot fix complex issues."
Minshew: "I'm kind of a work your plan kind of girl. So, I would look at what is our plan for moving forward and what are the priorities for the city."
She stressed gaining community input and what does the city commission want the new city manager to tackle first.
Kelly: "I would begin with the budget and how we are spending our money currently on 'wants' and not the 'needs' of the city. We have some major issues. Almost everything is in disrepair and we're building a (riverfront) park."
She said the city has a spending problem. "We need to get our budget in order and our spending in line."
Ethics/Ethical leadership
Minshew: "Ethical leadership is transparent leadership. It is people who are open, willing to listen and willing to explain what their positions are and how they're making those decisions and what information they're using to make decisions."
She said leadership is living by example and where you're taking campaign contributions from.
Also "whether it's perfectly legal or whether the optics are bad. Those are all things that drive ethical leadership."
Tuten: "It's being open and honest and being brave enough to admit when you're wrong. And brave enough to open yourself to questions."
She said the community needs to believe they are all on equal footing and being heard based on 'merit' and not on 'favor ship.'
Poynter: "If it doesn't feel right, don't do it. It's that's simple."
He said you lead by example.
"That's what this community is lacking right now, leadership by example. If it seems a little funny or someone is telling you the optics are bad on this, don't do it."
Kelly: "Lead by example. I want to be able to walk around town and not be ashamed because of a decision I made. It's all about integrity."
Handling controversial/complicated issues
Minshew: "I like facts and data. You can often take complicated, complex and contentious issues and break them down into facts and data. You only do that through talking, listening and researching and understanding what the other person is trying to say and tell you.
"I think that by being open, being willing to listen, being transparent in your analysis and putting out as much information as you can, then you can gain the trust that you need to be able to work through some of these very complicated and complex issues that we have here in the city."
Poynter: "The biggest thing you need to do is not be worried about getting re-elected. If you don't worry about getting re-elected and just worry about doing the right thing, if it doesn't work out, I'll go home that's okay, you did what you thought was right."
Kelly: "Do your research, listen to as many, actively listen to as many people as you can you know get in front of or have in front of you. Study, do as much research as you can and then let the chips fall where they may. You have to make hard choices. This is not an easy position to be in. You have to make hard choices, but you have to listen to your taxpayers, you have to listen to your constituents and make the best decision for the community."
Tuten: "It's knowing can find consensus if you want to, if you want to do the hard work of bringing all of the stakeholders in and then finding the best answer."
Balanced development
Kelly: "That's a tough one because there are personal property rights to keep in mind, but we have in place safeguards and as long as the codes and ordinances aren't changed, and we stay within what is acceptable to the residents of our community, I believe that we just have to stand firm."
Tuten: "So how do we do it more responsibly because we all drive around and are shocked by trees coming down, shocked that everywhere you turn around and feel like something more is developing. But it doesn't have to be done the way it is. There are actually laws that can be put in place, that can be changed. So, for instance, our percent of impervious surface allowed is extremely high. I've never in a city that has such a high percent that could be lower and forced and allow more water to get into the ground. It would also enable more trees to be saved. We have things in our power we can change."
Poynter: "I would have all the city property remain city property and never give it, never give an inch of it a way. That's one thing the city can control, that no developer can control us. As far as what you can do for responsible development, I think there needs to be conversations with the future developers. I don't know if there is any kind of discussion, like how can get what you want, but also get what the community wants. And what kind of incentives can we give you? It seems like this community is all or nothing. And when it's all or nothing, this is the kind of stuff you get."
Minshew: "It is almost like the crux of what people are mostly concerned about I think of in our city. You know we live in a state that's very pro-development and would very much like to take home rule away from local municipalities. We fight and work as hard as we can within the constructs of what Tallahassee puts on top of us to to protect to protect our property I agree with him city property is city property and we don't need to be leasing it or loaning it or give it in a way or whatever it is that that happens in some of those areas
"To me, it's to make the comprehensive land use plan and the Land Development code more reflective of what our community looks like today versus maybe what it looked like even 20 years ago or 10 years."
The forum is available to view here:
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