Commission Rescinds $175K Trolley Pilot with JTA, Citing Cost and Limited Resident Benefit

Trolley that ran in the city in 2015

In a unanimous 5–0 vote last Tuesday, the Fernandina Beach City Commission reversed its earlier approval of a $175,000 three-month pilot program with the Jacksonville Transit Authority (JTA) to run a downtown trolley loop, effectively canceling the initiative just weeks after greenlighting it.

Commissioner Tim Poynter raised the motion to reconsider the project and said the original intention was to support residents’ transportation needs — but after reviewing the proposed route, he concluded it was "primarily for tourists."

“People brought up the point that we’re using taxpayer dollars to benefit only tourists,” Poynter said during the meeting. “That wasn’t the intent… but it’s (trolley) not going to help people get to a grocery store or anything like that.”

Despite city staff modifying the original trolley route to include more residential areas, including neighborhoods off 11th and 13th Streets, commissioners remained unconvinced of the pilot program’s value, especially as concerns about food access and public transportation for residents intensify following the closure of Publix and Winn-Dixie grocery stores.

City Manager Sarah Campbell confirmed that no city funds had yet been expended and that the city’s financial exposure appeared minimal. JTA, she noted, had not finalized personnel hires or made substantial expenditures for the program, though the potential for legal or contractual liabilities remains uncertain.

Vice Mayor Darron Ayscue expressed frustration over the reversal, citing the considerable time city staff and community stakeholders had invested. Ayscue issued a public apology to staff and groups such as Main Street and the Chamber of Commerce who had supported the effort.

“Let's get away from the paralysis of paid parking at some point in time so we can move this city forward," Ayscue said. “Miss Gibson put a lot of time in this; she fought like heck to get the funds in the budget. We continue to see staff put in time and it just gets killed."

Commissioner Genece Minshew, who voted against the project initially, reiterated her concern that three months was not long enough to evaluate the trolley’s effectiveness and called for a more robust, year-long pilot funded through grants.

Several commissioners agreed that future transportation efforts should include better planning, multiple vehicles, and clear data objectives.

Public comments echoed the commission’s concerns and hopes. Resident Sheila Cocchi urged the city not to abandon the idea of public transit entirely.

“My fear is that if we do this the way that we’re doing it now — feels a little haphazard —we run the risk in the future of having nothing at all,” she said.

The commission's final vote to rescind the contract (Resolution 2025-103) was passed with a clear intent: the city is exiting the agreement despite the prospect of incurring financial damages if JTA seeks repayment of funds already invested in the program.

Interim City Attorney Harrison Poole noted that the lack of a termination-for-convenience clause complicates the matter, but staff will now negotiate a withdrawal with JTA.

With the pilot now shelved, commissioners emphasized the need for a more thoughtful approach to public transportation, especially in light of mounting economic and mobility challenges for Fernandina Beach residents.