Sarah Campbell is the first woman city manager of Fernandina Beach but she arrives without the full backing of all five city commissioners.
Campbell, the town manager of Orange Park, was first hired on a split 3-2 vote in early September with Mayor Bradley Bean, Vice Mayor David Sturges and Commissioner Darron Ayscue in support. Commissioners Chip Ross and James Antun favored another candidate.
Last Tuesday, the same vote was cast in giving Campbell a base $205,000 salary, with two $10,000 raises in the first year if she achieved two "satisfactory" performance reviews. She was also given 20 weeks severance if terminated without cause.
Those parts of the contract drew opposition from Ross and Antun.
Ross said instead of performance review bonuses, Campbell should be given a list of incentives to be completed to earn the $20,000 in raises. He also objected to the 20 weeks severance, citing that former City Manager Dale Martin, who had been with the city for over seven years, was given just 12 weeks severance when he was abruptly fired in early 2023.
"I also believe there should be a probationary period just like any other city employee," Ross said. "Also I have a whole problem with 'satisfactory' which is very vague."
Ayscue argued that the salary was needed because of the cost of living requirement of having to reside in Fernandina Beach. He also stated that objections to the contract were because Campbell was a woman.
"But I can also say if that was my daughter and this commission did not give the same amount of money to....."
That last comment drew objections from Antun and Ross.
"I'm not opposed to paying more, I just think you need to earn it," Ross said. He called Ayscue's statement offensive and said "I do not find that appropriate and it (gender) has nothing to do with this."
Antun argued that even at the base salary of $190,000, that was more pay then his household income and was not a basis to the higher salary.
But Bean claimed in the 200 year history of the city, the city manager was never held to an incentive program to earn additional salary. He said in comparing the salary to like-sized cities in Florida "we are getting a good deal.
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