Fellow commissioners expressed gratitude and thanks Wednesday for the service of Danny Fullwood, the second longest tenured member of the Ocean Highway and Port Authority board in its history, who participated in his final meeting.
Fullwood served 16 years as OHPA commissioner and was first elected in 2008.
Fullwood was presented a plaque honoring his service by OHPA Chair Miriam Hill.
"I attended (OHPA) board meeting for the next two years just to get familiar with what the job was," Fullwood explained in preparing to run for office.
He was elected four times to OHPA and was chairman of OHPA six times. He was also vice-chair and secretary/treasurer of the commission.
"I worked with three different port operators, four port attorneys, five office managers and two port accountants as well as many port commissioners," Fullwood said. "A lot has been accomplished in the past 16 years, I have made some mistakes, but I have no regrets because the future looks bright for the Port of Fernandina. As five OHPA commissioner we all have our opinions and we not always agree, but I admonish you to work together and work with the operator to make sure all we do benefits and advances the Port of Fernandina."
Elmer Lasserre served 38 years and Ron Braddock 17 years as the longest serving OHPA commissioners.
Despite leaving the OHPA board, Fullwood said he would still be engaged with port activities. He did not disclose his future role.
"There are some things that I was working on that I will make sure they get accomplished," Fullwood said. "You will see me again and you might be surprised with what could happen."
Port proposed expansion plans often conflicted with nearby residential property owners in the city's historic district. A move to have cruise ships and a passenger terminal were scuttled when residents organized and voiced opposition at OHPA meetings.
When the cash-strapped port needed money and put its property for sale in the neighborhood, homeowners again rallied and succeeded in having a provision included in the sale that only houses could be built on the parcels.
OHPA also was involved in prolonged legal battles including a lawsuit with the city over Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) obligations that was finally settled this year.
The port was able to endorse a Master Plan in 2023 and added two new cargo cranes in 2019 and erected two huge fabric warehouse tents to accommodate increased cargo storage.
In 2018, OHPA signed a controversial 35-year operating agreement with Worldwide Terminals by a narrow 3-2 vote. The current OHPA commission is seeking to have the agreement revised.
Fullwood lost his bid for a fifth term to Hill last August. The two commissioners were reassigned to District 1 when the state reconfigured the OHPA districts.
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