Mayor Bean faces Conflict of Interest in City Manager hiring tied to Congressman Bean

The selection of Orange Park Town Manager Sarah Campbell as one of five finalists for the Fernandina Beach city manager job has created a conflict of interest for at least one city commissioner.

Campbell is the wife of the district director for U.S. Representative Aaron Bean. Mayor Bradley Bean is the congressman's son and is tasked with interviewing Campbell; evaluating her qualifications as a candidate and potentially voting on whether she would be hired as city manager.

While Mayor Bean's involvement in the hiring process involving Campbell does not violate state statutes, ethically it constitutes a conflict of interest.

Campbell is married to Bryan Campbell, who is the district director for Congressman Bean. She was named a finalist Wednesday by executive search firm Colin Baenziger & Associates from 45 applicants for the city manager position.

Congressman Aaron Bean staffer Bryan Campbell with Mayor Bradley Bean. Campbell's wife is among five finalists for the Fernandina Beach city manager position.

Campbell's inclusion as a finalist call into question Mayor Bean's appearance of impartiality given the personal connections involved.

The Observer requested a statement from Mayor Bean regarding Campbell's candidacy, and he has yet to provide an answer.

Campbell's husband, Bryan Campbell appeared at the Fernandina Beach City Commission meeting last January in an official capacity representing Congressman Bean as the city kicked off its celebration of its 200th anniversary. He presented Mayor Bean with a statement that was going to be read into the Congressional record by the mayor's father.

In her application letter to the city on July 17, Sarah Campbell said there is no conflict of interest.

"In the spirit of transparency, I want to point out that my spouse is employed by the U.S. House of Representatives as Congressman Bean's District Director. Congressman Bean has a connection to your commission, through Mayor Bean. I have had no contact, direct or indirect, with either of these gentlemen about this role. While there is no conflict of interest, I did want to point out the connection in case of any inquiries," Campbell's letter stated.

The Observer has also contacted the four other city commissioners on whether they think Mayor Bean should recuse himself on Campbell's candidacy and if Bean's impartiality could reasonably be questioned.

"I am not aware of any statutory reasons under the Florida Ethic’s laws or City Charter that prevents Commissioner Bean from participating  and voting in this decision. To avoid the appearance of impropriety,  if I were in a similar situation I would seriously consider recusing myself," answered Commissioner Chip Ross.

There is no mention of Campbell's husband working for Congressman Bean in the detailed Colin Baenziger & Associates candidate report.

Sarah Campbell was appointed assistant town manager/town clerk of Orange Park in 2008 but was the interim town manager from 2010-2011.  She returned to her former duties when a new town manager was hired. She became town manager in 2017.

She instituted four-day work weeks for some administrative employees in May 2023. During her tenure, the town has sought solutions to flooding issues during storms.

In 2023, Sarah Campbell was an unsuccessful candidate for the St. Johns County Administrator position.

She previously worked as a legal assistant with the Orange Park law firm of Kopelousos & Bradle.

Orange Park is a suburb of Jacksonville in Clay County. As of 2020, the town had a population of 9,089, and the name is also used to describe a larger area of northern Clay County.

Bryan Campbell and Aaron Bean have known each other since Bean served in the Florida Senate. In 2015, Campbell was with the Duval County Medical Society Foundation and testified before the Duval County Legislative Delegation that included Bean.

Sarah Campbell did not disclose in her application documents how long she has known either Congressman Bean or Mayor Bean