Opinion
By Sandy Kerry, 9-6-24 at 7:25 PM
This is the main reason I am supporting Joyce Tuten (Commission candidate) rather than Bradley Bean (incumbent) along with other reasons of not listening to citizens & keeping them from participating until the very end of meetings in public comment….
Yesterday at the city special meeting they did exactly as many expected – 3 commissioners (Bean, Ayscue & Sturges) voted for Sarah Campbell, whose husband works as district manager for Bean’s father, Congressman Aaron Bean.
At the regular city commission meeting Tuesday night (9/3), Bean took public comments at the very end of the meeting – yes, we still have to wait long hours to speak, despite Commissioner Antun and Ross’ efforts to change speakers for items not on the agenda back to the beginning of meetings, which the other 3 commissioners (Bean; Sturges & Ayscue) voted against.
Many of those comments expressed opposition to the proposed bioethanol plant and the conflict of interest with City Manager candidate Sarah Campbell’s spouse. Yet the mayor went even a step further; since he controls the order of the meeting (the order of who speaks when), he deliberately used his public office to reserve the final comment for RYAM thereby preventing any further comment after they spoke.
This, in my opinion, gave his employer, RYAM, an intentional and unfair advantage in speaking last. That is when they dropped the incredible news that they do NOT believe bioethanol is a manufactured chemical and therefore they will submit their building parent application as such, although it would be in violation of the city’s comp plan to approve. So of course this could very well lead to a fight in court if the City does not approve their building permit.
And who has the final authority to interpret the city comprehensive plan? Not the city attorney, not the commission, nor based on the legal opinion of a law firm retained by the city to render a decision on this who said bioethanol production was NOT ALLOWED under the comp plan. No, that decision falls solely upon the new city manager, who if she accepts the position, will arrive here coincidentally right around the time of the city election after giving her 45-day notice to the town of Orange Park.
No wonder this commission waited so long to find a new city manager! They needed one in place that might “interpret” the comp plan to agree with RYAM’s opinion. Is this how government is supposed to work? Far be it!
So if you want change at City Hall, VOTE for those who will uphold not only the rule of law but the spirit of the law! VOTE for those who are true public servants, who do not come in with private agendas, and who listen to YOU THE PEOPLE, to whom they take a sworn oath of office to serve! James Antun and Joyce Tuten represent and uphold such qualities!
See meeting agenda/video
Sandy Kerry is a local activist, focusing on quality of life issues.
The views expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Citizens Journal Florida
