Press Release- Elections
Staci McMonagle, a 25-year resident of Fernandina Beach and a life-long Floridian, has announced her candidacy for City Commission Seat 5. Staci’s motto is: “Your Vote Is Your Voice. Make Your Voice Heard.” I want to be the voice for people that are being ignored.
For instance, who represents the families of Fernandina? Recently, the City unveiled their plan to get rid of the baseball fields at Central Park. Activities that benefit and engage our youth have been disappearing from our town for years, and now a plan has emerged to push our youth activities to the outskirts of town. If they go forward with this plan, the City will have wasted $430,000 of our taxpayer dollars since the lights at the ballpark were only updated three years ago. This is a perfect example of wasteful spending.
What does that tell us? It tells us that families and kids are no longer a priority. It shows us how out of touch our city officials are with the needs of our community as a whole. Such thoughtless planning changes the very core of why we all have chosen to make Fernandina our home. This beautiful small-town community has been in the making for generations and it’s the small town atmosphere we inherited that keeps us here. It matters not if you recently joined our community or if your family has been here for years. It is evident to anyone listening that we all share a common desire to see Fernandina remain faithful to her roots. Knowing this I can’t sit back and allow the very heart of our island to be destroyed.
Our city government seems to have lost sight of who we are and what makes this place we all call home so special. But we, the people, have not. We know exactly who we are, and now is the time to come together. If not now, when? If not us, who? If we wait any longer, the Fernandina we all know & cherish will no longer be here. She will have gone the way of all the beach communities south of us.
Staci said her most valuable qualifications for public office are: her problem-solving ability; knowing what it means to serve as a servant-leader; and her compassion for people. “I can think outside the box. I don’t let the box define the solution. As a concierge at the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, I was trained to think not only of win-win solutions but to have THREE wins! For instance, when presented with an issue at city hall, I will work diligently to come up with a solution for all parties involved.
Ms. McMonagle’s volunteer experience includes: the Salvation Army Hope House, the Interfaith Dinner Network, and Young Life where she served on their board. She is currently a licensed Certified Nursing Assistant with her own business, C.N.A. Care Services. As a small business owner, Staci said she believes in shopping local and supporting other small businesses and tourism. “With my many years of concierge experience, I understand the value of tourism to this island. We are no longer a tourist destination only a few months out of the year. Our tourist industry is our community’s bread and butter and it works hard 24/7, 365 days a year.”
Staci supports: LEADERS who listen to their constituents and act decisively on behalf of the community as a whole; STEWARDSHIP keeping a steadfast watch over taxpayer dollars; GOVERNMENT that is fiscally responsible and accountable to the citizens of Fernandina; and GROWTH that enhances and protects our fragile barrier island.
Staci can be contacted at 904-477-4086 and [email protected]. Her Facebook page is:
On her Facebook page she is committed to doing a weekly 3-minute long video to address whatever people are commenting on that week. It’s called, “Give Me 3 Minutes” because that’s all you’re given to speak at in a city council meeting.
