Commentary: It’s Now or Never to Keep Our City Liveable

By Mike Lednovich

The deadline is just six weeks away for candidacy in the Fernandina Beach city commission and a concerning silence persists.

Despite widespread dissatisfaction with the current leadership of Mayor Bradley Bean and Vice Mayor David Sturges, no contenders have emerged to challenge the pro-development, good-old-boy network incumbents. This absence of candidates is not just disappointing; it’s dangerous for the future of Fernandina Beach.

The current city commission’s track record is marred with decisions that prioritize short-term gains over long-term sustainability and community well-being. Bean and Sturges have consistently sided with developers and special interests while neglecting the concerns and needs of the residents they were elected to represent.

Their voting record speaks volumes. Time and again, they have greenlit projects that prioritize developer profit margins over environmental preservation. They have ruined established neighborhoods and ignored the greater public interest. From reckless efforts to increase residential density to questionable zoning and annexation decisions, their tenure has been marked by a disregard for protecting the very fabric of our community.

Yet, despite vocal outrage and mounting discontent, the Bean/Sturges status quo remains unchallenged. The absence of any opposition candidates speaks volumes about the entrenched power dynamics at play in Fernandina Beach. It’s a stark reminder of the pervasive influence of the good old boy network, where insiders protect their interests at the expense of a long term vision for historic Fernandina and a lack of accountability.

Have people forgotten that Bean leveraged his father’s – U.S. Congressman Aaron Bean – extensive campaign fundraising network in 2020 with a $30,000 effort for a small town commissioner seat? Over half that money – $16,000 – came from political committees based in Tallahassee and outside of Nassau County.

Sturges is plugged into the same local Republican Party (the local GOP contributed $1,100 to his 2020 campaign) network as Bean. Their efforts shaped the winning campaigns of Darron Ayscue and James Antun for city commission seats when the GOP stepped in – including factions from outside Nassau County – to turn the election into a culture war instead of on local issues. A non-partisan race was turned on its head by the GOP. And folks, it will happen again in this election.

Sitting on the sidelines is now not an option. Citizens cannot afford to sit idly by while our city’s future hangs in the balance. Now, more than ever, we need bold, principled leadership that prioritizes the needs of the many over the favors and profits of the few. Fernandina Beach is blessed with a multitude of qualified people. But where are they in our greatest time of need?

Do you really want four more years of Bean and Sturges on the city commission?

The upcoming August city commission election presents an opportunity for change. It’s a chance for the residents of Fernandina Beach to reclaim their voice and shape the future of their community. We need candidates who are not beholden to special interests, who will listen to the concerns of the people, and who will fight tirelessly for a more equitable and sustainable future.

To those who have hesitated to step forward, now is the time to act. Your community needs you. Your voice matters. You are the candidates that can build a Fernandina Beach that works for everyone, not just the privileged few.

Ask yourself if you’re willing to sit on the bench as Bean and Sturges get re-elected for another four years. Once seated, they will start enacting their efforts to change the Land Development Code that will turn 1,000 residential parcels into space for 3,000 more homes. They will not fight to defend the city’s regulations which bans RYAM’s effort to produce 7.5 million gallons of bioethanol less than a mile away from city hall.

As the deadline to qualify approaches, let us not succumb to apathy or resignation. Let us stand up, speak out, and demand better for our city. The time for change is now, and it begins with candidates who will fight to preserve our quality of life in the city we cherish.