By Timothy M. Poynter
City Commission Candidate
Group 2
(904) 415-6533
[email protected]
October 4, 2017 12:55 a.m.
Editor’s Note: Every year, the Fernandina Observer presents questions to candidates for the Fernandina Beach City Commission. Their answers appear below. We have removed the comment option from this post in order to focus attention on the candidate’s position on issues that impact our community.
Biographical Information
Moved to Fernandina from Cincinnati, Oh in 1999; lives on 1st Ave
Married to Theresa (37 yrs), mother of their 4 adult children. She has been his business partner in Café Karibo and Timoit’s, employing 50+ people. Recently started Poynter Contracting, LLC.
Volunteers support to many community causes including Friends of the Library and 8 Flags Playscapes: serves on the boards of Boys & Girls Club and Institute for Enterprise.
Twice served as City Commissioner
Goal: to see plans for a waterfront park and a revitalized marina come to fruition.
What is your vision for the Amelia Riverfront and how would you pay for it?
I agree with those who responded to the National Citizen Survey that the best use of city waterfront property is open space that can be used for passive enjoyment of the riverfront as well as special events like festivals and farmers markets. Over the years many people have also said that they wanted to see the waterfront retain elements of a working waterfront. For that reason I am content to see the city’s waterfront improvement efforts limited to land and rights the city already owns, thereby leaving the area between Alachua Street and the port on the tax rolls and available for private use by shrimpers and other water-related activities.
How would you address community concerns about beach and downtown parking?
The city has devoted much time and effort to resolving these concerns over recent years and will continue to do so. Greater enforcement of parking regulations and better signage directing people to downtown parking is already showing positive results. There does not appear to be interest in the community in instituting paid parking as a way to increase turnover in high demand spots on Centre Street. The city should make efforts to improve downtown lighting and sidewalks to increase the attractiveness of existing but underutilized public parking. The downtown businesses also have a responsibility to educate their employees on the need to keep prime spots available for customers and patrons.
The city and the county are working on a plan to increase beach parking along Sadler Road. But there is a limit to the amount of parking available at the beach. With the increase in planned development on the mainland, it will not be possible to provide close in beach parking for all the future beachgoers. Now is the time to begin planning for offsite parking and shuttle service for future beach goers.
How would you address both environmental protection and private property rights in considering development projects?
The city’s Land Development Code contains many provisions to safeguard the environment. This part of the city culture is highly valued by our residents. The Greenway Project, spearheaded by former commissioner Ron Sapp several years ago, has allowed many areas of natural beauty to remain in their natural state available for the public to enjoy and enhance the environment. We are also fortunate to have 15 undeveloped acres of state park in our midst and 7 miles of undeveloped beach. There are relatively few large parcels of undeveloped land remaining within the city’s boundaries. I support the rights of property owners to develop their properties in ways that conform to the city Comprehensive Plan and Zoning. Should individuals or organization desire to take such property off the tax tolls to create conservation areas, I would welcome a public discussion of specifics to include purchase and maintenance costs, if the costs are to be born of the taxpayers.
Where do you see areas of potential savings for city operations?
I believe that the city needs to continue looking into public-private partnerships as a way to both save money and build community support for worthwhile projects like parks. Periodically, I would support reviewing costs and benefits to privatizing certain services – for example: landscaping, cleaning services – that could be performed by local businesses via a competitive bidding process.
I also continue to support exploring opportunities for mutual savings and benefits by working with Nassau County and the Nassau County School District.
Our “recreational” enterprise activities – golf, marina, airport – can and will become more profitable with improved marketing and operations. Once FEMA money can be released, opportunities to increase our mooring fields and move our marina into deeper water can commence, reducing the costly need for regular dredging. The golf course in making great strides under Billy Casper’s management and new ideas are being explored to increase revenues there. The new airport terminal will also provide increased opportunities for city income.