Straight talk from City Hall

Submitted by Dale Martin
City Manager
City of Fernandina Beach
January 29, 2016 12:45 a.m.

In the communities for which I previously served as a City Manager, I had the opportunity to write a weekly piece for the local newspapers. I enjoy writing, and, as many past municipal officials have indicated to me, the outreach effort was a significant communication tool with the community. I was given unfettered latitude with regard to subject matter: I could write about city issues or personal interests.

I have been requested to resume that practice by several of the media that provide regular coverage of Fernandina Beach. Since I do not wish for the information that I offer to be considered “exclusive” to any agency, I will offer my writing to each of the Fernandina Beach News-Leader, the Fernandina Observer, and the Nassau County Florida Independent. Due to the publication requirements associated with the News-Leader, I will request that the other two (electronic) publications refrain from posting the piece until Friday when the News-Leader edition is distributed.

Since my professional background was thoroughly vetted during the City’s selection process, I won’t bore you with those details again. I will offer a few personal notes, though. I have three daughters. Emily, 22, was born in a German hospital while I was stationed in Germany. She is a student at Detroit’s Wayne State University studying (this week, at least) industrial design: she enjoys art, but hasn’t quite found the niche career to pursue that interest. I believe that she is somewhat in the throes of the Facebook phenomenon that pressures young adults to “keep up”: her “friends” are graduating, working, marrying, and birthing so, from her perspective, she is “falling behind.” We’ve had a few daughter-daddy discussions, and her mother is doing a great job keeping her focused and grounded. Emily is slated to visit Fernandina Beach in mid-March.

Abigail and Meaghan are twins, 17, and seniors in high school, also in Michigan. They are fraternal twins, the only thing being identical about them is their last name: one is blonde, the other brunette; one is right-handed, the other, left; one is quiet, the other gregarious. They play field hockey (winning last fall’s state championship) and instruments in the high school symphony (violin and viola). They both are great students and look forward to college. Meaghan has been accepted into a joint nursing program affiliated with Washtenaw County Community College and Eastern Michigan University. Abby is interested in forensic science and law, and is being recruited to play field hockey at a small Wisconsin college. The twins will visit Fernandina in early April.

As if three daughters weren’t enough estrogen, I also have my companion of several years, Ms. Lisa Fisher. Lisa secured a job with the University of Florida health system in Jacksonville at the same time that I was offered the Fernandina Beach City Manager position, so the timing was perfect for our move to Florida. Lisa herself has two daughters (in Michigan, as well): Lauren, 25, is a middle/high school Spanish teacher and recently engaged, and Hannah, a budding special education teacher completing her studies at Eastern Michigan University. We’ve had a few opportunities to travel en masse and it sure is interesting to be accompanied by six women.

My first two months in Florida have been remarkable. The community has been exceptionally warm and welcoming, and I have enjoyed meeting so many residents, formally as part of city business and events, and informally as we wander, shop, and eat. We have readily adopted the local mind-set of “Why should I leave the Island?” Lisa has to as a result of her job, but I don’t have to and I make every effort to get what I need without crossing a bridge.

City staff has been welcoming, as well. I have never had the chance to work with such a large and professional staff, so to have the abundance of their knowledge and experience has been invaluable during my early service to the community. I believe that I can offer a new perspective as an “outsider,” but the staff can keep me grounded with background information. I enjoy working with the department directors and look forward to familiarizing myself with more of the general staff that works in dispersed locations throughout the City- firefighters, patrol officers, maintenance personnel, parks employees, water and wastewater technicians, etc. By nature, I am a generalist, but many of the City employees are highly skilled in their crafts.

Most importantly, I have enjoyed the opportunity to begin building a long-term relationship with the City Commission. Although I am working with a Commission that includes two members that were not part of my selection, my transition with the Commission has been, from my perspective, very easy. All of the Commissioners have established routine weekly meetings with me, and they share their perspectives and issues with me. The recent visioning session with Commissioners and Directors was a wonderful event in which to participate and listen.

I look forward to serving the Fernandina Beach community for a long time. I want to make this home, nurturing its future and sharing in its exceptional people, businesses, and environment. I want to be able to greet you by name and hear your thoughts on what we (the City) are doing well and where we can do better. If you have a topic of interest that you’d like me to write about, please share that issue with me and I’ll see if I can accommodate that request- it can be a challenge to find an interesting enough subject to write about every week.

Thank you for the welcome, and I will continue to strive to meet the high expectations that you have for this community.