Weekly Comments from Dale Martin

Dale Martin
City Manager
Fernandina Beach
November 4, 2016 1:00 a.m.

Tuesday, November 8, is Election Day.

Wednesday, November 9, is my birthday. That typically joyous occasion will be overwhelmed by the events of the day before. Half of the country’s presidential election voters will be raucously celebrating and I sincerely doubt being very gracious to the remaining voters whose presidential candidate lost. Any previous talk of unifying the country (not necessarily believable in the first place) will be popped before the first balloon falls to the campaign headquarters floor.

We have been battered and bruised for approximately a year by two candidates that evoke strong emotions for many of the wrong reasons. It will be refreshing to have the campaigns concluded, but I truly fear that the divisions will deepen no matter who wins. The only thing that might forestall greater division is if all of the people who have announced they will leave the country if their unfavored candidate wins actually do leave the country.

So many national challenges are either immediately in front of us or cresting the horizon. I hope that whoever is our next President can be a capable leader, but I believe politics will again supersede leadership. I want to be wrong, but I have low expectations.

It is because of this uncooperative federal level partisanship that I enjoy local government operations. I get to work with the neighbors that you elected to represent you. Those local leaders are easily accessible- you know where they live, where they like to eat and shop, and the other things that they like to do around town. You can call them directly or leave a message for them at City Hall and receive a return call or visit.

The members of the City Commission are elected on a nonpartisan basis. Although the political values of local candidates are sometimes well-known, it is uncommon for those values to directly impact municipal operations. The partisan local elections in Connecticut where I formerly served thwarted cooperation (in many ways mirroring the national level rancor). It is a more pleasant process here.

Given the intense scrutiny that candidates must endure, it is still a challenging process. I thank Mr. Eric Childers and Mr. Johnny Miller for offering to serve the community. Since both of them are familiar with the duties and responsibilities of a City Commissioner, they know what awaits them when one takes a seat on the City Commission dais. I look forward to working with either Mr. Miller or Mr. Childers in the future (the first four-year City Commissioner term).
If you have not voted early, please take the time to vote. Research the other candidates and study the ballot questions.

Sample ballots have been available for such review. Talk with respected friends. Be a well-informed voter. Don’t be close-minded to partisanship and be willing to support who you believe to be the best candidate. More importantly, respect the decisions of other voters.

After we vote, I hope that we can focus upon the issues that we control locally. Decisions will be made in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. that we no longer have substantial influence: we will have cast our lot on November 8. You can, however, continue to play a role in Fernandina Beach. Read the newspapers, come to the City Commission meetings, volunteer to serve on a board or commission.

Be more than a simple resident; be a citizen with a valuable vote. Remember the historic cost to earn that vote and the future implications of that vote.

Good luck to all of the candidates for every office next week. Thank you for the sacrifices and commitment that you have demonstrated over the past months and years. It can be very cruel to lose after putting your entire being in front of the voters. It is little solace to remember that you personally took part in this wonderful experiment of democracy.
Tuesday, November 8, is Election Day.