December 9, 2018 7:36 p.m.
Editor’s Note: On Tuesday, December 11, voters will head to the polls again to vote in a runoff election for City Commissioner Group 4. We decided to re-post questions presented to candidates in September prior to the November General Election. We have disabled the ability to offer comments on this post.
City Commission Group 4 Candidate Lednovich answers questions
Lednovich is facing Bradley Bean in the December 11, runoff election for City Commission Group 4.
Mike Lednovich
Candidate Fernandina Beach City Commission
Group 4
Lednovich is seeking a seat on the Fernandina Beach City Commission, Group 4. He faces Bradley Bean in the December 11, runoff election.
Bio: Each morning, my wife of 36 years and I say a little “thank you” for the wonderful city we call home. We purchased and renovated a house in Parkway North, where my wife runs a freelance writing business.
My professional career has prepared me to run for City Commissioner and fulfill my pledge to preserve and nurture the treasures that are Fernandina Beach.
For the past 20 years as a business consultant, I’ve helped companies and organizations like Disney World, the Philadelphia School District and Pratt & Whitney chart their path to success and achieve their goals.
I ran the third-largest chapter of Make-A-Wish in the United States and was CEO of a $45 million construction company that built courthouses, schools and city halls.
Teaching Leadership and Strategy to managers and executives at a West Coast university was especially satisfying.
I was part of the executive team that doubled the size a media company to almost $1 billion in revenues.
Previously, as an award winning journalist, I covered the inner workings of Port Everglades and several Broward County municipalities.
As a full-time city commissioner, I will work to protect our beaches, tree canopy, wetlands, historic district, residential neighborhoods, and local businesses that collectively make Fernandina Beach so special.
After completion of Fernandina’s Municipal Airport terminal and repairs to the Marina, where should the city concentrate its capital improvement projects?
The Historic Downtown District requires a renovation. The trees have reached their life expectancy and need to be replaced. The current street lighting is not uniform and half the street lights do not meet state wind requirements. Several blocks of sidewalks need to be redone.
The City water system includes cast iron pipes that are or are near 100 years old. The water main below Centre Street is one of these and needs to be replaced before it suffers a catastrophic failure. The Water Department has the funds for the replacement.
The foundation of Brett’s Cafe over the Amelia River is failing and needs to be replaced at a cost of several hundred thousand dollars.
The city has 40 aging, wooden beach walkovers that will need to be systematically replaced with more durable concrete walkovers.
The municipal golf course is 60 years old and the green complexes have been neglected for six decades. Normally, greens are redone every 20 years. The cost of redoing the greens is $1.2 million.
The city is also near completion of a mobility study which will tell us where street lighting and sidewalks are most needed.
Improved pedestrian walkways along Front Street and crossings for Ash and Alachua should also be a priority.
These projects need to be graded on importance and the urgency to get them done and then funded.
Which of the following 3 city projects would have your highest priority, if elected to the City Commission? How would you pay for it?
(A) Improving the Amelia Riverfront and adding a waterfront park;
(B)Purchasing land for conservation;
(C) Rehabilitating or replacing aging city facilities such as firehouses, or recreational facilities.
Land conservation, it’s an investment in the natural infrastructure of our barrier island against storms and flooding. Once the land is gone, it’s gone forever. Let’s conserve 100 acres of the 856 undeveloped acres in the city.
I support conservation funding by a voter approved referendum. Other funding sources for conservation could be a specific impact fee fund, called an open space, or conservation impact fee. Conservation grant funds may also be available through programs like the Parks and Open Space Florida Forever Grant Program.
Aging City facilities. The next four years will see an increase and added stress on the need for city services. We must be able to provide first-class services for residents and visitors alike. That means improving the support facilities that provide those services and could be paid for with grants, impact fees and taxes.
Waterfront Park. We’ve kicked this can down the road long enough. The waterfront is the crown jewel of the city and should align with our new marina in attracting boaters and tourists to Historic Downtown as well as serving as a gathering place for residents to enjoy the waterfront. Improved performance management of the marina should generate revenues to help pay for the park along with Federal/State grants and city taxes. Some examples of potential grants sources are The Florida Department of Community Affairs; Florida Coastal Management Program grants; The Florida Department of Community Affairs; Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) for recreational land acquisition, park design and construction.
Why did you decide to challenge an incumbent [Roy G. Smith] in this race?
I’m running because policies embraced by the incumbent are taking the City down a path that threatens to eradicate the small-town qualities that make our community such a desirable place to live and visit. We can and must do better.
We need leadership that values preservation of our unique beach town – with its historic buildings, businesses and neighborhoods — not policies that foster untenable development. The incumbent voted to pave over wetlands at 14th and Lime and destroy 300 trees in favor of 204 apartment units. He voted to convert 4 acres of promised recreation/park space to Amelia Park homeowners into a 14-unit housing development. He has repeatedly voted to rezone industrial property to residential development.
Amelia Island is barely 4 miles wide and 13 miles long. We need to transition from models that pursues prosperity through expansion of concrete and asphalt. We must abandon the old, worn out economic dogma that trumpets “Growth equals tax dollars; construction equals tax dollars; more people and more construction drives economic activity, which then equals more dollars for businesses which turns the turbine of more tax dollars.”He has publicly stated that “I didn’t move here for the trees.”
We should instead embrace the spirit that created the Egans Creek Greenway in 2001 and support the reasons we all choose to live here — the island’s astounding natural beauty.
The better alternative is to plan and build a sustainable future. There’s still room for a few more folks, but not much before we begin to exceed the natural capacity of this tiny island.
Bradley Bean Candidate Fernandina Bch City Commission Group 4
Bean is seeking a seat on the Fernandina Beach City Commission, Group 4. He faces Mike Lednovich in the runoff contest.
Bio: My name is Bradley Bean – a lifelong member of our Fernandina Beach community. I was Valedictorian of the FBHS Class of 2012, and attended the University of Florida on a National Merit Scholarship. I majored in Industrial and Systems engineering, and returned home to work as an efficiency engineer at Rayonier Advanced Materials.
At the University of Florida, I was a founder of Big Heart Gators, an organization sponsored by the Katie Caples Foundation to promote organ donation; and was inducted into Florida Blue Key, the UF leadership honor society. Since returning home, I went through the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Nassau class, and became a member of the Fernandina Beach Rotary Club. In my spare time, I enjoy coaching the FBHS Robotics Team. I am a lifetime member of Memorial United Methodist Church.
Our strength as a community is a diverse economy, and that is what enables people from all walks of life to live in our beautiful city. If elected, I will work to preserve this balance and improve our quality of life.
After completion of Fernandina”s Municipal Airport terminal and repairs to the Marina, where should the city concentrate its capital improvement projects?
We need to focus on what makes our city great. Let’s work on our parks, and continue to promote safe outdoor spaces where our kids can play, and all residents can enjoy nature and recreational activities that keep us healthy and active into our later years. Citizens have worked together to make improvements to facilities and we all have benefitted from their work at the Egans Creek park, and behind the Atlantic Recreation Center. We can improve our trails, bike paths within the city, and other recreational facilities such as the Peck Center. Our residents need options as to where we can spend time outside.
Let’s tackle parking downtown. I’ve seen plans that work through this issue in different ways, and we can find a way to fix this issue while preserving our historic integrity.
Which of the following 3 city projects would have your highest priority, if elected to the City Commission? How would you pay for it?
(A) Improving the Amelia Riverfront and adding a waterfront park;
(B)Purchasing land for conservation;
(C) Rehabilitating or replacing aging city facilities such as firehouses, or recreational facilities.
Out of the options given, I would choose C. Although I see the benefit in all three options, improving and maintaining our assets is important. I’ve had the opportunity to tour many of our city facilities, and there is an opportunity for investment in maintenance and improvement before we attempt to expand.
Proper budgeting should include funding for maintenance and repairs, reserves for a rainy day, and an efficient spending plan. These are cornerstones of an effective city government.
Why did you decide to challenge an incumbent [Roy G. Smith] in this race?
I’m eager to serve my city and community. If the voters place their trust in me, I’m ready to get to work.
City Commission Group 4 Candidate Lednovich answers questions
Lednovich is facing Bradley Bean in the December 11, runoff election for City Commission Group 4.
Mike Lednovich
Candidate Fernandina Beach City Commission
Group 4
Lednovich is seeking a seat on the Fernandina Beach City Commission, Group 4. He faces Bradley Bean in the December 11, runoff election.
Bio: Each morning, my wife of 36 years and I say a little “thank you” for the wonderful city we call home. We purchased and renovated a house in Parkway North, where my wife runs a freelance writing business.
My professional career has prepared me to run for City Commissioner and fulfill my pledge to preserve and nurture the treasures that are Fernandina Beach.
For the past 20 years as a business consultant, I’ve helped companies and organizations like Disney World, the Philadelphia School District and Pratt & Whitney chart their path to success and achieve their goals.
I ran the third-largest chapter of Make-A-Wish in the United States and was CEO of a $45 million construction company that built courthouses, schools and city halls.
Teaching Leadership and Strategy to managers and executives at a West Coast university was especially satisfying.
I was part of the executive team that doubled the size a media company to almost $1 billion in revenues.
Previously, as an award winning journalist, I covered the inner workings of Port Everglades and several Broward County municipalities.
As a full-time city commissioner, I will work to protect our beaches, tree canopy, wetlands, historic district, residential neighborhoods, and local businesses that collectively make Fernandina Beach so special.
After completion of Fernandina’s Municipal Airport terminal and repairs to the Marina, where should the city concentrate its capital improvement projects?
The Historic Downtown District requires a renovation. The trees have reached their life expectancy and need to be replaced. The current street lighting is not uniform and half the street lights do not meet state wind requirements. Several blocks of sidewalks need to be redone.
The City water system includes cast iron pipes that are or are near 100 years old. The water main below Centre Street is one of these and needs to be replaced before it suffers a catastrophic failure. The Water Department has the funds for the replacement.
The foundation of Brett’s Cafe over the Amelia River is failing and needs to be replaced at a cost of several hundred thousand dollars.
The city has 40 aging, wooden beach walkovers that will need to be systematically replaced with more durable concrete walkovers.
The municipal golf course is 60 years old and the green complexes have been neglected for six decades. Normally, greens are redone every 20 years. The cost of redoing the greens is $1.2 million.
The city is also near completion of a mobility study which will tell us where street lighting and sidewalks are most needed.
Improved pedestrian walkways along Front Street and crossings for Ash and Alachua should also be a priority.
These projects need to be graded on importance and the urgency to get them done and then funded.
Which of the following 3 city projects would have your highest priority, if elected to the City Commission? How would you pay for it?
(A) Improving the Amelia Riverfront and adding a waterfront park;
(B)Purchasing land for conservation;
(C) Rehabilitating or replacing aging city facilities such as firehouses, or recreational facilities.
Land conservation, it’s an investment in the natural infrastructure of our barrier island against storms and flooding. Once the land is gone, it’s gone forever. Let’s conserve 100 acres of the 856 undeveloped acres in the city.
I support conservation funding by a voter approved referendum. Other funding sources for conservation could be a specific impact fee fund, called an open space, or conservation impact fee. Conservation grant funds may also be available through programs like the Parks and Open Space Florida Forever Grant Program.
Aging City facilities. The next four years will see an increase and added stress on the need for city services. We must be able to provide first-class services for residents and visitors alike. That means improving the support facilities that provide those services and could be paid for with grants, impact fees and taxes.
Waterfront Park. We’ve kicked this can down the road long enough. The waterfront is the crown jewel of the city and should align with our new marina in attracting boaters and tourists to Historic Downtown as well as serving as a gathering place for residents to enjoy the waterfront. Improved performance management of the marina should generate revenues to help pay for the park along with Federal/State grants and city taxes. Some examples of potential grants sources are The Florida Department of Community Affairs; Florida Coastal Management Program grants; The Florida Department of Community Affairs; Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program (FRDAP) for recreational land acquisition, park design and construction.
Why did you decide to challenge an incumbent [Roy G. Smith] in this race?
I’m running because policies embraced by the incumbent are taking the City down a path that threatens to eradicate the small-town qualities that make our community such a desirable place to live and visit. We can and must do better.
We need leadership that values preservation of our unique beach town – with its historic buildings, businesses and neighborhoods — not policies that foster untenable development. The incumbent voted to pave over wetlands at 14th and Lime and destroy 300 trees in favor of 204 apartment units. He voted to convert 4 acres of promised recreation/park space to Amelia Park homeowners into a 14-unit housing development. He has repeatedly voted to rezone industrial property to residential development.
Amelia Island is barely 4 miles wide and 13 miles long. We need to transition from models that pursues prosperity through expansion of concrete and asphalt. We must abandon the old, worn out economic dogma that trumpets “Growth equals tax dollars; construction equals tax dollars; more people and more construction drives economic activity, which then equals more dollars for businesses which turns the turbine of more tax dollars.”He has publicly stated that “I didn’t move here for the trees.”
We should instead embrace the spirit that created the Egans Creek Greenway in 2001 and support the reasons we all choose to live here — the island’s astounding natural beauty.
The better alternative is to plan and build a sustainable future. There’s still room for a few more folks, but not much before we begin to exceed the natural capacity of this tiny island.