2022 City of Fernandina Beach Candidate Questionnaire
Innovation and Economic Development
In your opinion, what is the City's role in economic development?
The City’s role in economic development should be a supportive effort by improving infrastructure, working with businesses on zoning and permitting, and partnering with non profit organizations to enhance tourism efforts and increase the availability of workforce housing.
Discuss your opinion on conducting a comprehensive and continuous review of all regulatory processes that impact business/industry and provide solutions that address these barriers.
As I am a proponent of efficiency in government, an annual review of all standard practices that impact the community, both citizen and business, should be conducted during the budget process. This allows for the introduction of policy changes while working through the budget. Additionally, it allows identification of potential financial impacts.
Business Climate and Competitiveness
How can the City of Fernandina Beach improve the climate and competitiveness of our existing businesses and industry? What are your thoughts about the disparity in regulations and processes in doing business between the City of Fernandina Beach and Nassau County? And, do you support the creation of a local purchasing program?
While not specific to every City department, the amount of regulation in the City of Fernandina Beach is tedious and seemingly unnecessary. I would like to see regulations in the City greatly reduced so long as there is not a negative impact on the environment or community. The City of Fernandina Beach should have its own regulations and processes, separate from those of the County, as the two often differ. This does not mean that using some of the County’s regulations and processes is unwarranted. It is simply stating the two entities exhibit unique needs. I would support a local purchasing program, so long as the items to be purchased were competitively priced. A weighted bid process leaning heavier toward a local option would be one way of supporting the program and assisting our local business community.
How can the City of Fernandina Beach better support our entrepreneurial ecosystem?
By working with other government agencies such as the Nassau County School Board, the City can help plant the seed of entrepreneurship. As seen with the Youth Advisory Council, shaping today’s youth, in our community, will ensure decades of strong entrepreneurs. Encouraging our children, and their families, to be active in the business community, can only help enhance the community as a whole.
How can the City of Fernandina Beach engage in the creation of partnerships and funding programs related to current and relevant data, research as well as talent recruitment and start-up opportunities?
There are multiple businesses currently providing opportunities for the sharing of ideas and networking. As Commissioner, I would continue to be engaged in these events to support any partnership or potential funding programs that would be made available.
Civic and Governance System
What, in your opinion, are the three biggest challenges facing the City of Fernandina Beach?
Public Safety is the number one challenge any government faces. The health and safety of a community’s citizens and guests is the number one priority of government. The next challenge is infrastructure. Finding funding sources to create, improve and enhance infrastructure ultimately leads to attracting and retaining businesses. Lastly, the availability of affordable housing for the families and work force of the City of Fernandina Beach.
Any time decisions are contemplated that affect a particular segment of the community, representatives of that affected sector, such as the business/industrial community, should be invited to the table for dialogue and input. How important is community/partner organization input as a meaningful direction in developing sound policy and how will you implement?
The City has many advisory boards which give excellent input to most processes that will happen in the City. For those that are not affected by the advisory boards, I would personally seek out individuals in those fields to get their view point on the issue the City is facing. Communication with the community is always the best course of action.
Do you believe the City of Fernandina Beach has an adequate amount of funding from property taxes or do you expect to require additional resources from Nassau County property owners? Please explain.
I believe the City of Fernandina Beach has adequate funding from the ad valorem, but needs to support and find better ways to attract businesses in an effort to alleviate the burden on the homeowners. I neither foresee, nor understand, how it is possible to generate additional revenue from Nassau County property owners, unless it is collected in user fees. I am not opposed to raising user fees, when applicable by law, for non-City residents. However, I am opposed to paid parking anywhere in the City of Fernandina Beach or the collection of fees from youth sports leagues to use City facilities.
Infrastructure and Growth Leadership
How can the City of Fernandina Beach balance and pursue both natural environment protection and sustainable economic development?
By partnering with interested businesses, The City of Fernandina Beach can strike the perfect, and much needed, balance of environmental protection and economic development. Public/Private partnerships are the best way to balance the wants and needs of the community as a whole.
Led by the Chamber of Commerce beginning in 2015, the now completed Public Transportation study and recommendations concluded in 2017. What are your specific recommendations to increase the options and availability for public transit?
Supporting non profit organizations, such as the Council on Aging, is the best way to increase the options for public transportation. There are currently numerous businesses in the tourism industry that provide viable options that could potentially be used to enhance public transportation.
The future innovation economy and efficiency of government is dependent on technology infrastructure. How will you ensure the City of Fernandina Beach continuously improves faster, more stable, and more secure connectivity?
Keeping up with advances in technology is a never ending pursuit. The City of Fernandina Beach needs to strengthen its presence in many areas of technology, including the increased use and dependency on social media as a means of the first line of communication. Finding ways to have sustainable energy, specifically in times of emergency, is also a much needed resource the City should pursue.
Quality of Life and Quality of Places
Land development codes and incentives for workforce housing have not produced the needed inventory for our community. What are you recommendations for access to housing?
This is an area that is crucial to the survival of the way of life in the City of Fernandina Beach. As a community, we need to pursue every possibility and every partnership, both public and private, to secure access to workforce housing. This is a factor of supply and demand and provides a need for more multi-family zoning for apartments, just as long as there is requirements for these properties to be held as affordable in perpetuity. Government’s role should be to review and provide policy changes to assist in workforce housing.
Community-based development organizations are vital tot he City of Fernandina Beach. How will you strengthen the role of these organizations?
Understanding that communication is the key to success, actively seeking advice and input from community based development organizations is the best way to strengthen their role in community affairs.
What is the role of the City of Fernandina Beach for underserved communities and their development?
Support for, and understanding the needs of, our underserved communities is best ascertained through the local non profit organizations. By continuing to support these non profit organizations we can better address the needs of the underserved community.
In your opinion, what is the City's role in economic development?
The City’s role in economic development should be a supportive effort by improving infrastructure, working with businesses on zoning and permitting, and partnering with non profit organizations to enhance tourism efforts and increase the availability of workforce housing.
Discuss your opinion on conducting a comprehensive and continuous review of all regulatory processes that impact business/industry and provide solutions that address these barriers.
As I am a proponent of efficiency in government, an annual review of all standard practices that impact the community, both citizen and business, should be conducted during the budget process. This allows for the introduction of policy changes while working through the budget. Additionally, it allows identification of potential financial impacts.
Business Climate and Competitiveness
How can the City of Fernandina Beach improve the climate and competitiveness of our existing businesses and industry? What are your thoughts about the disparity in regulations and processes in doing business between the City of Fernandina Beach and Nassau County? And, do you support the creation of a local purchasing program?
While not specific to every City department, the amount of regulation in the City of Fernandina Beach is tedious and seemingly unnecessary. I would like to see regulations in the City greatly reduced so long as there is not a negative impact on the environment or community. The City of Fernandina Beach should have its own regulations and processes, separate from those of the County, as the two often differ. This does not mean that using some of the County’s regulations and processes is unwarranted. It is simply stating the two entities exhibit unique needs. I would support a local purchasing program, so long as the items to be purchased were competitively priced. A weighted bid process leaning heavier toward a local option would be one way of supporting the program and assisting our local business community.
How can the City of Fernandina Beach better support our entrepreneurial ecosystem?
By working with other government agencies such as the Nassau County School Board, the City can help plant the seed of entrepreneurship. As seen with the Youth Advisory Council, shaping today’s youth, in our community, will ensure decades of strong entrepreneurs. Encouraging our children, and their families, to be active in the business community, can only help enhance the community as a whole.
How can the City of Fernandina Beach engage in the creation of partnerships and funding programs related to current and relevant data, research as well as talent recruitment and start-up opportunities?
There are multiple businesses currently providing opportunities for the sharing of ideas and networking. As Commissioner, I would continue to be engaged in these events to support any partnership or potential funding programs that would be made available.
Civic and Governance System
What, in your opinion, are the three biggest challenges facing the City of Fernandina Beach?
Public Safety is the number one challenge any government faces. The health and safety of a community’s citizens and guests is the number one priority of government. The next challenge is infrastructure. Finding funding sources to create, improve and enhance infrastructure ultimately leads to attracting and retaining businesses. Lastly, the availability of affordable housing for the families and work force of the City of Fernandina Beach.
Any time decisions are contemplated that affect a particular segment of the community, representatives of that affected sector, such as the business/industrial community, should be invited to the table for dialogue and input. How important is community/partner organization input as a meaningful direction in developing sound policy and how will you implement?
The City has many advisory boards which give excellent input to most processes that will happen in the City. For those that are not affected by the advisory boards, I would personally seek out individuals in those fields to get their view point on the issue the City is facing. Communication with the community is always the best course of action.
Do you believe the City of Fernandina Beach has an adequate amount of funding from property taxes or do you expect to require additional resources from Nassau County property owners? Please explain.
I believe the City of Fernandina Beach has adequate funding from the ad valorem, but needs to support and find better ways to attract businesses in an effort to alleviate the burden on the homeowners. I neither foresee, nor understand, how it is possible to generate additional revenue from Nassau County property owners, unless it is collected in user fees. I am not opposed to raising user fees, when applicable by law, for non-City residents. However, I am opposed to paid parking anywhere in the City of Fernandina Beach or the collection of fees from youth sports leagues to use City facilities.
Infrastructure and Growth Leadership
How can the City of Fernandina Beach balance and pursue both natural environment protection and sustainable economic development?
By partnering with interested businesses, The City of Fernandina Beach can strike the perfect, and much needed, balance of environmental protection and economic development. Public/Private partnerships are the best way to balance the wants and needs of the community as a whole.
Led by the Chamber of Commerce beginning in 2015, the now completed Public Transportation study and recommendations concluded in 2017. What are your specific recommendations to increase the options and availability for public transit?
Supporting non profit organizations, such as the Council on Aging, is the best way to increase the options for public transportation. There are currently numerous businesses in the tourism industry that provide viable options that could potentially be used to enhance public transportation.
The future innovation economy and efficiency of government is dependent on technology infrastructure. How will you ensure the City of Fernandina Beach continuously improves faster, more stable, and more secure connectivity?
Keeping up with advances in technology is a never ending pursuit. The City of Fernandina Beach needs to strengthen its presence in many areas of technology, including the increased use and dependency on social media as a means of the first line of communication. Finding ways to have sustainable energy, specifically in times of emergency, is also a much needed resource the City should pursue.
Quality of Life and Quality of Places
Land development codes and incentives for workforce housing have not produced the needed inventory for our community. What are you recommendations for access to housing?
This is an area that is crucial to the survival of the way of life in the City of Fernandina Beach. As a community, we need to pursue every possibility and every partnership, both public and private, to secure access to workforce housing. This is a factor of supply and demand and provides a need for more multi-family zoning for apartments, just as long as there is requirements for these properties to be held as affordable in perpetuity. Government’s role should be to review and provide policy changes to assist in workforce housing.
Community-based development organizations are vital tot he City of Fernandina Beach. How will you strengthen the role of these organizations?
Understanding that communication is the key to success, actively seeking advice and input from community based development organizations is the best way to strengthen their role in community affairs.
What is the role of the City of Fernandina Beach for underserved communities and their development?
Support for, and understanding the needs of, our underserved communities is best ascertained through the local non profit organizations. By continuing to support these non profit organizations we can better address the needs of the underserved community.
