"No one in City Hall knows what’s going on"

Vice Mayor blasts city staff over paid parking plan

Posted
By Mike Lednovich

Fernandina Beach Vice Mayor Darron Ayscue didn't mince words regarding city staff and plans to select an outside vendor next Tuesday for a proposed paid parking program in historic downtown.

In a terse one-paragraph Facebook comment Friday, Ayscue wrote that: "literally no one in City Hall knows what’s going on” in regard to plans to implement paid parking in a core eight-block area of downtown.
 

In responding to support of the paid parking by resident Sheila Cocchi, Ayscue was highly critical of city staff's handling of the initiative.

“Spin it however you want,” Ayscue wrote. “Staff can’t even answer basic questions on this entire issue. They can’t even agree that going with a vendor while a petition to eliminate paid parking is pending is even legal. Nor can we even get confirmation that using paid parking revenue is legal without hard numbers. There is no plan. I’m here to state that unequivocally."
 

His remarks come just days before the city commission's meeting on Tuesday, where they will choose a vendor to manage the paid parking program, pending commission approval. After a vendor is chosen, the city will negotiate a contract with them, which will also need city commission approval to proceed with implementing charges for parking in the prime downtown spaces.

Ayscue weighed in on a post by Paul Lore — an anti-paid parking petition organizer — on the Facebook page Fernandina Beach - Citizens Against Paid Beach and Downtown Parking.
 

Meanwhile, a petition drive to have the paid parking issue placed as a voter referendum has kicked off with organizers setting up a booth at Saturday's Farmers Market to collect the necessary signatures.

As the clock ticks toward Tuesday’s meeting, both sides of the debate — supporters seeking a new funding stream and opponents pressing for a public vote — are racing to make their case.
 

Under the city charter, the city is acting within its legal authority to move forward with vendor selection and negotiations for paid parking.

However, if citizens launch a properly structured initiative petition in time, gathering at least the required number of validated signatures, the city commission must pause or defer final action until the matter is put to voters. And, once voters decide via referendum, their decision becomes binding.
 

Ayscue's claim regarding the legality of the paid parking plan and how revenues could be spent is grounded in the city charter.

If there’s uncertainty about whether a policy is lawful — like how parking revenue can be spent — commissioners can formally request a written legal opinion from the city attorney.
 
That opinion then becomes part of the public record and protects the city from claims of acting outside the law. To date, no legal opinion has been issued.
 
City Manager Sarah Campbell also said that potential paid parking revenues are not included in the pending for approval 2025-26 city budget, which means what projects would be funded with the money are not specified.
 
The City Commission at their July 15 workshop considered the submittals from Elite Parking Services, Inc., One Parking Inc., and SP+ Parking. Commissioners will select one of the vendors and instruct staff to begin putting together a contract for management services.

Comments

5 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here

  • JoeW

    Welcome to Fernandina Beach, Florida! -"literally no one in City Hall knows what’s going on”!

    It's akin to a 'Special Military Operation'.

    Saturday, August 16 Report this

  • DanGroth

    Very confusing. As a local, I never shop downtown. Too many tourists who hog the parking. Let’em pay for it.

    Saturday, August 16 Report this

  • JJC919

    I have largely ignored the paid parking issue much to my detriment I'm sure. I can see the pluses and minuses of each side. I must agree with the Vice-Mayor though & believe we need to know all the Ins & outs before we act.

    Also, before we act we need to know the impact on the surrounding area. As a resident of downtown we have recently been the victims of much of the side street parking that has resulted with the destruction of the Tringali property structures. When it becomes impossible to back out of your driveway because of the excessive parking along the side of the street, with no controls, signage or enforcement of any kind it directly impacts quality of life. It could also impact the ability of first responders to access our homes in an emergency.

    What's the hurry? Do it the right way for the betterment of the city as a whole!

    Sunday, August 17 Report this

  • dpwagner

    I have seen the negative effects of ‘paid parking’ in 2 popular tourist locations in Colorado. The business owners hated it because it negatively affected their bottom lines. It looks like the FB city commission is bound and determined to force paid parking down everyone’s throats regardless of the effect on the downtown. Looks like a city government that is making poor business decisions in more than one area. Had an HOA like that and we gave them the boot and things got much better.

    Sunday, August 17 Report this

  • charlesebrown

    The Vice-Mayor is a city employee in a department that has a bottom pit of money.mhe has no business berating any other city employee. He owes the entire city staff an apology. I urge all voters to refrain from giving this child-man another term.

    Wednesday, August 20 Report this

Other items that may interest you

Mayor launches Peg Leg Pete fund drive

Community pushback halts MLK Park softball expansion

Peg Leg Pete's fate still undecided

City rejects $6.6 million RYAM property demand

© Copyright 2025 Fernandina Observer
Contributions or gifts to the Fernandina Observer are tax-deductible.
Our federal EIN is 88-2158428.
Powered by Creative Circle Media Solutions