We will inform and educate, not confuse and mislead

Editorial Staff

Douglas Newton

Susan Hardee Steger

Co-Editors

Suanne Z. Thamm, Reporter-News Analyst

October 29, 2014 4:54 p.m.

"So when a print news story surfaces a week before the city election, dredging up allegations and insinuations about one of the candidates, do we sit idly by because we do not endorse? Or do we try to counter such a story with facts?"

From its unheralded beginnings a little more than two years ago the editors and reporters have tried to live by the words above, which are stated in our “About” section on the Fernandina Observer (FO) website. Through three city election cycles the FO has remained steadfast in not accepting political advertising or endorsing candidates. Why? Because we believe it is our job to deliver information to our readers, who can then form their own opinions on which candidates and directions are best for our city.

While those of us who volunteer our services in putting out this news blog have personal opinions, we strive to keep them out of news stories. We label our opinions as opinions—and we put our names on them. And believe us when we stress that all of us—editors, writers and technical helpers-- are all volunteers who have two things in common: no Fernandina Observer paychecks and a strong love for our city.

There is always much more going on in this fascinating city than we can cover with our volunteer workers. When we tackle something controversial, we strive to get the facts to back up our stories, whether it be the “Sidewalk to Nowhere,” the impact fee lawsuit, the port’s master plan or more mundane issues like horse droppings on the beach or chickens and peacocks in residential areas.

So when a print news story surfaces a week before the city election, dredging up allegations and insinuations about one of the candidates, do we sit idly by because we do not endorse? Or do we try to counter such a story with facts? In the recent case of Tim Poynter, candidate for the Group 2 City Commission seat currently held by Commissioner Charlie Corbett, we have decided to put some facts at your fingertips.

Anyone who has talked with or listened to Tim Poynter since he first became a public person with his election to the Fernandina Beach City Commission in 2009 quickly realizes that he is forthright, unapologetic and passionate about supporting public actions which he believes are in the best interest of Fernandina Beach’s future prosperity. He can be strong in voicing his ideas and strategies, but that same behavior demonstrates his belief in this community and its future. Indeed, he and his wife Theresa have invested in developing three, successful, small businesses in our downtown catering to appetites and thirsts of locals and visitors.

Yet some people have never been able to get beyond rumors and allegations surrounding the “propriety” of permits issued to his businesses. Although no one has emerged from the shadows to take legal action against either Poynter or the city for issuing the permits, the rumors continue to circulate from year to year and election to election. These issues seem to gain new life with each election cycle. To set the record straight, the Fernandina Observer here below publishes in their entirety a memorandum from City Manager Joe Gerrity that was published when originally written in 2012 and a letter from Poynter’s architect, John Cotner, replying to specific allegations made by the local newspaper over a year ago.

We encourage you to read both letters and then decide whether these issues continue to merit the discussion and ink that they receive in some local quarters. You may like Tim Poynter or not like Tim Poynter; you may feel that his vision for the city is worth pursuing or not. But please base your vote on what is real as opposed to what some are floating as fact based upon their dislike for Poynter and the commission on which he served.

If you needed any final convincing that Poynter is being railroaded, you might ask why it is, if Poynter as alleged, paid no impact fees for his restaurants, did he along with other restaurateurs receive a refund, when the city refunded him more than $10,000 in impact fees that he overpaid? You might also ask why the local newspaper did not mention his refund in their recent article.* Or why they edited out of Poynter’s campaign announcement that he was the only commissioner to vote against a 15.95% tax hike for the 2012/13 budget year. Neither Commissioner Charlie Corbett nor Vice Mayor Sarah Pelican can make that claim, because the record speaks for itself.

* The Fernandina Observer has been informed that the local newspaper did in fact include Tim Poynter's impact fee refund in a story on the city's  overall refunds of more than $700,000.  Their report appeared on September 4, 2013.  We acknowledge and apologize for the error.  We have corrected our opinion piece above.