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With city facing lawsuit and recall effort, Minshew endorses paid parking vote
In a significant shift that may reshape Fernandina Beach’s bitter paid parking debate, City Commissioner Genece Minshew on Tuesday said she is now open to waiting until voters decide in a special election before implementing a paid parking program — an idea she previously opposed but now calls a potential path toward restoring civic calm.
“The past several months have been really difficult for our community,” she said. “The driver of the difficulty, a difference of opinion in how the city should plan and pay for major infrastructure projects.”
She reaffirmed her philosophical support for paid parking as a long-term revenue source, stating she “strongly” backs the program. But she said the climate surrounding the issue has deteriorated into misinformation, anger, and outright hostility.
“There has been very heated and vocal opposition, much of it fueled by misinformation,” Minshew said. “That has now turned into a citizen petition, lawsuits against the city, [and] the possible recall of at least two recently elected officials.”
She framed her proposal as a way to give fellow commissioners time to discuss options ahead of the Dec. 2 vote on the paid parking enabling ordinance.
The commission is scheduled to consider the enabling ordinance for paid parking on December 2. Minshew said she deliberately raised the special election option now so commissioners can spend the next two weeks evaluating it.
“I am proposing this tonight so that my fellow commissioners will have the time to think about it … and then be better prepared to make a decision on December 2nd.”
Her new position mirrors an argument made earlier this month by Vice Mayor Darron Ayscue, who on Nov. 4 called for a special election so voters could decide the paid parking question before the city enters any paid parking management contracts. Ayscue’s motion failed for lack of a second at that meeting.
Ayscue argued that holding the referendum sooner rather than later would de-escalate increasingly hostile tensions and prevent further legal challenges. He insisted the city should not sign any parking contracts until voters had their say.
Ayscue said then that the only way to “put this to bed” was to schedule a special election in early 2026 instead of forcing residents to wait until the regular August or November ballot. His effort collapsed when no commissioner supported bringing the motion to a vote.
On Tuesday, Minshew acknowledged his earlier argument directly:
“At the last commission meeting, Commissioner Ayscue stated that all of this would go away if we would just let people vote before we implement paid parking. After much thought, research, and consideration, I think the commission should consider this as an option," Minshew said.
Minshew added a key caveat: she would support delaying implementation of the paid parking program and calling a special election only if those fueling the current turbulence agree to stand down.
She said she wants “assurances that all of this going away means the lawsuit against the city will be withdrawn, the recall effort will stop, and the vitriol and hateful commentary on social media will … be eliminated.”
The paid parking plan — approved 4–1 earlier this fall — has ignited one of the most contentious political fights Fernandina Beach has seen in years.
Key elements of the controversy include:
- A citizen petition and 2026 referendum in which more than 1,700 residents signed a citizen initiative placing a "no paid parking ordinance on the 2026 ballot.
- A lawsuit against the city as the same anti-paid parking political action group seeks an injunction to prevent the city from implementing the program before voters can decide the issue.
- A new commissioner recall effort against Minshew and Poynter launched three weeks ago, the first recall effort since a failed effort against A.J. Smith in 1992.
- Approved provisions of a management contract to run the paid parking program and a $7 million line of credit for the city to start the demolition of Brett's Waterway Cafe.
City leaders have said paid parking revenue is needed to support bonds for the downtown flood wall, demolition of Brett’s Waterway Cafe, bulkhead construction, stormwater upgrades, and long-delayed infrastructure repairs.
“The city has important work ahead of us,” she said, noting that downtown revitalization has stalled repeatedly over the years. “We can’t let projects just peter out and fail to see completion.”
Whether Minshew’s public reversal generates the votes Ayscue lacked earlier this month remains uncertain. But her remarks indicate that at least one member of the commission’s four-vote pro-parking majority is now open to a compromise aimed at cooling political temperatures. No other commissioners weighed in on her remarks during the closing session of the meeting.
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JofusD
"Minshew added a key caveat: she would support delaying implementation of the paid parking program and calling a special election only if those fueling the current turbulence agree to stand down."
He above quote is an unfair ask by the commissioners. Citizens don't trust members of the commission. Why would they believe you would follow through on your side of the 'deal' you propose?
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
Dman62
Mike's manipulative "journalism" neglects to mention that Genece is the target of the recall effort. I doubt her sudden change of position in exchange for the recall efforts stopping is due to anything other than a desperate attempt to keep her commissioner position. Nice spin as always Mike.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
GDecker
This headlong rush to paid parking does need to stop until citizens have their say. The driving issue is the estimated $2M paid parking will produce, which would be used to pay the debt service on loans/bonds for infrastructure projects. So the issue is $2M annually--where to find it. If no paid parking that means a tax increase. Using this year's data, a millage increase of about 0.5 mils would be needed--so look at your recent TRIM notice, add the 0.5 mils to your current tax bill and decide which choice makes sense for you.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
Hibdon1998
GDecker - EXACTLY!!! Where do the anti paid parking people think the shortfall will come from, we have to pay for it one way or another. We are City residents & are accustomed to paid parking in similar beach towns. Recently we went to St Augustine & did not give paid parking a 2nd thought, we paid & enjoyed our day. Same thing in Key West, LaJolla, CA. When traveling in Europe we plan/budget for paid parking & tolls, parking in most cities in Europe can be very limited, we are happy to pay for it as an expense for traveling. We pay to park at the airport & downtown Jax, I honestly don’t believe paid parking will impact tourism. People still visit thousands of locations & pay for parking without making a huge issue - I have NEVER heard anyone say, “I’m not going there because I’d have to pay for parking.”
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
DouglasM
Stand down? Well.....when will the election occur? I hope the Commissioners realize everything has occurred because this idea of a "referendum" was repeated over and over and over by Marisol, Paul Lore and many others......and no one listened! Ground control to Major Tom.....your circuit's dead.....somethings wrong....can you hear me.....???
Just get this vote out soon and everyone will live with the decision. It makes everything moot! Just make sure it is a clean ballot with no tag-along issues. Then everything goes away......the lawsuit seeking the injunction is not necessary; the recall loses steam and disappears or is defeated; and the rhetoric softens.
I said before....Paid Parking is the third rail in this town. By touching it this FBCC has been making history since.....first successful citizens petition for an ordinance.....first recall attempt in over 30 years. Stop making history (in a bad way) and just get the vote out. Soon!!!! Do the right thing....
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
Editor
Minshew being part of the recall effort is included in the "Key Elements" section of this report.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Report this
PaulaM
Paying to park is basically a fact if life in this day and age. NOT having meters or kiosks or parking lots and garages is a rarity only seen now in very small towns with no downtown draw like shopping and bars and restaurants. Most especially in towns that depend on tourism it is a big addition to their income. In little Stone Harbor, NJ…a resort town just north of Cape May they installed ParkMobile ..took out all the meters that had to be manually emptied and monitored by paid employees during the day…and installed the app controlled devices. In the first month of usage they jumped from making about $200 a day in fines to almost $2000 in June which is the beginning of their season. They didn’t have to pay readers or collectors…their revenue has increased tremendously and they have been able to offset many expenses with what this brings in. It’s rare to go anywhere with amenities that you don’t have to pay to engage in and people don’t seem to have a problem paying it …Fernandina is fortunate that they have been able to avoid it as long as they have.
Thursday, November 20, 2025 Report this
Beachstoremike
The FBCC made the right choice in approving paid parking downtown. Now because of a vocal minority on paid parking and an even smaller minority calling for a recall, Commissioner Minshew wants to offer an early vote in exchange for "this going away".
FBCC Commissioners were elected to make decisions they believe are in the best interests of Fernandina Beach; almost none will have unanimous support from our citizens. Make a decision, stick with it and let the next election determine if their overall performance has community support. If the FBCC votes to spend tax payer money for an early election they will have provided a path forward for any group opposed to any FBCC vote.
Thursday, November 20, 2025 Report this