McClure ready to get to work

At an election event sponsored by Florida Senator John Thrasher last night, Commissioner-elect Bill McClure told Historic City News editor Michael Gold that he has been “eager to get to work” since being declared the winner of ex-commissioner Mark Miner’s seat on the St Johns County Commission for District 3.

McClure replaces half of a pair of increasingly unpopular county commissioners that many in political circles dubbed “the odd couple”. Rachael Bennett, another political first-timer, gave Ken Bryan the boot in the Primary Election; and has gone on to win again in the General Election.

Cyndi Stevenson, who will return for a third four-year term, may be in her best position yet to take more of a leadership role and to accomplish more of her agenda for St Johns County; which, during the past eight years, has been hampered by overbearing, oppressive personalities like Ben Rich, Tom Manuel, Mark Miner and Ken Bryan.

During one county commission meeting, Miner showed incredibly poor judgment and immaturity when he, followed by Ken Bryan, attempted to oust Stevenson from her position as Chairman of the Board; during a temper tantrum, brought on because he couldn’t have his way.

McClure was shown a video clip taken during a budget hearing when a taxpayer questioned County Administrator Michael Wanchick as to why it was necessary to raise the millage rate on St Johns County property owners. Then commissioner Mark Miner interrupted the town hall meeting, paraded to the podium where the citizen was speaking, pushed the microphone away, and, raising his voice to an uncomfortable level, got inches away from the citizen’s face — refusing to allow him to ask further questions.

McClure told the Historic City News Editorial Board during an interview before receiving our endorsement, that he would never show a citizen such disrespect — whether he agreed with the point the citizen was trying to make, or not. Further, McClure told us, he could not condone such conduct that he considers unbecoming of a public official.