Jeremy Marquis steps down from conflicting board

Historic City News applauds local landscape planner Jeremy Marquis, principal and vice-president of Marquis-Halback, for stepping down from the remainder of a three-year appointment on St Augustine’s Historic Architectural Review Board where he has been under fire for the appearance of conflicts of interest.

Since 2006, Marquis has been in practice with Fred Halback as a professional in landscape architecture, urban design, planning, and project management — all services employed by applicants who come before the board for various approvals. Recently, Marquis has been required by Florida’s ethics laws to recuse himself from participation and voting because he is working for controversial developer David Corneal.

A review of the members who make up the city’s citizen boards, like the Planning and Zoning Board and Historic Architectural Review Board, reveals a number of political appointees, who are serving without compensation, but work in professions that offer construction-related services to applicants who must come before them.

Historic City News continues to object to the outdated practice and looks for other appointees to do the right thing and resign from such boards if they solicit business within their board’s jurisdiction.

The City Commission is also seeking applicants to fill a vacancy created on the Lincolnville Community Redevelopment Area Steering Committee to fill the remainder of the three-year term of Laura Stevenson Dumas.

Applicants for the Historic Architectural Review Board appointment should be city residents. Lincolnville neighborhood residents and business owners are strongly encouraged to apply for the Lincolnville Community Redevelopment Area Steering Committee appointment.

 

Application deadline for both appointments is Monday, June 29th with appointments tentatively scheduled for the City Commission meeting of July 13th.

For information concerning qualifications and applications please contact the City Clerk’s office at 904.825.1007. To access the board appointment application, click on the “Forms, Applications & Docs” tab at StAugustineGovernment.com