St Johns County Commission is back at full strength

On Monday, December 13, Governor Ron DeSantis announced to local Historic City News reporters the appointment of 36-year-old Sarah Salley Arnold to the St Johns County Board of County Commissioners.

St Johns County citizens resume full representation on the County Commission as Arnold fills the remainder of the elected term of District 2 Commissioner Jeb S Smith. Smith resigned to accept the position of President of the Florida Farm Bureau for a two-year term, as reported by Historic City News on November 3, 2021.

The new commissioner and her husband, 38-year-old Casey William Arnold, are residing at 1131 Eagle Point Drive. Commissioner Arnold registered to vote in St Johns County on October 7, 2003. Both are registered Republicans, and vote at Precinct 202, according to records from the Supervisor of Elections.

The resume the Governor’s Office provided indicates that Commissioner Arnold is employed by the United Way of St Johns County where she currently serves as Director of Resource Development.  She serves on the boards of the Dream Big! Foundation and the Child Guidance Center of Jacksonville. Arnold is a member of the Rotary Club of St Johns and volunteers with the Armstrong Meal Distribution program.

District 2 includes much of the western portion of the county. Although each of the five members of the Board must live in their respective district, all St Johns County voters elect all five Board members, and each commissioner votes equally on all business to come before the Board.

Arnold’s appointment will expire when the winner of the November 2022 General Election is decided. No word yet on whether Arnold will seek election, although, two other Republican candidates have already filed for that seat.

Elections office documents reveal that 49-year-old LaShawnda Laurice Pinkney of St Augustine and 56-year-old Johnny Coe Counts of Hastings have already begun fundraising.  Pinkney has raised $4,950 in seven months as an active candidate.  Counts has raised $1,100 through the first month of his campaign.