Long time bee in the bonnet of many politicians, Ed Slavin dies at 59

Most every St Augustine elected public official, whether their politics ran conservative or liberal, knew a man who was seen and spoke at nearly every county commission meeting, meeting of the Anastasia Mosquito Control District, as well as most meetings of the Airport Authority and both City of St Augustine and St Augustine Beach commissions. 

This vigilant government watchdog and citizen advocate was named Edward A Slavin, Jr.  Ed was the son of a Polish immigrant who was a Corporal in the US Army and fought in WWII.  His mother and father married in 1945 in Russell County, Alabama, while he was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia.  Ed, born February 3. 1967, only lived to be 59-years old, while his father lived to be 90.

Ed and his late partner, David Brian Wallace, moved to St. Augustine in December of 2006.  In a variety of flexible employment that he held during his 20-years here, Slavin began publication of an editorial and news-based blog “Clean Up the City of St Augustine” that focused on environmental issues in the local community.  Slavin often strayed into national and international incidents that caught his attention.

In his younger years, Slavin’s friends called him “Fast Eddie”.  He was the former editor of the Appalachian Observer (Clinton, Tenn.), a graduate of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, and received a law degree from Memphis State University Law School.

Slavin was a lifelong Democrat. He most recently filed to run for a non-partisan seat on the board of the Anastasia Mosquito Control District.  As of his death on Thursday February 19, 2026, in a field of three contestants for Seat 4, he was the only candidate who had raised any campaign contributions.  Had he lived, he would have faced Anthony Timis and long-time candidate, Merrill Paul Roland, in the 2026 General Election, Tuesday November 3, 2026.

No funeral arrangements have been announced.  We reached out to Southern Family and Craig Funeral Home, but no one was available to confirm.  We attempted to reach someone at UF Health Flagler Hospital.  No one was available to confirm final arrangements.  Slavin had no other family here in St Augustine and his parents preceded him in death.

We will update this article as more details are learned on Friday.