Category: Government

Ever wonder what it means when someone refers to “Sunshine Law” or why you must give your name and address before speaking during public comment at a City Commission meeting?

With four-of-five St Augustine city commissioners showing no interest in overturning their unanimous 2018-decision to protect the now 121-year-old memorial to Confederate soldiers in the city’s Plaza de la Constitucion, commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline seized the opportunity during Monday night’s meeting to betray her false commitment to historic preservation.

A proposed ordinance at Monday’s City Commission meeting to add regulations to city parks and other public and semi-public venues prompted a series of suggestions for naming parks and streets.

The 60-days to come will be perilous for taxpayers in Florida, because the legislature is in session.  State senators and representatives will be advancing their favorite Bills while the hallways of the Capitol become a campground for lobbyists.

Mayor Tracy Upchurch and city attorney Isabelle C. Lopez were placed on notice this month that should the city attempt to impose weekly minimum rental requirements on short-term rentals, they will go afoul of state law and open the city to the cost of otherwise avoidable litigation.

Historic City News will be reporting on three separate resolutions that come before the St Augustine City Commission on Monday evening.  Two marine issues will be discussed; a resolution to fund Salt Run dredging and another authorizing a plan for derelict vessel removal.  Also on the table, community shareholders and the developer of Flagler Crossing…

Visit full text article “At the City Commission table Monday” »

During the first meeting of the new year, Historic City News reporters will be watching Monday evening when St Augustine city commissioners consider five new ordinances on first reading.  If approved, the ordinances will advance to public hearing and final action at a later time, typically at the following meeting.

Historic City News was informed that effective February 1, 2020, Assistant County Administrator Darrell Locklear has resigned; the second high-profile replacement in county management since the termination of former administrator, Michael Wanchick.