NCSB, BOCC and OHPA candidates speak at Republican Women forum

The Federation of Republican Women of Nassau (FRWN) held a forum to allow candidates for Nassau County Board of County Commissioners, Ocean Highway and Port Authority and Nassau County School Board to share their thoughts and ideas about issues facing voters.

Sarah Pelican, FRWN President, moderated, asking candidates general questions as well as some which applied to their particular race. The first question was asked of everyone: BOCC candidates George Spicer, Aly McCullough, Thomas Ford and “Hupp” Huppmann; OHPA candidates Scott Hanna and Ray Nelson and NCSB candidates Jamie Deonas and Curtis Gaus. 

Pelican asked the candidates who was the biggest financial supporter of their campaigns.

Huppmann said his list of supporters “has about 8,000 or 9,000 names on it because it is the taxpayers and citizens of Nassau County. I invite everyone to go in and look at my finances. It’s been my neighbors and my friends and my relatives.” Ford said people who do business in the County have contributed to his campaign, Spicer said the biggest contributor to his campaign is his wife and the rest of the candidates said they themselves are the biggest contributors to their campaigns.

Candidates were asked what they believe is the biggest issue facing the body to which they want to be elected, or re-elected. 

NCSB candidate Deonas said the booming growth in the county and the need for new and bigger schools was the biggest issue facing the school board, and that a land growth committee has been formed to address the need for new facilities. Gaus said there are three issues faces NCSB - growth, student safety and teacher retention.

OHPA candidate Hanna said growth of the port and keeping that growth in the footprint of the Port of Fernandina without expanding into the Historic District of downtown Fernandina Beach is an issue, while Nelson said the impact of the port on the local economy.

BOCC candidate Huppmann said public safety is a priority for the County, along with controlling growth in a way that does not end in litigation. McCullough said the biggest issue for BOCC is the budget, “because everything rises from the budget. Sometimes we can’t have 300 projects going on.” Ford said BOCC needs to address the effects of inflation on County services, such as fuel prices and the cost of construction materials. Spicer said the county should take care of wants and not needs, and that he wants to go to a rollback rate on ad valorem taxes.

BOCC candidates were asked if they believe the Nassau County Economic Development Board should become part of County government. Spicer said the EDB should be privatized, working with the Chamber of Commerce. He said the EDB works to bring industry to the County, and it is the job of BOCC to offer tax incentive to businesses to attract them to Nassau County. McCullough said the people serving on the EDB are experts in their field and that it should not be absorbed by the county.  Hupp said “government’s not good at everything,” and the EDB should stay a separate entity. However, Ford said he thinks County government should have more control over the EDB. “I feel like the county funds it, and I want us to feel like the county should have a little more say about how it’s done.” Ford said.

Another issue that has been a source of contention is money collected by the Amelia Island Tourist Development Council (TDC). The TDC is funded through a 5-cent bed tax on short-term lodging on Amelia Island, the only establishments that fund the council are on the island, leading to questions of why the tourism board should have representation from off-island residents and fund projects in an area that provides no Tourist Development Tax funding. Pelican asked BOCC candidates if TDC funds should be split based on where they are collected, with Amelia Island and the City of Fernandina Beach receiving more.

“I am a huge proponent of making the TDC county-wide,” Ford said. “I think it’s been said we are missing out on $600,000 a year of bed taxes on I-95. The center of our tourism industry will always be on Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach. But I think a county-wide TDC that will help the fairgrounds or pay for new kayak launches in Lofton Creek to take pressure off the boat ramps is important.” Hupp said that while the TDC does bring people to Nassau County, it could work to bring people into the west side of the county, and representation from off the island. Both Spicer and McCullough advocated for a county-wide TDC.

OHPA candidates were asked about a controversial pay raise the OHPA Commission gave itself, using funds from the Authority’s reserve fund to cover that cost. Hanna said, as an OHPA Commissioner, he voted against that raise each time it was discussed. Nelson said that while he was not on the OHPA Commission, he would not have voted for it.

Candidates for BOCC were asked what would improve the often-contentious relationship between County government and the City of Fernandina Beach. McCullough said the east and west sides of the community need to come together, which would be helped by having leaders out in the community in order to improve communication. Huppmann, Ford and Spicer also said better communication between the two entities could help with problems.

Primary election day is August 23, with polls open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Early voting is at selected polling places, August 10 through August 20, 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily, including Saturday and Sunday.

jroberts@fbnewsleader.com