Candidate Q&A: Genece Minshew

Website: https://www.minshewforyou.com/

Email: gminshew@gmail.com

Phone: (904) 491-0185

CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE

How long have you lived in Fernandina Beach?

My family came here as the mills opened and are still here today. I’ve owned property here for almost 25 years and have been here full-time for 14 of those years.

Have you ever ran for/held public office before?

Yes, I ran for city commission in 2020 and lost in the runoff to David Sturges by 40 votes.

What made you want to run for office?

I am running to help make Fernandina Beach city government better. I know it can be better and will be better in the future.

What part of your career or life experience do you believe gave you the skillset to be a City Commissioner?

I worked in the telecommunications industry for over 40 years. I got to witness and work through the biggest justice department anti-trust breakup in history, the breakup of ATT in 1984, which took the company from a national monopoly to separate non-regulated businesses. It afforded me the opportunity to have a varied career, everything from regulatory, customer operations, strategic planning, system planning and implementation.  It was a great career. Then, I worked as an industry consultant, using my business background and experience to make other businesses better. But the biggest take away from all that experience, is that I gained two things, leadership and experience.

It is that leadership and experience that I bring to the table to deal with complex yet critical issues within the city. Issues like budget planning, capital improvement plans, managing physical infrastructure, strategic long-term thinking, development and professionalism of our city staff, supporting a thriving business and tourism industry. We are a complex small city. We must manage and take care of multiple historic districts, a historic downtown, a marina, a golf course, an airport, and a cemetery along with the core services provided by any city; public safety, water, sewer, parks and recreation, physical infrastructure maintenance. And, we must do all this while dealing with the need to acknowledge and work through issues such as increased traffic, increased tourism, increased demand on our beaches, parks and recreation facilities, density and climate change. We are not a simple small town and we deserve better than what we have been doing in the past. I recognize that the services and the costs of those services impact our local citizens and businesses directly and I know that thoughtful planning and spending can make me a better steward of your tax dollars.  I am ready to take on that stewardship.

Many of you are familiar with my volunteer work. I started volunteering within weeks of moving here in 2008. Barnabas, Voluntary Income Tax Assistance Program, Soup Train (a Council on Aging Program), Fernandina Beach Main Street and now as a member of the City’s Planning Advisory Board. Volunteering is near and dear to me and an important part of who I am.

What do you feel are the biggest problems facing Fernandina Beach?

Lack of planning, lack of budget management, poor decision making and lack of accountability

Now that the marina has received a payment to pay off an accumulated cash deficit, do you think the marina can be financially self-sufficient?

There is no reason it can't with the exception of the regular dredging needed. That expense will cause the marina to stay in the red.

What changes do you think the City can make to help the golf course become financially self-sufficient?

Close Top Tracer - a very bad decision in 2019 and it has not lived up to revenue requirements, fix the drainage in the driving range - it was supposed to be fixed with the $700,000 spent on Top Tracer and was not. Create a master plan with a yearly capital expenditures to improve playability on the course and include in the yearly capital expense budget.  This is a city asset and as such should be included in capital expense spending.

How could the City Commission improve its relationship with the Board of County Commissioners? OHPA?

I think the relationship has improved with the hiring of a Port Director and the replacement of the Port Operator. Long-term relationships can be improved by regular cooperation and communication.

Do you think the City should raise the surcharge (currently 25%) for users of facilities that are non-City residents?

This surcharge is not being administered consistently. For example; pickleball courts are open to everyone with no charges.  The new Parks and Rec director needs to come to the commission with a clear, consistent plan that is fair and implementable.

What parts of the City’s budget are of the most concern to you?

Headcount, Long term capital budget planning

What do you think, if anything, the City should do to encourage development in the CRA?

I think the CRA area is developing organically just based on the current development interest in the community and the city has done nothing to encourage or enhance that development. I think that the city should consider removing the CRA designation and let the free market dictate the development.