In an event a speaker called “The Woodstock of Fernandina,” the Fernandina Beach Woman’s Club building was filled to overflowing with people honoring Ron Sapp, a teacher, longtime city official and community leader, by naming the Egans Creek Greenway for him. In addition to his political and educational careers, Sapp also wrote a column for the News-Leader for 20 years.
Those who spoke talked about how instrumental Sapp was in his role as city commissioner when the city created the Greenway, working to bring the matter of a multi-million bond to the voters, who passed it by a slim (52%) margin in 2001. What seems like an obviously great decision was not as popular at the time; fellow Commissioner Beano Roberts called the greenway bond “the biggest boondoggle in city history.”
Earlier this year, Sapp said the accomplishments as a city commissioner he is most proud of include the introduction of the Open Space Bond Issue, which was the primary funding source for the Egans Creek Greenway, opening and preservation of more than 40 public beach accesses, establishing construction height limits, eliminating beachfront lot consolidation, initiating the Seaside Park and North Beach Park projects, representing the city in negotiations with the Nassau County School Board to purchase the Peck High School property, collaborating with key African American community leaders to secure state and local funding for the Peck Center rehabilitation project and an introduction and sponsorship of the Main Beach Revitalization project, which resulted in boardwalk construction, new expanded lighting and landscaping.
At the Greenway dedication ceremony, Robert Peters talked about a three-story limit the city placed on buildings on the beach, an effort he said Sapp led.
“He saw Amelia by the Sea and Amelia South (condo towers on unincorporated Nassau County beachfront) and said, ‘We don’t need any more of that, and we need to do something now to prevent more of that in the future,’” Peters said. “Part of the small-town feel of Fernandina is that we don’t have 10-story buildings on the beach.”
Peters spoke about the city’s beach accesses, which he said Sapp worked to create.
“He worked with the Department of Environmental Protection and the city commission to make sure there was signage, they were clear, there was parking available,” Peters said. “He knew that the beach does not belong to the rich people; it does not belong to the developers or the condo associations like it does in some parts of Florida. It belongs to each and every one of us, and those beach accesses make sure that is a reality.”
Vicki Cannon is a former Fernandina Beach city clerk and thanked Sapp for his “candid advice.”
“Working in government can be very stressful, and it’s not for the faint of heart,” Cannon said. “I was 24 years old when I started. He came into my office one day when I was almost in tears. He very kindly said, ‘Vicki, you are going to have to toughen up. This is not for sissies.’ He was right.” She said Sapp’s career in political career could “be summed up in three words: quality of life, as he fought development such as what was taking place in south Florida.”
Despite the many accomplishments he had as a commissioner, those who spoke at the Greenway dedication talked more about his work as a teacher. Former student Andy Zerbinopoulos is one of the 7,000 students Sapp taught and said his teacher “made a huge difference in a lot of peoples’ lives.”
“The lessons I learned from Mr. Sapp stand out as some of the very brightest and most memorable, and most meaningful,” Zerbinopoulos said. “Mr. Sapp taught the importance of learning facts to support your opinions and understanding the difference between those two things. He has always embraced the concept of respectful debate and learning from others, even when you disagree. I learned how to be thoughtful, sincere and respectful to others, how to give back whenever you can and however you can.”
Sapp’s daughter, Suzanne Sapp, said she was thankful to her father for the love of nature he passed on to her and the ability to appreciate beauty.
“I am thankful that he taught me about poetry, the beauty of Henry David Thoreau, the sound of the wind through the tops of the trees and the melodies of birds, the lyrical genius of Bob Dylan and the Beatles,” Suzanne said.
Fernandina Beach Mayor Bradley Bean, one of Sapp’s former students, said he taught Bean government.
“When you took Mayor Sapp’s classes, it was really about how the federal government works,” Bean said. “He taught nationally, but he acted locally.”
jroberts@fbnewsleader.com