Candidate Q&A: Staci McMonagle

Website: https://www.facebook.com/stacimcmonagleseat5/

Email: s.d.mcmonagle@gmail.com

Phone: 904-477-4086

CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE

I am a 24-year resident of Fernandina Beach and a lifelong Floridian, I grew up in Jacksonville moved to Fernandina in 1988. I am a proud mother of three children and two grandchildren. My volunteer experience includes the Salvation Army Hope House, the Interfaith Dinner Network and Young Life, where I served both as a volunteer for four years and on their board for two years. I have worked in the hospitality industry for 14 years and for the past 12 years I have worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant and currently have my own business, C.N.A. Care Services. – Submitted by McMonagle

How long have you lived in Fernandina Beach? 

34 years.

Have you ever ran for/held public hold office before? 

No.

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

My entire working career has prepared me for being a city commissioner.  My prior work in the hotel industry as a concierge allowed me to develop problem-solving skills and experience. 

My current work in the healthcare industry has given me an appreciation of and a compassion for meeting the needs of people. 

Both have prepared me for being a public servant that is sensitive and responsive to the needs and challenges facing our citizens individually and community as a whole.

What made you want to run for office? 

Like most residents, I was unhappy with the direction I saw Fernandina going in. Specifically, I feel strongly that our community needs to hold on to our character and culture and honor our past. As a Christian, it’s important that Fernandina Beach stay grounded in our Judeo-Christian values. 

What do you feel are the biggest problems facing FB?

Lack of sound management and sound planning. Our bloated budget needs to be brought under control. Our infrastructure and environment have been neglected for too long. Our comprehensive plan and our capital improvements 5-yr plan need to be updated and projects prioritized.

In short, our city leaders need to be proactive, not reactive and take the initiative. 

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? 

I believe with Oasis managing the marina we will do well. However, the city needs to be diligent in its oversight of that management. We also need to watch spending at the waterfront and limit it to our needs, not our wants – i.e. the sea wall needs to be completed and that needs to be our top priority. 

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

This past year our golf course ended the year in the black. However, our first priority needs to be to update the clubhouse and hire the staff needed so the facility is in a position to host weddings and other large events to increase revenue. 

Second, we need to Invest in putting the golf course in good condition including solving its drainage problems so it can operate at maximum capacity. Third Top Tracer needs to be eliminated so that the money currently spent on it is redirected to updating the clubhouse and golf course needs. 

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

First and foremost our attitude must change. We must take a team approach and work together to solve the challenges facing us in both the city and county. We must stop working against one another and taking a team collaborative approach.

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

Before that decision can be made an assessment needs to be made of how much additional revenue would be brought in from such an increase. 

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

All of it is a concern. A completely different approach to the budget process must be taken. We need to start with a zero-based budget. Each city department director should present individual budgets for the upcoming year and we should encourage and incentivize decreases where viable. City commissioners need to be brought in early to the budget process and not just presented with a draft budget “after the fact”.  To be good stewards of our tax dollars city commissioners need to be involved in and given ample time to evaluate the budget.

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

The city‘s first priority, as always, should be protection of its citizens and property. Therefore the seawall needs to be completed around the CRA property before any further plans for development are discussed. To proceed with development on the property without ensuring its protection would be foolish and could be very costly to all our citizens.