One of the most appealing features of living in Fernandina Beach is the eclectic mix of people residing here from diverse geographic regions boasting a variety of skills.
A large population of Fernandina Beach residents are creative, knowledgeable, perceptive folks that migrated here from Democrat controlled blue states, thereby leaving them suspicious of all elected officials no matter the political party or their campaign promises.
Those suspicions have been justly confirmed since the city’s “Paid Parking” brouhaha exploded. It also helps to have an excellent sense of humor, and deep pockets, particularly if they’re local property owners or business operators.
Jim Rodrock, who I’ve known for the two years since he moved here from Annapolis, Maryland, applied his analytical management consultant skills to the city’s “Paid Parking” mêlée concluding that the city’s justification for this intensely contentious issue is that the entire proposition is a money laundering scam obscured by city hall’s abstruse mumbo-jumbo.
Jim’s analysis reveals a money-raising rip-off that pales in comparison to Minneapolis, Minnesota’s Somali Day Care fraud. But elected political crooks have to start somewhere.
Jim indicates that Fernandina’s local pirates aren’t the fun-loving crowd running around town during Shrimp Feast growling “Aurgh” and waving plastic swords. They’re the “Real McCoy” sitting in City Hall disguised as City Commissioners, spouting convoluted idiocy, lying, and patting each other on the back, while simultaneously picking tax payers’ pockets with parking meters.
Fernandina’s current concept of local government exceeds government spoofing scenes from the Marx Brothers’ “Duck Soup” and Mel Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles”. The Commission’s performance is so egregiously outrageous that it is even attracting the attention of those residents who normally pay little heed to city hall antics.
Fernandina City Hall’s Paid Parking Pirates’ explanation for their intensely detested scheme makes Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (AOC) sound like Winston Churchill.
The only official that makes any sense is Commissioner Darron Ayscue, who has publicly stated his opposition to the parking fiasco, only to be shunned by his fellow Commissioners, a position he probably finds comforting, when seated amongst this quartet of crackpots.
For those keeping score at home, the four most despised elected city officials are Commissioners Tim Poynter, Genece Minshew, Joyce Tuten, and Mayor James Antun, all enthusiastic proponents of the paid parking scheme.
Critics say Poynter’s motives are to keep tables turning at his five local eateries and bars. Minshew follows Poynter like a mesmerized child trailing the Pied Piper; Tuten takes her orders from Chip Ross, the curmudgeonly former Commissioner who moved to Jacksonville, and Antun impersonates a potted plant, nodding adoringly at his mentor Poynter.
Jim deduces that the $2-dollar per hour paid parking rate these city commissioners and the city manager have been touting is all a farce. “Before paid parking started I scanned the QR code on one of the parking signs plastered all over the city and saw the actual price per each hour,” explains Jim. “Conv fee? Convenience fee? What’s that? Is it a convenience fee to be allowed to park or use the app? Sales tax? In reading the chart below, one hour at $2 per hour is really $3.07.”
Following are rates Jim says reveal the actual hourly fees:
- 20 Minutes: Free
- 1 Hour: $3.07 ($2.00 base + $0.87 conv fee + sales tax)
- 2 Hours: $5.21 ($4.00 base + $0.87 conv fee + sales tax)
- 3 Hours: $7.35 ($6.00 base + $0.87 conv fee + sales tax)
- 4 Hours: $9.49 ($8.00 base + $0.87 conv fee + sales tax)
- 5 Hours: $11.63 ($10 base + $0.87 conv fee + sales tax)
- 6 Hours: $13.77 ($12 base + $0.87 conv fee + sales tax)
- 7 Hours: $15.91 ($14 base + $0.87 conv fee + sales tax)
- 8 Hours: $18.05 ($16 base + $0.87 conv fee + sales tax)
- 9 Hours: $20.19 ($18 base + $0.87 conv fee + sales tax)
- 10 Hours: $22.33 ($20 base + $0.87 conv fee + sales tax)
If I go to Fernandina to meet some pals for a couple of $5 beers, those two brews will cost me close to $16.00 including parking, if I don’t have a permit. There will be plenty of empty bar stools hereabouts. The Sandbar at Main Beach has a special of $3.00 for a domestic beer for locals between 3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Many other eateries and bars outside city limits will follow that example. That’s a $10 savings with an ocean view and no parking meters….yet.
Jim asked a couple of questions the city has failed to answer such as: “Can disabled placard holders park free with no permit required? Does it mean they can park anywhere other than the spots labeled “Disabled”? Also, if the first 20 minutes are free, does the parking clock start after the 20 minutes are up?
“During all the meetings and documentation that I saw or read, there was never any discussion about including the extra costs in the hourly price,” says Jim. “I just noticed on the city paid parking information website, the city quietly updated and added ‘(plus fees)’ after the rate. Example: ‘After the free period, parking is available for $2 per hour (plus fees).’”
He says “…that since our ace commissioners are so generous with our money they are allowing city residents two free annual parking permits with registration, is the city covering the $24 processing fee? Where does that money come from? They say the estimated $194,000 for the city resident permits would be paid out of any revenue that we receive.” [City Commission Workshop of 7 Oct 2025.] Dave, as you said, this is our money and nothing is free.”
Downtown businesses will pay dearly for paid parking with locals and many tourists avoiding them for cheaper options elsewhere. They already are.
Restaurants and bars outside of the city paid parking areas are currently experiencing a large increase in customer traffic. Thursday evening (Feb. 19) the marketing director for one beach area eatery told me that one of their beachside restaurants experienced a 1,000 percent (YES! 1,000 percent) increase in business, over the same time last year. They were astonished. A local bartender there told me he is seeing locals he’s never seen there before and they are all singing the same “I ain’t paying to park” tune.
Lori Huppman, head of downtown’s Main Street, an organization that says it advocates for Fernandina’s downtown businesses, told the Men’s Newcomer Club Thursday, February 19, that more than 80 percent for its members polled are against paid parking. But, like the impotent Chamber of Commerce, it won’t take a stand. The diplomatic Mrs. Huppman told the group her organization remains neutral on the issue.
Is there a single downtown retail business establishment owner other than Commissioner Poynter in favor of this plan? If so please explain why.
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Why Your Vote Matters: Overall the U.S. murder rate has declined by historic levels in 2025.
That has a lot to do with getting the illegals out, and with much more federal and local focus on gangs, and some local police departments focusing on arrests again instead of social solutions. Solve the illegal issues and lock up the recidivists instead of no bail and light sentences, and crime plummets. If voters keep electing leftist mayors and governors, crime will continue to go up as bad guys are released, and illegal thugs are allowed to roam the streets.
Red states like Florida crack down on law breakers no matter where they come from. That’s why there are few if any ICE protests and soaring crime rates in red states. Why are there no reports of Floridians flocking to Minnesota but numerous tales of cars from Minnesota headed to Florida, pulling U-Hauls behind them?
Minneapolis is the perfect example of the bad ideology of the Democrats. They have rounded up crowds of imbeciles to go protest in bitter cold to try to claim they are protecting their community. They are encouraging and defending a community of fraudsters, criminals, and illegal aliens.
Think about that when you go vote.
I miss the News Wrecker! Please please please write another. Its the funniest thing Ive ever read.
Poynter also charges a “convenience fee “ at Karibo when one uses a credit card
John …. You need to read more.
Let’s talk about this Credit Card “Convenience Fee”. That is ludicrous and makes me mad.
Seriously, the Credit Card fee is for the business’s convenience, NOT the customer. Proof of that? Put a “Cash Only” sign in your store window and see how long you stay in business.
I will not patronize a business that charges a credit card fee, unless they’re the only one selling what I need, and I would have to need it badly.
I made a comment looking at Steve Johnson’s Credit Card fee sign, that I’d be buying my tires elsewhere. In return I was confronted by the owner who chased me in the parking lot as I was heading to see my flat being fixed, and he proceeded to lecture me, raising his voice. And then told me he didn’t want my business anymore. Well since then I changed tires on three of my cars. That’s $4,000 that went to someone else.
Had the exact same issue at FastSigns at the corner of 14th and Oak street. They’d make signs for my cars, tradeshow banners, etc. which I now order online. And I had a couple of cars wrapped in lieu of sign in Jax. That $5,000 that went to Jax instead of Fernandina. And then they’ll complain that locals don’t support local businesses.
The smartest one is New York Nails next to Walmart, she built her CC cost into her price (like I do on my own store) but, she’ll give you a 5% cash discount if you pay cash.
Went to Ciao Wednesday night, was glad it was just before 8pm. I assume my free 20 min would have carried me until 8pm when parking is no longer subject to non- sense.
I simply boycott businesses that make us pay for their business cost instead of absorbing it. And I feel terrible for downtown businesses.
Citizen boycotts and protests in front of Karibo, Timoti’s, Baba, Scullys – maybe use FB common sense Fernandina as place to share thoughts
Paid parking…..I heard someone complaining about being charged $7.35 for 3 hours. I had not heard this “service charge” wrinkle. I should have asked why she paid in the first place. I don’t think they are even “checking” yet as warnings don’t go out until March 1st and citations on the 16th.
Why would a tourist ever pay? If I’m visiting from the Carolinas how will you enforce my citation after I’ve left town? When I get a letter, I trash it. Is the City going to chase someone to Asheville for $20? Read their ordinance…..there is nothing they can do to force collection for tourists who are temporarily in town.
The one’s who will bear this burden will primarily be the “locals” who blindly pay and are not transiting our city from elsewhere.
downtown’s Main Street remains neutral BECAUSE they receive a major part of their funding from the CITY. When are the merchants going to put the pieces together that MAIN STREET is for MAIN STREET only?
Stop supporting things that don’t support YOU.
No more Poyntner businesses for us- boycotted. The Commissioners pushing this should be recalled. Not only because of paid parking, but because they are so statist and myopic that they don’t even consider that they have a spending problem, not a revenue problem. Instead, they are scrambling to increase fees and maybe taxes, since they also want to borrow money to finance their spending habits. Former Commissions allowed prior City Manager Martin to steamroll his big spending programs and no one has thought to question them even years after he was fired.
As for credit card fees, the banks are sharks and charge more and more for simply processing a payment. I also deal with Steve Johnson Automotive and Tires. While they charge for credit card usage, because they get gouged for it, it’s free to use debit cards there, so I just do that. They are the most ethical repair shop I have ever encountered, so I am happy to do business on those terms. Building the processing fee into prices penalizes everyone and makes them subsidize credit card users- and of course the greedy banks.
George Miller,
Credit card fees have been the same for decades, 1/2 point more or less here and there. It’s not gouging. It protects your transactions from fraud, allows you to get your money back when there is abuse, etc.
And a business owner yelling at a customer because he “pays $40,000 in credit card fee” isn’t smart business. And so what? I told him, “you gross $1M a year, from people with credit cards”. Again, put a “Cash Only” sign and see how that works for you
The mileage I cumulate with American Express adds up to thousands of Dollars that buy more stuff. It’s called capitalism. Debit card expenses aren’t as safe as Credit Cards.
And it’s like the constant begging in stores “Would like to round up for this or that?” Seriously, we’ve become a beggar’s country. We should be able to shop without being made feel stingy because we don’t want to round up for some charity which we don’t know how many pennies will get to the person who needs it.
Or like the McDonald on the island that systematically supersizes your drinks. I even recorded it on video because I intend to address that with corporate, with its cashier apologizing that she was told to just supersize every drink.
And all these places that don’t give “Service” but still want a gratuity, from Larry’s Giant Subs to many other places. That’s without counting the restaurants that add gratuity on the ticket but don’t tell you, so that you’re likely to double-tip. Happened to me at Sliders when I was hosting a party of 15 people.
No class, no self respect, no etiquette. Just gimme gimme gimme. Doesn’t feel like commerce like it used to be.
Soon we’ll be like Brazil.
Bernard Martinage:
As far as FASTSIGNS is concerned, we actually separated our POS from the credit card machine and have implemented a new system that is just like using someone’s ATM in front of a store. That way we do not add the credit card cost to all products as that would penalize those using cash or check. Is it the right call for us? I hope so but you run your business your way and we will run ours how we see fit.
I will continue to avoid any business owned by any of these commissioners. As out of town guests come to visit, as I have been doing, I will literally prepare a folder for them that includes fun stuff to experience here with maps, etc. That folder also has a list of what businesses to avoid and why. It’s a free country so they can do as they please but so far, they all agree with the stance so zero dollars are going to those restaurants and venues.
You might live here now but you’re not from here. You’re literally a GUEST in OUR HOME. All are welcome of course but be respectful. We do things a certain way and guess what? IT WORKS! You didn’t just leave up north because of the weather… people like YOU ruined it but you’re financially able to move. Move away from the mess you helped create. Stop trying to RUIN our home.
Already instead of me going OBT and mostly downtown 4-6x/MONTH… I’m down to maybe 1-2x. That will absolutely be even less in a few weeks when the parking charges start so yes… places like PJDs and Salty Pelicans will be missed but… this is the commissioner’s in question’s fault 1,000%. Sandbar, Salt Life, First Love, Sliders and MANY others, as already noted, are reaping the benefits of PP and it will only be more so soon enough. Good job commissioners! Nice job representing your community.
FAST SIGNS
Ha Ha Ha! Back paddling your CC fee and giving people an ATM OPTION(?) Sounds like Circle-K’s sad cigarett machine from the 90s, or a casino in the reservation. How pathetic.
Do business like a man. Charge a fair price for the work you do well.
Take care of your customers, and have a straight invoice.
Just that simple . . . be a man.
I love reading your articles. It’s like listening to One of trump speeches just too much stuff to fact check. Hope you’re doing well
And keep up the propaganda
If you folks think things like Paid Parking, Credit Card Fees, automatic tipping, rounding up for charity and supersizing soft drinks are bad. Wait until the LOCUST get here. We haven’t seen anything yet!
Sorry Dave but I must honestly call you out for editing my response to Bernard. Please include the part where I say he is a blowhard that goes into other people’s businesses and tells them how to run it and that’s why he is banned from so many businesses in this community. Quit with BS editing and print that, and stop letting him attack local companies without response..