Interim county commissioner is welcome addition

Interim county commissioner is welcome addition

Editorial

Publication Date: 12/26/08


Gov. Charlie Crist's appointment of Phil Mays as interim District 4 St. Johns County Commissioner brings the commission back to its full complement of five members.

It closes the gap in the commission left when Crist suspended County Commissioner Tom Manuel, also the commission's chair, on Oct. 17 after his indictment on bribery charges. That left only four commissioners. If they had deadlocked 2-2, even good legislation would have automatically failed without the fifth vote.

Crist says Mays will serve for the duration of the suspension. Manuel's trial is due to start in April. If the charges are dropped or Manuel is acquitted after a trial, Crist would have to reinstate Manuel. His term ends in 2010.

As owner of Mays Equities, Inc., Mays has expertise in real estate investments. He knows the ropes when it comes to dealing with local governments from the other side of the dais. He also knows the needs of broad regions of St. Johns County: his home territory, upscale Ponte Vedra Beach, and West Augustine, a community in transition. He is a member of the Ponte Vedra Beach Coalition and the West Augustine Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) Advisory Board.

He holds two degrees from the University of Florida, a bachelor of arts in political science and a law degree. He is a member of the Florida Bar and the Georgia Bar.

He can draw on his experiences and expertise as he deliberates as a county commissioner.

Mays, in a statement released by the county administrative office, said, "I am committed to working with the families of our county to assure a bright future for all. As a member of the business community, I am determined to see a strong surge in economic opportunities for our workforce. St. Johns County has a rich and distinguished history. I have a respect for its past, and I pledge to all citizens I will work to assure its future."

We welcome his pledge to help the county meet the need for more job opportunities for our citizens. A major priority of our county government should be job growth.

We look forward to Mays taking the oath of office and joining the County Commission on Jan. 6.


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