Ms. Beth Sweeny was hired tonight (February 28, 2022) by 3-1 vote over the other finalist, lawyer Virginia Morgan, as the temporary new St. Augustine Beach Commissioner, to serve until the November election.
She was then given an agenda book for her first meeting, which is next Monday, March 7.
There was a field of seven applicants, all thoughtful and qualified.
On her best behavior, ex-Mayor, Angry ANDREA SAMUELS received only one (1) vote and was eliminated from further consideration. (It was SAB. City Commissioner Margaret England voted for SAMUELS, City records reveal.).
SAMUELS was endorsed in a letter signed by disgraced former Mayors RICHARD BURTT O'BRIEN, who resigned under a cloud. SAMUELS was also endorsed by my friend, former St Augustine Beach Mayor Sherman Gary Snodgrass.
St. Augustine Beach Commissioner Undine Celeste Pawlowski George asked SAMUELS labor-baiting free speech hating ways. SAMUELS orchestrated a 3-2 vote to fire some seventeen SABPD police officers in retaliation for their First Amendment and whistleblower protected activity.
Triggered, ex-Mayor SAMUELS brandished animus (or "aminus" as Jeremiah Blocker would mispronounce it). SAMUELS said the eleven courageous SABPD police officers broke "the chain of command." She said, "That was a long time ago. Sometimes I think we should look into the future and not the past."
The officers, members of a union at the time, were strung along for 2.5 years without the City agreeing to a collective bargaining agreement. City officials had long falsely told that they could not complain about anything to City Commissioners.
So they rightly reported then Chief Hedges to FDLE.
Commissioners withdrew the 2012 firing vote after public outrage at SAMUELS' retaliation.
I informed Commissioner Sherman Gary Snodgrass that Commissioners would be held by federal courts to have showed illegal animus toward First Amendment protected activity and would lose lawsuits if the officers filed First Amendment lawsuits. Commissioner Snodgrass was a former Human Resources executive for U.S. Gypsum and Excelon (formerly Commonwealth Edison of Chicago), serving on Excleon's board of directors. He was the switch in time that saved some 17 jobs.
Voters had damn good reasons when.they rightly defeated SAMUELS in 2016, electing Maggie Kostka.
The City of St. Augutine Beach does this process of filling Commission vacancies so much better than the Governor of Florida or the City of St. Augustine!
When St, Augustine's beloved three-time elected Mayor Nancy Shaver resigned after suffering a stroke, the Establishment wanted "their" city back. City Manager John Patrick Regan & Co.orchestrated a coup.
On March 4, 2019, the other twin itty-bitty city, the City of St. Augustine committed a sin a crime and a tort.
It inflicted on its citizens the "triple-crown of lawbreaking" when it duked in local law firm scion TRACY WILSON UPCHURCH, a third generation state legislator, as Mayor Ad Interim, violating the First Amendment, Open Records and Sunshine laws (F.S. 119 and F.S. 286), with Assistant City Attorney John Cary falsely stating that no current Commissioner could apply for the job because of the resign-to-run law, while refusing to reveal the names of candidates who applied until after closing public comment.
Kudos to St, Augustine Beach Mayor Donald Samora and the Commission for getting it right, once again. I favor "open covenants openly arrived at, in the words of President Woodrow Wilson .
Commissioner Sweeny is married to. lobbyist and political consultant Kevin Sweeny, former Operations manager for the Florida Associatton for Justice, which represents plaintiff's lawyers.
None of the Commission candidates were sworn in under oath, as was earlier planned.
Update: St. Augusfine Record article:
Sweeny tapped to fill seat of disgraced St. Augustine Beach politician Ernesto Torres
The St. Augustine Beach City Commission has appointed Beth Sweeny to fill the vacancy created by former commissioner Ernesto Torres' resignation.
Torres stepped down from the post Jan. 31 amid allegations of unethical behavior in the Jan. 22 DUI arrest of his wife Nicole.
The commission voted 3-1 at a special meeting Monday to select Sweeny for the interim seat on the five-member board. She was chosen from a field of seven candidates who were interviewed by commissioners and residents attending the meeting.
St. Augustine Beach police chief:Ernesto Torres called him 29 times after wife's arrest
Torres aftermath: St. Augustine Beach commissioner Ernesto Torres resigns after dustup with PD on wife's DUI charge
The city solicited applications for the opening at the beginning of February.
Sweeny brings to the position more than 15 years of experience working in the government relations field, as well as leadership positions on a number of local nonprofit boards.
The 37-year-old is currently director of external and government relations for Flagler College, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 2005. Sweeny previously worked as director of policy and government relations for the St. Johns County School District.
The other candidates for the commissioner position included: Nicholas Binder, a professional engineer; Allyson Chambers, a local business and nonprofit leader; Chip McGraw, a real estate professional; Virginia Snyder Morgan, a local attorney; Andrea Samuels, a former Beach commissioner and mayor; and Rebecca Thomson; an advertising executive.
In a news release issued by the City of St. Augustine Beach Tuesday, Mayor Don Samora said: “I feel very fortunate that we had seven incredibly qualified candidates apply for the interim vacancy. I’d like to congratulate Ms. Sweeny on her appointment this evening. I feel that her background and experience will be an asset to the community and the commission. I look forward to working with her.”
For her part, Sweeny said she was excited to take on the leadership role in her hometown, a community she called "paradise."
"From a very young age, civic engagement has been who I am," said Sweeny.
With her appointment, Sweeny will step down from the position of public policy chair for the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce to avoid any potential conflicts of interest.
Sweeny and husband Kevin have a 4-year-old daughter, Wellesley, whom Sweeny held in her arms while being sworn into office.
"She asked if I was voted president," Sweeny said with a laugh.
The interim term runs until the November 2022 elections when a permanent commissioner is elected.
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