ODD TODD NEVILLE appeared in the Lightner Museum lobby early, long before the other Commissioners appeared for the 5:45 shade meeting on the artist's lawsuit. He was grinning like a loon, who was about to be elected the estimable Chair of the Smirking Turkey Society (STS).
Did NEVILLE and other STS members violate Florida's Sunshine law, a possible crime?
From where I sat, it looked choreographed. And ODD TODD NEVILL is no poker face.
Guilty?
Posted December 6, 2016 06:24 am - Updated December 6, 2016 06:42 am
By
sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com
By
sheldon.gardner@staugustine.com
St. Augustine commissioners take oaths for new terms; Neville named vice mayor
The three St. Augustine commissioners who reclaimed their seats in November each took the oath of office again on Monday, and chose Commissioner Todd Neville as the city’s vice mayor.
The City Commission’s organizational meeting, held on a date and time spelled out in city code, also allowed the commission to pass a resolution with the mostly the same policies and procedures except for minor changes.
Commissioners are facing major efforts ahead, including continuing recovery from Hurricane Matthew and moving forward on infrastructure and mobility upgrades.
“I think we have a great commission,” Mayor Nancy Shaver said. “We have a lot of work to do, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Before taking their oaths, commissioners held a shade meeting about litigation involving local artists and the city’s vending rules, but commissioners didn’t announce a settlement in the case when they ended the meeting in public.
The organizational meeting drew city officials, residents and board members to the Lightner Museum lobby at City Hall. The typical meeting room still needs repairs because of damage from Hurricane Matthew.
Judge Charles Tinlin, who serves in St. Johns County, administered the oath of office for Shaver, Commissioner Roxanne Horvath and Commissioner Leanna Freeman. They all took their oaths with someone beside them.
Shaver stood with family friend John Bennett, Freeman stood with Lana Dauth, 10, her daughter; and Horvath stood with her husband, Peter Rumpel.
When they got to other business, Shaver nominated Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline for the role of vice mayor.
But Horvath said the commission typically nominates someone who hasn’t served in the role yet, so she nominated Neville.
After the meeting, Neville said the role of vice mayor is mainly ceremonial. He said he is comfortable with running a meeting if he has to, and he is glad other commissioners have trusted him as vice mayor.
Sikes-Kline did not attend the meeting.
Earlier on Monday, her son Jacob Sikes Kline, 20, pleaded no contest to principal to home invasion robbery with a weapon. He was sentenced to about 12 months in prison.
While she wasn’t at the meeting to speak, Sikes-Kline shared her thoughts via a statement read by Commissioner Leanna Freeman. The statement did not mention the case.
“Commissioner Sikes-Kline is not able to be with us tonight, although she really wanted to be with us,” Freeman said. “And she wants everyone to know how much she wanted to be here … But today is a day that her family needs her and all her energy and emotion is with them today. And we know that she is exactly where she should be, so she wanted to congratulate us and wants us to know that she’s here in spirit. She is looking forward to working together with us.”
Freeman also offered her own thoughts for Sikes-Kline and her family, saying their struggles are shared by “many of our own families and our friends.”
“None of us here or anywhere have immunity from facing similar personal struggles … We want them to know that their challenges are our challenges,” Freeman said.
“Most of us in this room agree that over the last nine months, we have watched Commissioner Sikes-Kline show amazing strength and courage and poise … It’s the kind of strength that you only get when you dig really, really deep,” Freeman said. “We are very proud of Nancy. We want her to know that.”
