Thursday, August 22, 2019

Misleading advertising by St. Augustine Port, Waterway and Beach Commission Chairman BARRY BENJAMIN?

UPDATE:  Apparently BARRY BENJAMIN was a Code Enforcement official, volunteer, unpaid, for St. Johns County in the past. I wrote St. Johns County 9/27 asking for a better search.

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation is investigating my report re: possible unlicensed activity and unethical advertising on LinkedIn by a longtime local elected official since 2000 -- BARRY BENJAMIN, St. Augustine Port, Waterway and Beach Commission Chair.  

The possibly misleading advertising might also run afoul of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act and our Florida equivalents, along with Florida's elder financial abuse laws.

BARRY BENJAMIN's August 22, 2019 LinkedIn profile presents the false impression that BARRY BENJAMIN is a:
  • "Sr Yacht Broker.  In fact and in reality, BARRY BENJAMIN's yacht broker license expired in 2013, after boat owner complaints of alleged dishonest dealings, at least one from a senior citizen.  I have the files from DBPR.  (My Request No. 2019-308).
  • St. Johns County Code Enforcement Officer.  St. Johns County has NO records reflecting such status.  (My Request No. 2019-331).

BARRY BENJAMIN is among four (4) Port District Board members who refuse to get bonds, although they are required by law.  Wonder why?

(The others are Thomas Rivers, Christopher Way and Matthew Brown). 

A member of the St. Johns County Port, Waterway and Beach Commission since 2000, BENJAMIN has been since 2000 the Port Commission's representative to the:

  • Management Advisory Group (MAG) of the Guana-Tolomato-Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM-NERR), and
  • Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND).

Thomas Jefferson said, "A public office is a public trust."  Under Florida Constitution, Article IV, Section 7, is it possible that Florida Governor Ronald Dion DeSantis remove BARRY BENJAMIN from his SAPWB, GTM-NERR and FIND responsibilities, or ask FDLE to investigate?

You tell me.


From LinkedIn:










Barry Benjamin

Barry Benjamin

ST. JOHNS COUNTY CODE ENFORCEMET OFFICER at ST. JOHNS COUNTY

Jacksonville, Florida Area122 connections

Experience

  • ARDELL YACHT AND SHIP BROKERS

    SR.YACHT BROKER

    ARDELL YACHT AND SHIP BROKERS

    LICENSED PROFESSIONAL YACHT BROKER, INTERNATIONAL SALES, POWER AND SAIL BOAT SPECIALIST,
  • ST. JOHNS COUNTY

    ST. JOHNS COUNTY CODE ENFORCEMET OFFICER

    ST. JOHNS COUNTY

     – Present13 years
    I AM A CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY ,I ENFORCE WATER RELATED ORDINANCES .
  • ST JOHNS COUNTY

    CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD / COMMISSIONER SAINT AUGUSTINE PORT WATERWAY AND BEACH DISTRICT

    ST JOHNS COUNTY

     – Present19 years
    THIS IS AN ELECTED POSITION I HAVE RUN FOR ELECTION 4 TIMES AND HAVE ALWAYS WON ,WE HANDLE INLET AND HARBOR MANAGEMENT AND WATER RELATED PROJECTS FOR THE CITY ,COUNTY ,AND EVEN THE STATE , WE ALLOCATE FUNDS FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS.
  • RIVERS EDGE MARINA,ST AUGUSTINE FLORIDA

    GENERAL MANAGER ,

    RIVERS EDGE MARINA,ST AUGUSTINE FLORIDA

     – Present20 years
    SUPERVISED EMPLOYES ,HANDLED DAY TO DAY WATER AND DOCK RELATED ACTIVITIES AND MANAGED A 100 PLUS SLIP MARINA IN AMERICAS OLDEST CITY
  • Rivers Edge Marina & A1A Offshore Yachts

    Marina Manager, Yacht Broker & Commissioner

    Rivers Edge Marina & A1A Offshore Yachts

     –  14 years

Education

  • LINCOLN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE

    LINCOLN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE

    AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING

  • UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE

    UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE


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