Elected Mosquito Control Commissioner Martha Gleason resigned from the board of our dysfunctional Anastasia Mosquito Control District of St. Johns County March 12, 2025. AMCD staff has stiffed my records request for nearly a year.
AMCD staff was disrespectful to Commissioner Gleason during her service. Watching elected officials interrupt her and tag teacher is emetic and contrary to the genius of a free people. Some 41% cost overruns on the Mosquito Museum? On March 12, 2025, I signed to run for the AMCD Board in November 2026.
More here:
https://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2025/03/anastasia-mosquito-control-commissioner.html
https://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2025/03/after-commissioner-gleasons-resignation.html
https://cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com/2025/03/march-12-2025-i-aigned-up-to-run-for.html
The weight of the evidence strongly suggests a lack of wise financial management by AMCD.
This is unacceptable. We can do better, we must do better and we will do better.
Here is former AMCD Commissioner Martha Gleason's latest Facebook post, dated March 15, 2025:
Dear St. Johns County Residents,
In light of my recent resignation from the Anastasia Mosquito Control Board, I remain committed to advocating for transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility. I will continue to utilize various platforms to share my experiences as a former Board member, with the hope of raising awareness at both the County and State levels.
Today, I wish to address concerns regarding the expenditure on the mosquito museum project. The lack of
transparency and citizen input on this project was a key factor that prompted me to consider running for mosquito control in 2022. While I recognize the value of education, the primary focus of mosquito control should be on monitoring and managing the mosquito population to safeguard the health and safety of our community members and visitors. I believed that if the District aimed to educate the public, there were more cost-effective approaches than constructing a museum funded by taxpayers.
Upon joining the Board in January 2023, I discovered that the museum, originally slated to open in 2021, was still under construction and significantly over budget. Despite my inquiries, there were no formal updates or approvals from the Board, and my concerns were met with hostility during the May 2024 meeting. I pressed for transparency and accountability, leading to a resolution in June 2024 that disclosed the total project expenditure to date, set a cap on spending, and established a project closure date of September 30, 2024. However, the project remained unfinished past the closure date, and additional funds exceeding the cap were approved in November 2024, which contradicted earlier assurances.
It is important to note that we are currently only discussing the capital expenditure of this project. Operational costs are also a concern, as the District is reportedly spending an average of $12,000 per month to operate the museum without a comprehensive understanding of ongoing operational expenses. I advocated for transparent reporting of operational costs during my tenure, and I hope this practice continues in my absence.
In future communications, I plan to address the following topics:
- Out-of-state travel by commissioners at taxpayer expense for training purposes;
- International travel by staff funded by taxpayer dollars;
- Commissioner monthly stipends for expenses without adequate expense verification;
- History of commissioners voting themselves bonuses;
- And other pertinent issues.
For those who want to track the beginning of this museum controversy, I’m attaching an article from 2021.
Thank you for your attention to these critical matters.
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