"RI¢H" O'BRIEN REPORT: Dept of Flummery, Dupery and Nincompoopery: SAB EX-MAYOR RICHARD BURTT O'BRIEN WANTED $400,000 FOR ONE (1) TREE. NO ONE SUPPORTED HIM.

UPDATE: NO MOTION, NO SECOND.  IN THE WORDS OF a tv commercial for STARKIST TUNA: "SORRY, CHARLIE!"    Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RzRfYvAFiw

BRUCE MAX ROYLE, 85, retiring St. Augustine Beach City Manager for Life and ex-Mayor RICHARD BURTT O'BRIEN want to waste money again, on one (1) tree that Commissioners alread voted to preserve: Thanks to Commissioner Dylan Rumrell for sharing the link to the article on prior City Commission vote:  https://www.staugustine.com/story/news/local/2019/08/08/st-augustine-beach-commissioners-approve-vacation-rental-developme

"Anything anybody's got to sell you ain't worth buyin'!"  Tom Wicker, Facing the Lions (1978). 

Controversial ex-Mayor of St. Augustine Beach RICHARD BURTT O'BRIEN had no takes for his grift, wotspeaking to SAB Commissioners at their January 5, 2026 meeting as County Commission Chairman Clah Murphy (left) and County Commission candidate Thomas F. Reynolds (right) look on.

Dear Mayor and Commissioners: 

Re:  January 5, 2026 St. Augustine Beach Commission meeting https://www.staugbch.com/media/29031 (Item 4)

1. The City of St. Augustine Beach's ex-Mayor RICHARD BUIRTT O'BRIEN wants to sell the City a tree for a half million dollars, 205 of the entire budget for the County's Land Acquisition Program budget.  https://www.staugbch.com/media/29031 Who would benefit? O'BRIEN?   . HAROLD VINCENT GROOME, III?  HVG PROPERTIES, LLC?

2. Vote NO, please.   

3. NO cost-benefit analysis. 

4. NO arborist report.  

5. NO staff report or background investigation. .

6. NO principled reason.  

7. NO lawyer for the speculator(s), or their Realtor (the City St. Augustine Beach's ex-Mayor RICHARD BURTT O'BRIEN).

8. Please vote NO.

9. St. Augustine Beach City Commissioners: you might wish to offer to accept the tree in quo as a donation.

10. Please refer this request to SABPD, St. Johns County Sheriff, FBI, FDLE, and the St. Johns County Inspector General. 

Thank you. 

With kindest regards, I am,

Sincerely yours,

Ed Slavin

Box 3084

St. Augustine, Florida 32085-3084

www.edslavin.com

http://www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com

http://www.staugustgreen.com

(904) 377-4998