I’ve always loved Fernandina Beach.
It’s our backyard escape — the perfect weekend getaway for those of us living in Jacksonville. You grab a cup of coffee downtown, wander the shops, watch shrimp boats along the docks, and feel life slow down just a little.

But lately, Fernandina’s charm feels like it’s under attack.
And for those of us who watched Jacksonville go down this same path, it’s giving us déjà vu — the bad kind.

🌙 It Started in the Dark of Night

In the dark of night, Fernandina Beach crews quietly removed one of the town’s most beloved icons — the Peg Leg Pete statue. No public announcement. No community meeting. Just gone.

The city claimed Peg Leg was “unsafe” and falling apart, and therefore had to be condemned and removed. But locals weren’t buying it.

“When politicians act in secret, one question always follows: What are they hiding?”

If the nighttime removal sounds familiar, it should. Jacksonville’s former Mayor Lenny Curry did the same thing when he ordered a downtown monument taken down under the cover of darkness — without input, without warning, and without respect for the majority of the people who thought it was a significant historical monument.

And here’s the kicker — that same “unsafe” Peg Leg statue? It’s now standing proudly at the Museum of History.

So… it’s too dangerous for the waterfront, but perfectly fine for public display somewhere else? Something doesn’t add up.

What’s really going on here?

⚓ Demolition by Neglect — Brett’s Waterway Café and Atlantic Seafood Tell the Tale

For years, Brett’s Waterway Café was the crown jewel of Fernandina’s waterfront — a place where locals gathered and visitors fell in love with the view — especially the sunsets!! But today, it’s shuttered and slated for demolition.

Why? Because of a feud between the city and Brett’s owner over repairs and lease obligations. The building — owned by the city — needed infrastructure work. Instead of working together, the relationship turned sour, lawsuits followed, and the restaurant was left to rot.

Sound familiar, Jacksonville?

It should. We saw this exact movie play out with The Jacksonville Landing.
The city broke its promises over parking, got sued, lost the lawsuit, and then tore the whole thing down — a piece of our downtown soul erased because of pride, politics, and neglect.

And now, right next door, Atlantic Seafood is the next casualty.
The building, also city-owned, has been allowed to deteriorate for years. When the city finally ordered a structural assessment, the report stated there were “significant deficiencies” and “public safety concerns.”

City leaders moved quickly to discuss demolition — just like they did with Brett’s.

Locals call it what it is: “demolition by neglect.”
Let something fall apart long enough, blame “safety,” and then tear it down.

“Peg Leg. Brett’s. Atlantic Seafood. Different properties, same pattern: decay, condemnation, demolition.”

If your home fell into disarray, everyone would blame you for neglect. But when city bureaucrats and “leaders” let taxpayer-funded buildings and statues crumble, somehow they escape accountability — and we end up footing the bill to clean up their failure.

🌊 Control the Waterfront — they can’t be trusted

Now, the same city officials who let the old waterfront deteriorate want control over a multi-million-dollar waterfront redevelopment plan.

Forgive me, but why should residents trust them?
The same people who couldn’t maintain what they already had are now promising a shiny new vision — with your tax dollars.

Jacksonville knows how this story ends.
Consultants get paid, buildings get bulldozed, and the “revitalized” waterfront looks like a piece meal of back-room deals and personal agendas.

🚗 Ignoring the will of the People – Paid parking is coming

If you’ve ever spent a Saturday strolling Fernandina’s downtown — popping into shops, grabbing lunch, or just breathing in that salty air — brace yourself.

Soon, you may have to pay to park just to enjoy it.

That’s right. City Hall is moving ahead with a paid parking plan, even though more than 1,700 Fernandina residents have signed a petition begging them not to.

Locals say it will hurt small businesses, discourage family visits, and destroy the welcoming feel that keeps people coming back.

But City Hall doesn’t seem to care. They’re already negotiating with a parking vendor and ordering 250 “Paid Parking” signs to post downtown.

They are full speed ahead for parking meters — even though voters won’t get their say until next November where the people will vote either for or against paid parking. Guess what: The voters WILL reject the plan – guaranteed. The No Paid Parking Coalition is strong and they are not backing down!

So when that happens, the taxpayers will be stuck footing the bill to buy out those contracts and remove the meters and the 250 Paid Parking signs they never wanted.

That’s not “smart growth.” That’s arrogance and stupidity. (We tried to find another word besides stupidity, but honestly, nothing else fits this rush to install paid parking meters any better.)

🏴‍☠️ Losing the Small-Town Soul

Fernandina Beach has always been a place where neighbors talk, leaders listen, and the city’s history is respected.
But lately, it feels like that spirit is being replaced by politics, consultants, and personal agendas of those in charge.

When statues disappear overnight…
When restaurants are lost to lawsuits…
When voters are ignored on issues like parking…
When city-owned properties are allowed to crumble until demolition becomes the only “solution”…

That’s not leadership. That’s governance gone wrong and in the words of Florida’s CFO, Blaise Ingoglia – “It’s government gone wild.”

And if Fernandina’s leaders don’t change course and remembering who put them in office, they’ll destroy the very thing that makes the island special — its authenticity.

🔦 A Warning from Jacksonville

Jacksonville has been there. We watched city leaders chase their own personal agendas with their best buds (aka donors), ignore contracts, and silence public input all the while expecting the taxpayers to pay for their dreams.

Fernandina — we implore you. Jacksonville is still trying to come back from lawsuits, investigations, tear downs, and political maneuvering. This is not what you want for America’s hometown – Fernandina Beach.

And remember city leaders — you can stop now before the demolition train gets too far down the tracks.

Take a breather. Stop and think. Involve experts who live in your town to help create the best big little town in America while spending money wisely, taking care of our assets and making sure personal agendas are put through the shredder.

Billie’s Note

To my friends in Fernandina — we love your town and we spend a lot of time there. Jacksonville treasures you as our coastal escape. But the charm that draws us there is slipping away, one “policy decision” at a time. Keep standing against those who wish you would sit down and shut up. Make them earn your vote again. God bless you!