St. Johns County Commission approves motion to censure Commissioner Krista Joseph
On Tuesday, during the St. Johns Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Regular Meeting the commissioners voted four to one to censure Commissioner Krista Joseph for what Commissioner Henry Dean described as a campaign speech made during her commissioner report at the Nov. 21, BOCC meeting.
In a recent press release, Joseph was accused of violating the Rules and Policies of the BOCC ("Board Rules") that address decorum and civility.
According to the press release, “the motion also directed the county attorney to hire outside counsel to determine if those statements violated Florida law, which could include Florida Statue 104.31 which addresses political activities of state, county, and municipal officers and employees.”
Dean initiated the motion which was seconded by Commissioner Christian Whitehurst. Chair Sarah Arnold, Vice Chair Roy Alaimo, Commissioners Dean and Whitehurst supported the motion. Joseph voted to decline the motion.
The press release also stated that on Dec. 1, the county attorney circulated an Interoffice Memorandum on Decorum and Civility to the commissioners in response to the comments.
Additionally, the memorandum referenced the St. Johns County Administrative Code (Section 116.5.8) which forbids using the Government Access Channel (GTV) to “endorse an issue, candidate, specific person, company or brand name product for consumer use.”
The press release concluded, “The Office of the County Attorney will be seeking an outside counsel to evaluate the comments and provide an outside opinion of the comments and will bring the outside opinion back to the BOCC.”
Joseph began her commissioner report on Nov. 21 by making what she called a "public service announcement" that she described as important to the county.
“I’m going to make a public service announcement,” she said.
Waving an American flag, she continued, “I’m thankful for America. Because guess what we get in this country? We get hope. If you’re sick of the traffic; the clear cutting of trees; high density housing; approval of more housing; children over-crowded in the schools living in modular classrooms and really trying to learn; ignoring advisory boards – just Ponte Vedra Board, et eh, we don’t need them; or LAMP advisory board, eh, we’re not going to listen to them need them; breaking zoning height rules on the beach; feel you aren’t listened to; developers are controlling the boards; no response for your emails. You know that what? There is hope. Less than nine months we have an election. I stopped by Vicky Oates, here is the information,” as she raised a voting poster over her head."
Joseph was asked to stop speaking by fellow commissioners as a point of order.
Dean questioned Commissioner David Miguet if Joseph was allowed to make a political speech during an official county commission meeting.
“Our rules are silent are on political, political speech – in, generally should be related to county business,” said Miguet.
“Where does it say that?” Joseph said. “Cause I looked for it, it’s not in here. It’s not in here. I looked for it. I even warned you that – I already, I already talked to another attorney about what I’m allowed to say. And I was approved to talk about the general, to the city to the people of St. Johns County about election day that is only nine months away and there’s three open commissioner seats.”
Miguet spoke of the county’s decorum and civility policy as Joseph insisted that she was not campaigning but making a public service announcement concerning the upcoming elections with three county commission seats vacant.
This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: St. Johns County Commission approves motion to censure Commissioner Krista Joseph
