ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — Tension was high at the beginning of Tuesday’s St. Johns County Commission meeting over a discussion about whether a commissioner should be allowed to vote if not physically at the meeting.

This question, and the fallout from it, is an example of the divide between the local lawmakers.

The meeting started with Chairperson Krista Joseph saying, “Apparently Commissioner (Sarah) Arnold wants to call in. Is she facing an emergency?”

Commissioner Sarah Arnold’s seat was empty.

On the loud speaker and via phone, Arnold’s voice was heard saying, “I’m here.”

Joseph asked, “Do you have an emergency, ma’am?”

“No, Commissioner Joseph,” Arnold answered.

Two weeks ago, Arnold supported moving this meeting, which lands during Spring Break, to next week. It did not happen. 

“If you don’t have an emergency, you can’t vote. But you can partake in the meeting, that’s fine,” Joseph said. 

Arnold responded, “I would ask a legal opinion on that.”

“Mr. Komando, does Commissioner Joseph have the legal authority to prevent me from voting? I believe it was a constitutional right granted to me by the voters,” she said. 

Rich Komando, the county’s interim attorney, said even though Arnold called into the meeting, she could indeed vote on agenda items.

“There’s not a prohibition I’m aware of that would preclude Commissioner Arnold from voting,” Komando told the room.

However, Joseph argued Arnold could not vote, citing a state statute. The interim attorney pointed to a subsequent attorney general’s opinion, saying Arnold could vote.  

Here is some background. There have been some tense times in the past between commissioners Joseph and Arnold. Often the two commissioners vote differently on agenda items. And Tuesday, there were some hot button items on the agenda such as the tree ordinance and the future of the World Golf Village property.

So the topic of voting rights in the meeting was opened to the audience in the commission meeting room, and there was a plethora of speakers and opinions.

One woman approached the microphone acting flabbergasted and said, “I’m appalled at what I’ve just witnessed here.”

Another man stated, “I’m a little confused.”

One woman with notes in her hand told the commission, “I’ve never been able to call in and even give a comment. And to see that we might be changing things up today because somebody went on vacation. I don’t think that’s fair.”

Another man calmly but firmly stated, “If this board wants to work together for the good of St. Johns County, we ought to extend to each other courtesies so that all points of view are heard.”

One local attorney representing three clients at Tuesday’s meeting said, “I would highly advise this board to please follow the law which your county attorney has told you.”

Another woman, noting the importance of family-time, said, “I think this meeting should have been delayed knowing it was spring break.”

In the end, Joseph said she would follow the attorney’s guidance. And so Arnold was allowed to vote on items throughout the meeting.