ST. JOHNS, Fla. — The St. Johns County Airport Authority held a meeting on Monday where there was a back-and-forth debate surrounding the recent withdrawal of its legal counsel, Douglas Law Firm, which cited “alarming violations” specifically involving two board members. 

The meeting, which lasted for hours, drew a packed audience as the board grappled with allegations of unethical behavior, including conflicts of interest and private discussions outside public meetings.

At the center of the controversy are Chairperson Reba Ludlow and Board member Len Tucker, who have been accused of violating the Sunshine Law. These laws require government agencies to maintain transparency and disclose their actions to the public.

At the heart of a debate was a motion to launch an independent investigation into the allegations.

Tucker recused himself from the vote, while Chairperson Reba Ludlow refused to do so.

“I am not recusing myself, because nobody told me I was a pink elephant, so just because somebody says something, I am not taking it,” Ludlow said. “No, I’m not recusing myself.”

The motion for an independent investigation failed in a 2-2 vote.

“Let the democracy work,” a community member said during public comments. “That’s where democracy is. Not having an independent of other people, we have a state attorney. They know how to get through all of this. Let them do their work.”

The allegations stem from a letter dated Feb. 20, in which Douglas Law Firm withdrew as legal counsel for the airport authority, citing a “pattern of violations of Florida Sunshine Law, failure to disclose conflicts of interest and other ethical violations” by Ludlow and Tucker.

Given the seriousness of the issues raised, the law firm’s concerns have been referred to the state attorney’s office for further review.