At its regular meeting Tuesday, Jan. 21, the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners rejected a vote of no confidence directed toward County Administrator Joy Andrews. The vote was put forth by Commission Chair Krista Joseph.
Joseph based her proposal on several actions taken by the board, including the approval of a trash collection company that failed to provide the expected services and the rejection in 2023 of a tree-protection ordinance.
“Decisions have been made that have been detrimental to our county, and we must examine them and take steps to address them,” Joseph said.
In December 2023, the board voted 4-1 to hire FCC Environmental Services Florida to replace two other haulers that had previously been handling residential trash collection. FCC was providing services to four other counties and some cities at that time.
Joseph was the lone no vote.
Almost immediately after FCC was to commence collections in St. Johns County on Aug. 1, there were widespread reports of missed pickups and other problems. When the company failed to rectify the situation, the county terminated its $28,265,040 seven-year contract.
Today, FCC trucks can be seen throughout the county, along with those of other companies, picking up trash while the county seeks a permanent replacement.
Though responsibility for the hiring decision resides with the board, Joseph placed blame on Andrews.
“Commissioners were not made aware of the very problems we’re experiencing with the supplier that had already been experienced by other counties and municipalities,” Joseph said. “FCC was hired without sufficient manpower and equipment to meet our county’s needs simply to save money.”
She also criticized Andrews for being on vacation in China during the crisis. It was a point later challenged by Commissioner Sara Arnold.
“Ms. Andrews was not on vacation,” Arnold said. “She was picking up her children in a country half a world away.”
Joseph also placed the blame on Andrews for the commission’s decision not to pass a tree-protection ordinance in October 2023. That 14-point plan would have further restricted clear-cutting in some instances.
Joseph said that Andrews told the board the measures could be addressed in the comprehensive plan and, as a result, the board voted down the ordinance.
Joseph also mentioned the commission’s failure to increase impact fees, seeming to challenge the information provided by staff.
In reaction to Joseph’s proposal, Commissioner Christian Whitehurst praised Andrews for her knowledge of local government.
“She has forgotten more about St. Johns County than most of us will ever know,” Whitehurst said. “That’s who Joy Andrews is. She has worked morning, noon and night, six and seven days a week for the better part of 18 years serving the people of St. Johns County, professionally and with a lot of courage in some instances.”
Andrews’ experience has long been touted and exceeds that of former administrators. She served as deputy/assistant county administrator for seven years and has served with several, and diverse, county departments, including Growth Management, Economic Development, Tourism Development, Health and Human Services, Fire Rescue, Arts and Culture, Grants and Legislative Affairs, Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery, Coastal Management, Public Library System, Parks and Recreation and Community Development.
She holds a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in international commerce and trade law.
She was hired as county administrator in October 2023 following a stint as interim county administrator.
Tuesday, Whitehurst told Joseph that she was taking out on Andrews what he did as a commissioner. When the deal with FCC failed, Whitehurst publicly blamed himself for the decision to hire the company; he did not blame staff or the other commissioners.
“Joy Andrews never once asked me to vote for FCC,” he said. “Joy Andrews never once asked me to vote yes or no on the tree ordinance, on the 14 points. She never once tried to influence me to vote on the impact fee, whether it be the statutory maximum or the extraordinary circumstance.”
He said these were policy decisions, and he respected Joseph’s disagreement with them, “but don’t take that out on Joy.”
The no-confidence vote failed 3-2, with Commissioners Whitehurst, Arnold and Clay Murphy voting against it.
