St. Johns County Airport Authority Board has seen a significant shakeup following the resignations of three members amid criminal charges related to Sunshine Law violations. Board Chairman Reba Ludlow, alongside board members Dennis Clarke and Len Tucker, submitted their resignations after the State Attorney’s Office formally charged them in late June, as News4JAX reported.
Allegations against the members included attending non-public meetings to discuss airport authority business and a concerted effort to control the board, which is meant to consist of five members, according to the News4JAX report. In March, a public board meeting addressed these accusations, during which Ludlow referred to the claims as mere speculation saying, "Until there are some charges, we have nothing," as was later noted by an internal letter from the Douglas Law Firm highlighting ethical issues and Sunshine Law violations prompting their withdrawal as legal counsel.
Board Member Jenifer Liotta stressed the importance of accountability and the opportunity for improvement in governance at the airport. "It should have happened sooner," Liotta said regarding the resignations and mentioned "We need to take this opportunity to learn from this and become better," in a statement obtained by Action News Jax.
An internal email hinted at a possible deal between the resigning members and the State Attorney's Office, with specifics yet to be confirmed. It was suggested that the resignations were part of this arrangement, prompting an inquiry by Action News Jax for confirmation on the terms, Tucker, in addition to Sunshine Law offenses, faces a felony charge related to witness tampering.
