In probable violation of federal law, St. Augustine mayoral candidate BILL McCLURE and his willy confederates at the controversial St. Augustine Beach Civic Association provided a political "shuttle" Red Train tourist trolley between St. Augustine Beach City Hall last night, Wednesday, June 14, 2018.
It had no wheelchair lift. It had no kneeling stairwell.
28 years after Congress unanimously enacted the Americans with Disabilities Act, St. Augustine Beach Civic Association, BILL McCLURE and the Canadian-owned Red Trains broke the law.
They did NOT request or provide an ADA shuttle and ADA-trained CDL driver.
It would have cost more.
On board the trolley was WILLIAM ANTHONY McCLURE, et ux.
The perennial candidate received 9.8% of the vote in the 2016 Republican primary for Congress.
The perennial candidate -- Political Tourist BILL McCLURE (BM) -- says he is running for for St. Augustine Mayor. He's using a rented tourist home apartment at 105 Marine Street #6, as his putative local address. He's given four (4) addresses in two (2) counties since 2016, when he ran for Congress using a Jacksonville address (his new wife's abode).
On board his shuttle, a snarky, sneaky, silly BM was seen shaking hands with prospective voters, electioneering, pestering them, on the brief trip between St. Augustine Beach City Hall parking lot and our St. Johns County Ocean and Fishing Pier.
Ethically-challenged BILL McCLURE (BM) is using the SABCA shuttle to electioneer captive voters on a four (4) minute, one (1) mile ride between St. Augustine Beach City Hall at 2200 SR A1A and 370 A1A Beach Blvd.
There is NO eleemosynary purpose of BM sponsoring the shuttle -- it's a captive opportunity to hustle votes.
Shameless.
Shameful.
Wonder of wonders.
Miracle of miracles.
It rained and thunderstormed and monsooned last night.
One wag said it was "God's judgment on Political Tourist BILL McCLURE."
The monsoon created an exodus from the pier to the City Hall parking lot -- a full shuttle of wet people.
This led to unhappy wet persons with disabilities and veterans, all of whom will remember BM and the Political Tourist's ADA-violating shuttle.
Kudos to longtime disability rights activist Merrill Paul Roland for filing ADA complaints this morning.
In response, what will St. Johns County do?
SABCA is on a short leash, with only some three (3) days left on its month-to-month contract for the Wednesday night pier concerts.
St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners could cancel SABCA's lease for material breach of the detailed ADA provision. In past years, SABCA has blocked ADA parking spaces with vendor vehicles, showing arrogance, as if ANDREA and ROBERT SAMUELS and WILLIAM JONES were Republican Lords of All They Survey.
Obviously, St. Johns County Administrator Michael Wanchick, County Attorney Patrick McCormack, and County County Commissioners have had their fill of these energumens.
On Wednesday, June 21, will there be a proper shuttle, with wheelchair lift, kneeling stairs, and ADA-certified driver with a Commercial Driver's License on display?
Or will BM and SABCA chintz out, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act?
President George Herbert Walker Bush signed the ADA, passed without a dissenting vote in Congress, in 1990.
Today, at 94, President Bush himself is using a wheelchair, as at the funeral of his wife, Barbara Bush.
If the first President Bush visits St. Augustine Beach next week, will there be a welcoming spirit? Will he be able to ride the parking shuttle?
Or will BM and SABCA continue to deny them equality and equal access, as required by ADA?
You tell me.