ORANGE PARK— Orange Park Town Council members declined to fill their vacant fifth seat, with only three members present, at Tuesday night’s meeting that lasted 75 minutes.

Mayor Randy Anderson didn’t attend the meeting due to COVID complications. Town staff and council members wished him well.

Doug Benefield, Frank Ricketts and Winnette Sandlin each submitted letters to council members expressing interest in the council’s vacancy. The council only needed a simple majority, three of four possible votes, to place an appointee on the dais.

Former Vice-Mayor Eddie Henley resigned on June 7, alleging racist and intimidating emails from separate senders. Council members discussed on June 28 ways to receive potential appointees with a meet-and-greet on July 13 and a decision on Tuesday.

With no Vice-Mayor, Town Attorney Sam Garrison called the situation unique. Council Member Alan Watt was tabbed to preside over the meeting. Several agenda items were tabled to the Aug. 2 meeting.

“It’s probably going to be a pretty short meeting,” Watt said.

Council members received a presentation on employee benefits by The Bailey Group’s Travis Cummings, a former State Representative. He recommended a renewal with United Healthcare for medical coverage, Humana for dental care and Dearborn National for life insurance with the same plans as last year.

Each plan was approved with a 3-0 vote.

During public comment, multiple residents expressed concern about more than reportedly 55-to-70 trees removed from Bradley Park.

Resident Melanie Geeser asked if there were plans for new trees and said she felt deceived.

“We live in a bird and tree sanctuary, do you think it is in the best interest for the birds and other wildlife to destroy their habitats?” Geeser asked.

Resident Debra Waters said her view had been negatively altered. She said residents have the right to know how the tree removal happened. The final public commenter, Ricketts, said he also was disappointed.

“I would like answers to my questions of who authorized all of these trees to be cut down and how much is it costing us, because we have the right to know,” Waters said.

Council Member John Hauber asked Town Manager Sarah Campbell about the trees. Council Member Susana Thompson said she felt blindsided and said she heard about it after the fact. She wanted the tree removal to be discussed by the Environmental Quality Board first.

“I can tell you, I was extremely disappointed when I heard all of this,” she said.

Campbell said there would be a plan for replanting that goes before the Environmental Quality Board. She said the figure she was given was 27 trees removed and the issue was invasive species or diseased trees.

“As a matter of routine business, we take down diseased and dying trees and invasive species trees on a regular basis,” Campbell said.

Two invasive species, camphor and chinaberries, were removed as well as a few pine trees and one rotten live oak.

“Absolutely, any trees that were taken down will get replaced,” Campbell said.