St. Augustine, we have a problem.
Three members of the St. Johns County Airport Authority are facing criminal charges after allegedly violating Florida’s open meeting laws — and one is also accused of trying to intimidate a witness during the investigation.
Chair Reba Ludlow and board members Dennis Clarke and Len Tucker have been hit with misdemeanors for allegedly attending private meetings that were not open to the public, as required under Florida’s Sunshine Law.
According to the State Attorney’s Office, Ludlow, Clarke, and Tucker “knowingly and intentionally” held unauthorized meetings to discuss airport business behind closed doors.
Tucker faces an additional felony charge of witness tampering. Prosecutors say he attempted to intimidate Interim Executive Director Courtney Pittman into withholding information during the official investigation.
Tucker turned himself in and was released on bond. Ludlow and Clarke are expected to receive court summonses in the coming days.
The charges follow months of turmoil within the Airport Authority, sparked by the abrupt resignation of former general counsel Jeremiah Blocker earlier this year.
In a scathing letter, Blocker accused Ludlow and Tucker of brazenly violating the Sunshine Law, ignoring legal advice, and failing to disclose potential conflicts of interest.
Clarke was not mentioned in Blocker’s letter but is now formally implicated for the first time.
As part of the investigation, the State Attorney’s Office interviewed several current and former top airport officials, including Pittman, former interim directors Jamie Topp and Kevin Harvey, and former executive director Ed Wuellner.
All gave statements indicating they had observed board members holding private pow wows in direct violation of state transparency laws.
Board member Jennifer Liotta, who previously attempted to initiate an internal investigation, has called on Ludlow, Tucker, and Clarke to step down.
