Governor Ron DeSantis appoints five to the Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Edward Bielarski, Craig Carter, Eric Lawson, David Haslam, and Robert “Chip” Skinner to the Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority.
Edward Bielarski
Bielarski is the former General Manager of Gainesville Regional Utilities. Previously, he served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Lehigh County Authority. Bielarski earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Loyola University and his master’s degree in strategic management from Saint Joseph’s University.
Craig Carter
Carter is a Commercial Realtor and Sales Associate at Coldwell Banker Commercial M.M. Parrish Realtors. He previously served as a Commissioner for the City of Gainesville. Active in his community, Carter currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Gainesville Regional Airport Authority and is a member of the Gainesville Rotary Club.
Eric Lawson
Lawson is the Chief Executive Officer of HCA North Florida Regional Hospital. Holding multiple executive leadership positions in hospitals over the past 30 years, he most recently served as the Division Chief Financial Officer for HCA TriStar. Lawson earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Tennessee Technological University.
David Haslam
Haslam is the Owner of Campus Scooters of Gainesville. A veteran of the United States Air Force, he serves as the Production Team Leader for Victory Church. Haslam attended Santa Fe College.
Robert “Chip” Skinner
Skinner is the President of Gainesville Area Lacrosse, Inc. Active in his community, he is a coach and volunteer for Alachua County Public Schools and an assistant coach at the Lacrosse Club of Gainesville. Skinner earned his bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Florida.
BRAVO!
Carter should resign ASAP! He was horrible on his first go around. Plays both sides by squirming around most often causing a stalemate. Get rid of that do-nothing Po-boy disciple.
Only thing worse than Carter would be that ignorant “Adrian” (Hayes?) nut-job who had GRU blow a million and a half studying his fantasy of internet for all, most of them for free, when it was clear it would cost millions each year with little revenue. He also caused all those stupid annual rental inspections that cost us another million before the courts struck it down. He should be forever banned from the city and county. Take carter and po with him.
Thank you for serving 🙂 Stay strong and focused.
I have reservations given Carter’s involvement and whether Bielarski can maintain his position given his past comments and associations with the City. One thing’s for sure, Ward’s head will be closer to exploding than ever before just because of Bielarski’s appointment and that in itself is worth the price of admission.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how this works out.
Eastman’s head might actually explode before Harvey’s; it’ll be close.
Oh man…where’s the popcorn?
Your reservations were correct. Carter blows! Ask him to step aside. He’s ill-equipped for this.
Terrible choices. Who the hell is picking these clowns 🤡?
Bielarski is about to help unzip everything he went along with and was pressured to do previously. I’ve randomly talked with him…He truly seems to actually care about his community unlike the shameful partisan hacks who used to control the utility. So long as he sticks to the mandate he’ll be the Michael Jordan of appointees… He knows where all of the dead bodies are buried!
Exactly, his knowledge of the “dead bodies” will definitely makes negotiations with the city easier. The city is dancing on its own glass ankles now.
You should check out all of the property the city is acquiring and multiuse paths they are building thanks to the tax increase. Interesting how the commission said it would cut police and emergency services because of the reduction in funds from GRU but they can continue putting in walking and biking trails.
Let’s see!
Save your comment until this group of nominees has a year in office!
And Karow didn’t even get reappointed? Absolutely shameful.
Was he nominated?
Did he accept nomination?
Keep in mind that 3 of the 4 previous members were from the county and only Carter was in the City. That indicates that Lawson is the county representative on this new board. Thus, he was chosen over the other two prior members.
They should start by cutting off utilities to gov’t entities that were added in the last 20 years. Since the City politicians are reluctant to cut those same trendy, 3% undemocratic programs. Indirectly cut them instead. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Skinner seems odd.
Here’s hoping he can bear some similarities to his surname.
Harvey can use some dietary assistance.🤣
Skinner is a fiscal conservative and longtime former city executive who followed the entire GRU financial train wreck by members of the Gainesville City Commission.
Bielarski knows where the bodies are buried. Or what closet the bones are in.
Let the light shine in.
This is awesome 😎. I don’t agree with Craig Carter being on the board he wants to work with the city!!! Please make Ed the Chairman
Agree!
Carter needs to turn down the appointment! He is an automatic vote in favor of anything the City wants! Lawson is not much better!
On track there girl! Craig Carter is poisonous! He just wastes time and tries to be a big shot know-it-all but stumbles with everything.
Wasn’t Mr. Carter and Mr. Lawson already 2 no votes baked into the cake on moving forward on stopping transfers or am I mis remembering?
You are correct.
We have 2 rinos, 1 centrist Democrat (who I actually like), and 2 unknowns.
Going to be interesting.
Ok thanks. I don’t really care about political affiliations, I’m NPA, but having 2 votes baked in already tells me not to expect any bold action, thanks again for confirming.
I’m not looking for Bold. I am looking for methodical action based on facts to get GRU finances on a better path.
I believe Carter votes where he thinks will pad his wallet.
Go Ed B! Let ‘er rip!
Having Ed Bielarski, Robert “Chip” Skinner and David Haslam on the GRU Authority, may finally give GRU customers representation that is truly INDEPENDENT for the Gainesville City Commission who ran our City and GRU finances into the ground.
Correction:
Having Ed Bielarski, Robert “Chip” Skinner and David Haslam on the GRU Authority, may finally give GRU customers representation that is truly INDEPENDENT FROM the Gainesville City Commission who ran our City and GRU finances into the ground.
Get empty suit Carter to miss meetings is a good idea too.
It is imperative to keep Harvey and his Wallbangers out of the GRU disaster. As a long-time county resident, I have suffered the slings & arrows of outrageous duplicity and corruption over the decades. We should look for the BIG fix and not apply bandaids to this bloody mess of incompetent Palo Alto mimicry.
Thank you, Governor, for allowing for some hope.
I hope this new board’s very first action is to cut the fund transfer.
If they make any change that starts bringing GRU’s rates down, the City’s attempt to “vote out” the Board will fall flat.
Where do they live?
Good question. We don’t want another singleton unexpectedly disqualifying themselves so that we have another 2-2 tie on every issue.
4 in city limits, 1 in county. all GRU customers. Lawson is the only 1 that lives outside city limits.
My memory is foggy. Does anyone remember why Skinner was fired as city spin doctor?
Seems like he was too smart and too honest to be working for our city government, theme seems to be that Gainesville needed to stop trying to save the world and focus on local needs.
https://alachuachronicle.com/skinner-focus-on-the-core/
He was honest about the city’s ill-conceived hybrid bus plan, noting that the buses needed 10 years to pay off the extra $200k they cost, but that the buses only had a 7 year life.
https://www.wuft.org/environment/2014-03-14/rts-hybrid-buses-may-not-be-saving-as-much-green-as-expected
I think getting fired by this city government (if that’s what happened) is pretty much the best endorsement one could hope for.
Hopefully that practical mentality continues at GRUA.
I thought he resigned when Poe got elected as Mayor.
a lot of times now a resignation is in lieu of firing.
He resigned almost 5 yrs ago. Letter was generic. Sure he was fed up if he is a fiscal conservative.
Way to go, Ed. Take us back to the departure of Kurtz. That’s where this current malfeasance really hit overdrive. Long, hanrahan, and a handful of others started us down this path. Hanrahan, if she was more engineer and less idiologue, would have known better.
Don’t let any of these bastards hide anymore
Under Kurtz, GRU was one of the best municipal utilities in America. You are right, Carl.
I wasn’t impressed at all with Carter the first time around. I doubt things will be any different this time.
Agreed. Carter is an absolute embarrassment and votes for whatever the City Commisison whispers in his ear.
Harvey Ward is going crazy over Governor Desantis appointing Belarski. Ward personal hate for anyone makes this city flip upside down. Harvey should know that he can’t challenge Desantis and win. Harvey doesn’t listen at the attorneys that represent them because his hatred controls him so much because as a mayor, he doesn’t realize he is powerless. Harvey has the title but Desantis has the power. The legislative board needs to investigate whose pockets were fatten by the 700000 that Harvey Ward said they spent for 30 beds for the homeless. Those 30 beds probably came from goodwill or the salvation army. They spent 500000 to attorneys for free trying to sue Governor Desantis. Harvey doesn’t realize that God has his hands on him for his evil ways and there is nothing he does or anyone he seems to help him will be able to help him. Harvey needs to stop before he is stricken with an affliction that will stop him from functioning in any capacity.
There are numerous issues:
1) HB1645 is far from effectuated (thanks to Carter)
2) Are these replacements initial appointees or are they subsequent appointees? What is the duration of their respective terms?
3) Is the mayor going to swear everyone in (his qualifications to do so have been challenged)? They need to use a notary (e.g. Judge).
4) At 40% of GRU electric meters being located outside the city limits, two county residents are required. What was the ratio at the time of these new appointments?
Knowing how lawyers are able to twist and interpret legalese, if a person lives in the City, they technically reside in the County.
Just sayin’.
also with the complaints about the makeup of the current board I think they erred on the side of caution this time with only having 1 county representative. I really think the main criteria should have been them being GRU Customers. and not where they lived really. City residents alreay have opportunity to make their voice heard at elections, although there are quite a few that vote badly here quite often.