High Springs City Commission places Charter amendments on 2025 ballot, honors PIO as Employee of the Year, and remembers deceased K-9

PIO Kevin Mangan honored as Employee of the Year | Photo courtesy City of High Springs

BY DAVID LIGHTMAN

HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. – At their January 23 Regular Meeting, the High Springs City Commission honored their Employee of the Year, decided to put five more charter amendment questions on the 2025 ballot, and discussed some financial highlights from the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2025, including revenue from RedSpeed cameras and a loss from water meters that have been undercharging customers.

Employee of the Year

City Attorney Clay Martin read a proclamation recognizing Kevin Mangan as 2024 Employee of the Year. Martin said, “The City of High Springs is proud to recognize exceptional individuals whose dedication, commitment, and service significantly contribute to the growth and success of our community… Kevin Mangan, in his role as Public Information Officer, has consistently gone above and beyond the expectation of his position, offering unwavering support to every department within the City… Kevin’s willingness to lend a hand wherever needed has made him an invaluable asset to our team, ensuring that the City of High Springs operates seamlessly and effectively… We thank Kevin for his commitment to this role and for his continued efforts to make High Springs a better place for all its residents.”

Commissioner Andrew Miller said there were numerous emails from the public nominating Mangan, in addition to many nominations by staff members. City Manager Jeremy Marshall said Mangan has been helping out with the Fire Department and in other departments, and he “can be counted on for giving solid, levelheaded advice.”

Charter amendments

Charter Review Board Chair Sue Weller said the Board had recommended 15 changes to the City Charter (Charter amendments), and the Commission decided to place five of those questions on the November 2024 ballot. Those five questions were distilled down to four, and all four amendments were approved by voters.

Weller said there are 10 remaining Charter amendment questions for the Commission to consider (the draft ballot language is shown below): 

1. Updating Commission Seat Information. Shall the Charter be amended to remove the names of former Commissioners that previously held the seats and designate when the current term ends for each Commission Seat?

2. Providing plurality voting system, solution to a tie and designated date of induction. Shall the City’s Charter be updated to provide for a plurality voting system, the flip of a coin to resolve a tie in an election, and designate the first regularly-scheduled Commission meeting as when the newly-elected official shall be inducted into office?

3. Updating Commission Salaries. Shall the City’s Charter be updated to allow for the salary of commissioners to continue at the same rate for the subsequent fiscal year in the event the Commission does not act to change or continue their salaries?

4. Updating Term Limits for the Mayor. Shall the City’s Charter be updated to limit the Mayor’s term to one year or until such time that a successor is elected and that no Commissioner shall hold the position of Mayor for consecutive terms unless by a supermajority vote of the then-sitting commission?

5. Requiring Commission to act as a whole to give instruction to the City Manager and Providing for Censure. Shall the City’s Charter be updated to prevent a single Commissioner from ordering the City Manager to act and provide for the ability of the Commission to censure a commissioner for violating the Charter?

6. Updating Notice for Special Called Meetings. Shall the City’s Charter be updated to require not less than three days’ notice for Special Meetings?

7. Adding Forfeiture of Office Section. Shall the City’s Charter be amended to add language that allows the City commission to hold a quasi-judicial hearing to deem a Commissioner of having forfeited office in the event they lack qualifications prescribed by the Charter or law, violate any express prohibition in the Charter, is convicted of a felony, or misses three consecutive regularly scheduled commission meetings?

8. Disallowing single Individual from holding the position of City Manager and City Clerk. Shall the City’s Charter be amended to delete the provision that allows a single individual from serving as both the City Manager and the City Clerk?

9. Updating Residency Requirements for the City Manager. Shall the City’s Charter be amended to require the City Manager to gain and maintain residency within 12 months of appointment and allow the City Commission to permit exceptions or extend the residency requirement by a supermajority vote?

10. Updating Residency Requirements for City Commissioners. Shall the City’s Charter be amended to require candidates and appointees to the City Commission to have maintained a primary, principal, and physical residence within the City of High Springs for more than a year, be a registered voter in Alachua County, and maintain both requirements during their term?

Commissioner Katherine Weitz raised concerns about most voters not knowing the definition of “plurality.” Attorney Martin said plurality means the one who receives the most votes, not necessarily a majority or greater than 50%, and he suggested including a definition for plurality on the ballot.

Commissioner Andrew Miller said he thought the supermajority requirement to override the High Springs residency requirement for the City Manager was too much. After some discussion, Commissioners agreed to change that language from “supermajority” to “majority.”

Weller said they needed to decide which questions to move forward with, and then an ordinance would need to be presented for first and second readings after being prepared by the City Attorney’s office.  

Commissioner Wayne Bloodsworth asked, “What did it cost us for the few [Charter amendment questions] that we had? What was the final price tag on that?”

Weller said, “I have not got that bill yet… They’ll get to billing us.”

Mayor Tristan Grunder suggested taking action instead of “kicking it down.” 

During public comment on the agenda item, Linda Jones said, in reference to #7, “I’m a firm believer that if all of you were voted on, elected by the people of High Springs – I don’t think four of you have the right to dismiss a Commissioner, for whatever reason.”

Miller made a motion to put #1, #3, #4, #6, and #8 on the 2025 ballot and look at revising #2, #5, #7, #9, and #10 to possibly place on the 2026 ballot. Weitz said her own motion that she’d planned to make was very close to Miller’s motion, so seconded his motion. The motion passed 4-1, with Grunder in dissent.

Citizen requests and comments

During Citizen Requests and Comments, Linda Jones spoke about the $234,000 annual salary of Alachua County Public Schools Superintendent Kamela Patton, calling it “ridiculous.” She encouraged High Springs residents to be more vocal at School Board meetings.

An unidentified speaker asked about the question of the Bridlewood developers possibly not complying with legal requirements for sending out notices to the public. 

Grunder said, “One of the issues that we are running into with the Bridlewood development is a lack of a timeline, and I have asked for that. I know the City Manager is going to work on that for me… There needs to be an educated timeline that’s been put out there to let everybody know what’s already been done.” Grunder said they are looking into the issue of whether the notices were sent out.

City Manager Marshall said his staff did some research, and the notices were properly sent out at the time. Marshall said the City has a copy of the timeline, and it will be provided to the Commissioners.

Declaring fire truck as surplus

Commissioners voted unanimously to declare an old fire truck as surplus so that it can be sold. This will generate revenue and save on insurance and other costs.

FY2025 budget amendment

Finance Director Diane Wilson introduced an ordinance amending the Fiscal Year 2025 budget. She said there were some minor changes, including adding revenue generated by the new RedSpeed traffic cameras and the recent sale of the heavy rescue truck, along with the expense of hiring an extra crossing guard..

Responding to a question from Bloodsworth, Wilson said the funds from the sale of the heavy rescue truck were received this month and the financing company was paid in full.

Weitz made a motion to approve the budget amendment ordinance, and Miller seconded the motion. It passed unanimously.

Miscellaneous business items

Commissioners unanimously approved a Mutual Aid Agreement between the High Springs Police Department and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. 

After some discussion, it was decided that Commissioner Bloodsworth will be the Commission’s next representative to the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council. 

First quarter budget update

Wilson returned to the podium to discuss some highlights from the first quarter of FY2025. She said there were some unexpected expenses such as rewiring and repairing some lights at parks after they were damaged by recent tropical weather. 

Wilson said, “The RedSpeed [school traffic camera system] is doing really well. We have, just in the first quarter, over $25,000, and that’s the part that we keep. That doesn’t include the part that goes to the School Board, the State, the Crossing Guard Fund… We’re averaging between $2,200 and $2,500 a week coming in.” Wilson said the numbers are not declining from month to month.

Miller said some of the new water meters have not been reading correctly since they were installed. He asked, “Have we got that money back that we lost all of those months?”

Marshall said, “When they programmed it, the company that did it put the decimal point in the wrong place, and we weren’t charging nearly enough for this water.” He explained that it affected about 200 homes and the problem is fixed now. Marshall continued, “We are working with the company that made the error, and I’m standing pretty firm on it, that they need to reimburse us over $100,000 in lost revenue…. I’m coming after that revenue.”

Charter Officer and Commissioner comments

During the City Manager Update, Commissioner Miller asked about the progress made on the restoration of the historic Priest Theatre that was recently purchased by the City. 

Marshall said the engineer submitted drawings to the State for approval, but they have been having difficulty making contact with the engineer recently. Marshall said, “If I don’t hear something by next Thursday… I’ll take a drive down to the office, poke in, in person.”

Weitz said, “I wanted to acknowledge that we lost our retired K9 Officer Caesar yesterday, and he was the goodest boy ever. He was a good boy, and the joy that that dog had when he went to work with Tony was just palpable. He loved putting on that vest, and I know that he enjoyed a shorter retirement than we would have hoped, but he was living his best life. So I just wanted to give a shout-out to Tony and his family because I know they are brokenhearted.”

HSPD Officer Tony Pekala and K9 Cesar | Photo courtesy High Springs Police Department
  • Can you look into something AC?

    Why the lieutenant on duty during that fire death was not at his station. But at his house. That’s why it took so long for the FD to respond to that fire that was blocks away.

    • The PIO gets employee of the year for NOT releasing those things…great job by all covering fir them

    • JayH – That definitely needs to be looked into! Thank you for bringing that to everyone’s attention.

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