Letter: Response to ‘Transparency in government?’

Letter to the editor

Ms. Janet Evans’ March 1 rant about the City of High Springs is the last place informed citizens should go to learn what’s really going on in High Springs. It is replete with misinformation and hypocrisy.

What is true is Jeremy Marshall, High Springs City Manager, inflated his resume when he applied for that job. He had no prior City Manager experience. He had worked for a strong mayor as her administrator for only 2-3 months. He has told conflicting stories for why he left that position. His background check was done after he began work here, and it revealed a personal bankruptcy from December 2021, two money judgments, and an open criminal warrant from North Carolina. Kudos to Jack Walden, whose investigative skills turned up the charge. Marshall told those who asked him in early 2024 it was for a parking ticket and he was taking care of it “as we speak.” Walden learned it was for a worthless check; Marshall took care of it in 2026.  

Marshall has proven he is not up to the job of leading this City. Just days after coming on board, Marshall was handed paperwork detailing the finance director Diane Wilson’s incompetence. The prior City Manager had attempted to fire Wilson, but Commissioner Katherine Weitz interfered. Marshall chose to keep Wilson on, even elevating her to acting City Manager when he was away. He fired her recently, after he was called out to the Commission for retaining her. Why Ms. Evans blindly supports Marshall is a mystery.

Evans claims Wilson was a whistleblower. Fearing she was about to be fired, Wilson put together a hit piece on a former Assistant City Manager, claiming all sorts of misdeeds. This was shortly after Wilson told conflicting stories to the Commission on the increase in fees for the new Waste Pro contract, in order to direct scrutiny away from herself. Her claims have been largely debunked. This is not at all what Evans described.

Scott Jamison served this community with integrity and pride and made difficult decisions, not on his agenda, but on what he believed was right for High Springs. He urged the manager to go out and get grants. High Springs is struggling financially. I am puzzled as to why Ms. Evans takes issue with this.

Evans complains about Julie Smith contacting Auburndale, the City where Marshall recently applied for the job of City Manager. It appears Evans believes Smith interfered with Marshall’s bid for that job. But Evans has been a fervent Marshall supporter and wants him to remain as City Manager in High Springs, so in reality, shouldn’t she be pleased?

Thomas Henry, a certified, experienced, and highly esteemed professional, was treated very badly by the City of High Springs, specifically by Commissioner Weitz, Diane Wilson, and Marshall. Henry resigned due to the toxicity of his work environment, but he withdrew that resignation before Marshall had had a chance to accept it. Marshall told Henry, “I don’t care… I am going to terminate you.” Thomas Henry then appropriately sued for wrongful termination.

From the lawsuit: A few days later, a former mayor and his wife made an appointment to speak with MARSHALL about this unfair employment action. MARSHALL was asked if he had conducted an investigation into the toxic workplace. He stated, “No.” When that statement was met with amazement by the couple, MARSHALL then said, “Well, yes, I did do an investigation.” The former mayor’s wife then asked for a copy of the investigation, and MARSHALL said, “Oh, it was all verbal.” 

Evans claims Commissioner Grunder and Henry were conspiring via text messages in March 2024 to have the former City Manager write a letter to fire Wilson. However, these texts were six months after outside counsel had agreed with the proposed grounds to fire Wilson and not improper, as Henry was Acting City Manager at that time. Evans had this all wrong, but this is all well documented in the Henry lawsuit. 

Evans states the Henry lawsuit was filed for the purpose of smearing Weitz prior to the election. Evans got that wrong as well. If Weitz’s words and actions make her look bad, she has only herself to blame. Henry’s rights were grievously violated, and the suit was filed just prior to the expiration of the statute of limitations. Henry dismissed his case because, after much reflection, he decided that he no longer wanted to return to work at the City, as it was being so badly mismanaged. 

The Henry lawsuit is well documented; the exhibits back up what was pleaded. High Springs residents need to wake up to what is really going on in High Springs City Government. Current management seem to think that if it says it is being transparent over and over, people will believe that. And the finger-pointing at the prior administration is completely undeserved and merely a cover-up for the present incompetence. Don’t be deceived. 

If you are wondering why your fire assessment fee, the millage rate, and your utilities have recently increased, expensive fire department equipment has been sold off, and the City is now scrambling to pay a 1 million dollar overlooked invoice, you need look no further than Weitz and Wilson working on the City budget behind the back of the former City Manager and under the nose of the current one, in violation of the City Charter. 

In the words of Evans, “These detractors are operating in an undercurrent of deceit and personal agendas… They want power to direct the future the way they want it to go; while bullying and discrediting anyone who gets in their way.”  I couldn’t have said it better myself. This is the Weitz, Wilson, and Marshall playbook to a “T”. If you really want transparency, go to Thomas Henry v. City of High Springs, 01-2024-CA-002600, on the Alachua County Clerk’s Office website, and see how Weitz, Wilson, and later Marshall systematically eliminated employees with talent and institutional knowledge, so that Weitz could control the City. 

Linda Rice Chapman, Esq.

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