Letter: Transparency in government?

Letter to the editor

Who is harassing good City of High Springs employees? Most of what follows is from my observations at City meetings, from my opinions and conclusions, and from supporting documentation.

I believe that focusing on the integrity of the job and supporting the process (and the people in it) has a much better outcome than being in a ‘club’ that relies on lies and hearsay to poison the well for those who are uninformed.

Alleged truth-seekers are untruthful, knowingly providing biased interpretations of events to fit their narrative. The agenda to sabotage City Manager Marshall/City management started on day one of Mr. Marshall’s tenure. Allegations are consistently pelted in an effort to stop exposure of systemic corruption.

Current City management has been culling budgetary waste because the City is trying to avoid bankruptcy. If the campaign to derail Mr. Marshall is successful, what will happen when unethical people regain positions within our City government?

I was in the audience at a City meeting when Mr. Scott Jameson called out Mr. Marshall for not having submitted enough grants. Many grants require the City to match the funds requested to show commitment. High Springs is too broke to match funds, even for great ideas. To cut costs, Mr. Marshall eliminated the position of assistant city manager on day one, increasing his own duties. While he has worked on many grants, how can he continue to focus on important tasks when he has to field relentless attacks on himself and his staff?

Where was Jameson’s outrage when our previous Director for Parks and Recreation lost a significant grant because the timeline expired? A few years back, I believe we had to return a recreational grant, which would have provided a continuing, significant revenue stream for the City, in the way of a Babe Ruth Tournament-Sanctioned Baseball Complex. The City had to return the grant funds ($200,000) because of 3 years of inactivity and had to absorb the $200,000 cost of the 4-acre property. $400,000 was spent on a property now dormant. (Incidentally, the previous director received a $5,000 bonus from the ARPA funds for mowing the lawns during COVID.)

We did receive some great news recently, though, about a grant for $9.5 million dollars awarded to the City of High Springs for infrastructure improvement.

Jack Walden, creator of gnvinfo.com, delivered a low blow recently. An independent journalist who ‘seeks truth’ and ‘reports facts’ seems to have participated with those who ignore truth and use unethical tactics to advance their own agendas. For example, I understand Julie Smith acquired packets on all 3 job finalists for the Auburndale City Manager from a 2/2/26 FOIA request. The information Smith received – as well as screenshots – was included in Walden’s 2/12/26 hit piece: Auburndale Gets Application from Alleged Criminal City Manager After Separating with Prior City Manager Following Sexual Assault. Both were clearly OK with defaming the character of our City Manager, comparing an (unsubstantiated) bad check case nearly 2 decades ago with a recent accusation of sexual assault against the exiting Auburndale City Manager, as ‘equal’ criminality.

Julie Smith runs the social media platform “Alachua, What’s Happening”, and charges business owners to advertise. Smith has posted this same hit piece about Marshall, as well as one on Diane Wilson, on other sites – not under her name, but as “Alachua What’s Happening,” tying her business site to her personal politics.

On another note, the previous Public Works Director, Thomas Henry, was NOT fired. He submitted a formal letter of resignation, which Mr. Marshall, on his fourth day on the job, accepted. Mr. Thomas’ next-day request to rescind it was denied.

In a Feb 20, 2024, text to Henry, Ross Ambrose wrote, “Gonna be very interesting to see how all this works out between the election of 2024. My crystal ball is calling for a lot of lawsuits and ugliness,”to which Thomas Henry replied, “They need it.” 

Later (in August 2024), Henry hired attorney Linda Rice Chapman to represent him in a lawsuit against the City of High Springs. Referenced was an email that then-Mayor Katherine Weitz wrote and CC-ed the city clerk, regarding the possible rescheduling of an agenda item. The lawsuit alleged that she was in violation of Charter rules by casually speaking with City employees. A big hullabaloo followed in the media, which was, in my opinion, a direct attempt to smear then-Mayor Weitz prior to the 2024 election, so the ‘favored’ candidate, Sue Weller, would prevail. Henry/Chapman quietly withdrew their lawsuit after this election.

These detractors are operating in an undercurrent of deceit and personal agendas, with absolutely NO vision for the health and welfare of the citizens/future of High Springs. They want power to direct the future the way they want it to go; while bullying and discrediting anyone who gets in their way, with no concern for the truth or the lives they set out to destroy… like the firing of Diane Wilson.

A string of text messages was recently posted on High Springs Area Word of Mouth by ‘Lively Grapes’, referencing texts on 3/13/24 between Tristan Grunder and past Public Works Director Thomas Henry. Revealed is a discussion to fire Diane Wilson, with an attempt to get previous City Manager Ashley Stathatos to construct a disciplinary letter for Diane’s personnel file. This campaign started after Wilson became a whistleblower, bringing to light some discrepancies in the City accounts. Wilson was placed on administrative leave, during which time an almost $1 million entry on a Purchase Order was filed. Though absent, Wilson was blamed for not paying this bill. She returned to work but was dogged for more than two years before they finally got their way. She is no longer employed.

Neither Diane Wilson – nor our own audit – caught the follow-up email reminder that the invoice was due. Given the challenging scenario she was handed, I believe some grace and forgiveness should have followed. From following City happenings, I am aware that a former fire chief was arrested for a DUI sometime back, and retained his job. I have to wonder why Diane – who committed no crime – was treated more harshly.

Janet Evans, High Springs

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