Poe Springs, City Manager Votes Tuesday
A special meeting has been called by High Springs commissioners for Tuesday, January 17, with only two agenda items: a final vote on the decision to operate Alachua County’s Poe Springs Park, and narrow down the field of city manager applicants and schedule interviews with the applicants.
The vote on Poe Springs comes after several workshops and meetings where Vice-Mayor Bob Barnas has presented a plan he said, while it may require some money from city, would be an overall benefit to the area.
“It’s considered a loss in a financial situation, but what I think it would bring to the community as a destination for people to come to High Springs is worth that — I don’t want to say risk — it’s worth that investment in our community,” Barnas said.
Calling for a 30-day out clause, Mayor Dean Davis said “I don’t want this city to get into anything we can’t get out of,” requesting the out be added in case the city were to hit rocky financial times.
With some commissioners doubting the viability of the plan, Barnas may find himself backing down from his original January 5 statement of “I’m for it, but I’m willing to wait and keep crunching the numbers until I convince all the commissioners.”
The next agenda item will be a continuation of a previous workshop where commissioners consulted an accredited former city manager for his advice on how to proceed with finding a replacement for newly hired interim city manager Jeri Langman. At that meeting commissioners offered up their top ranked individuals from the pool of 31 who applied. Barnas said he was only okay with one of the applicants, Commissioner Sue Weller offered her top six, while Commissioner Eric May offered his top four. Mayor Dean Davis said he also had a top four but mistakenly did not have his rankings ready for the meeting.
At the end of the January 10 workshop a majority of the commission agreed to come together at the next meeting with their top ranked candidates and proceed with interviews from there but that didn’t sit well with Commissioner Linda Gestrin, who said the city should do an analysis of the condition former city manager Jim Drumm left the city in.
“If you look at the documents that govern us, no, we have the appearance we’re elected, but now we’re allowing the appointed professionals to make the decisions and we’re too far removed from the center of decisions,” she said.
Davis echoed Gestrin’s remarks when he asked the hiring consultant whether he thought the city manager form of government was the best system for cities.
“Absolutely” the consultant answered.
Davis disagreed.
“I don’t. Because of this town, not everywhere, every town is different,” he remarked.
The voters of High Springs officially adopted the “council, manager” form of government — sometimes incorrectly called the “city-manager form of government” — back in 2001 when they joined a slew of cities looking to remove the politics from the city’s daily operations. Any change from that form of government would require the approval of the voters in a similar referendum.
If the city were to revert back to the old “commission, strong mayor” form of government each commissioner would oversee different departments and handle the hiring/firing/disciplinary actions of the city’s employees.
But Davis seemed to have mixed feelings on the issue later going on to say ”Actually it would be easier on us if we had a city manager because we wouldn’t have to worry about stuff; that’s what we did with the last one.”
“We let him [Drumm] do all the thinking, and his thinking is still in our city hall to a degree, because he did such a good job of indoctrinating them,” Davis said referencing city staff.
The two agenda item meeting will start at 6:30pm at city hall and the public is encouraged to attend.
Tagged with: bob barnas • dean davis • eric may • jeri langman • jim drumm • linda gestrin • poe springs park • sue weller
Eric May
Conservative local blogger and former elected official Eric May provides readers a view on government they rarely get: one from the inside. As a local leader, Eric champions the causes of limited government, lowering taxes, and increasing liberties. He is married to his beautiful wife Jenna, who both enjoy serving actively in their church and community.
7 Responses to Poe Springs, City Manager Votes Tuesday
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If you're looking for an awesome local church, I highly recommend you check out Impact Family Church. They're located between High Springs and Alachua, and just twenty minutes from Gainesville. They preach an uncompromising Gospel that is relevant to the entire family. Check 'em out!Tags
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Davis is plainly failing, everything is too complicated and nothing gets done that he should have finished. This is our honorary mayor, lol. Barnas is plainly angeling to keep his lackey in place as manager. Langman, no skills but under the tight direction of Barnas. ! out of how many is acceptable? Give me a break, this man is your leader? Conservatives change the leadership in the next cycle. These people are for themselves, not the city!
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I thank you Mr May for posting these snippits of news from the commission meetings. Working out of town all week, it is hard to figure out what’s going on.
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Do we know who the top five finalist are for city manager? Commissioner May can you advise or someone who has the information?
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Another source of information is located at post441.blogspot.com . This is maintained by Ed Shupe
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We have to have a sewer system. We have to progress it to a point where treatment leaves reclaimable waters that we can use right here. The last few minutes of the 1/18 meeting reflect exactly why this began. A DIRE NEED TO !!! I honor those Commissioners who chose to foward think for a clean future. The blame game has to stop along with the “half truths” those currently sitting on our Commission use to promote a city of septic tanks and, non impact so they can sell sell sell cheap cheap cheap. Having a municiple sewer system is everything to the survival of our natural resources and, economy. Why those developing and, intending to stay or, with children can not suffer some cost or, make sacrifice elsewhere baffles me. How anti Christian to have such disregard to justify it with 100 plus year old plumber experience. If I drove a Cadalac, I would certainly rather not than have cesspool water to drink from my well.30 years post the dire warnings and,a Commission who wants to pimp Poe Springs while ignoring the cesspool we gift her and, the Santa Fe. And, about time we get our monies worth as far as a qualified City Manager too.And, ALL of you need to quit thinking you know more than the advisor contratced. NON POLITICAL. NOT ATTACHED TO THE HIP OF ANY ONE WITH HARD INFLUENCE IN OUR TOWN. ESPECIALLY A CITY COMMISSIONER. YEP YOU BARNAS, DAVIS AND, GESTRIN. TALKING ABOUT YOUR POLITICALLY FAVORED MANAGER. JUST A QUALIFIED, EXPERIENCED, MANAGER UNBIASED AND FROM THE OUTSIDE. At least this crafty move by you has you way less favored from whence you got elected. A prohibition a-moral attitude will only get you thus far. Can’t wait till your term ends.If we aren’t totally ruined by then. sigh.
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It is sad to hear that an elderly person has to close their home and, move in with a relative but, that is what has happened (and, vise versa)and, is happening or, should be what is as elders on limited income age.I find the constant pandering of such with no concrete solutions and, using it to justify septic tanks quite distasteful. Or, to lay sole blame on water bills. BUT……There are how many churches here? One dollar per congregation would take care of this one which has been exampled repeatedly.With a few more generously given within those congregations and, those more fortunate spiritual without religion giving to a community fund, just think how easy the problem is solved without futher demise to the aquifer. For me the bigger problem obviously is demise of the aquifer.Helping those less fortunate within our community should be priority for those institutions that have the grace to operate tax free in our boundaries. With so many, that are tax free, abating or, just darn fortunate in our city limits, our water fund cup should be running over. I’d like to see a Commissioner ask all the congregations to help our infrastructure and, less fortunate via a fund. Many of their members do not live here so the actuality of individuals within already paying here is not accurate. High Springs is church heavy and, in demise because of it. WWJD.
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It seems all of the churches need their money to keep their “poor little church houses” up and running.
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