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County says it responds to city’s information requests
By MICHAEL MITSEFF
mmitseff@lakecityreporter.com
For the first time in its 30-year history, Lake City’s remembrance of the Battle of Olustee may be overshadowed by a local-government conflict that some say traces its roots back nearly three decades.
The recent disagreement between Columbia County and the City of Lake City escalated in the past few years when the city refused to pay the county $250,000 for its contractual share of emergency services coverage.
The disagreement took another turn recently over records that the city claims to have requested, but not received. The county, on the other hand, says the records have been produced and questions about them answered in several meetings held for that purpose.
The fuse may have been lit when the city refused to budget for the $250,000 for the EMS payment for fiscal year 2007-2008 — believing it to be a moot point.
“I’ve been on the board (of county commissioners) since 1981, and there’s always been conflict between the two buildings,” Dist. 1 Commissioner Ron Williams said. “We should be looking out for the best interests of our citizens, whether they’re city or county residents.”
In an attempt by the county to explain why the city owes its share for 911 service, several meetings have been held where budgets have been discussed, and requests for records have been made — and fulfilled, according to county officials.
City council members believe that the county is withholding public records that were requested weeks ago, some containing the county’s budget figures.
The city is interested in verifying that the shared cost for 911 is not being paid
twice by them — and its officials want proof.
“They’ve requested some things beyond public records,” County Manager Dale Williams explained.
Williams said if the city requested where ad valorem money goes, the general fund shows where the expenditures are going, but if the question is why is it going there, then you can’t produce a public record for that, it requires an explanation.
“I thought our meetings were going well, and then I read in the paper that there is public information missing ... I’m at a loss,” Dale Williams said. “I just don’t know why there is such a problem communicating over a record. We had meetings to discuss items that couldn’t be deduced by just looking at the budget.”
Other county commission members share the county manager’s confusion and even dismay.
“Dale has given the city everything we had when we met with City Manager Scott Reynolds and City Councilman George Ward on a Friday about three weeks ago,” Ron Williams said. “We looked at our budget and showed them what we paid out of the general fund and we talked about Emergency Medical Services, but did not come to a resolution.”
Ron Williams said the county’s budget can be downloaded from the county’s Web site, as well.
“They can have anything they want and Dale will make sure they get it,” Ron Williams said.
“I don’t know how many times
we have to submit the same
documents.
“I’m just frustrated.”
According to Judy Lewis, internal auditor for the county, she received a call from City Manager Scott Reynolds weeks ago in reference to how the county funded the 911 budget.
“He believed that because we moved the 911 budget to the general fund, that we were funding it out of property taxes,” Lewis said. “The budget was moved to the general fund when Sheriff Bill Gootee’s office took over the 911 call center.”
The total revenue in the
general fund is $29,652,054, of this amount only $20,637,005 originates from ad valorem taxes (city and county property taxes), Lewis said.
Lewis said with Reynolds on the phone, she walked him through the budget and explained that when she deducted the total of a select group of budgets, comprised of services that both the county and city residents used, it left the general fund $223,904 in the red — the combined selected budget’s total exceeded the ad valorem revenue.
“While I was walking him through the budget, he asked if he could send his finance director, Tweetie Tyre, over to sit with me and take her through the budget, I agreed,” Lewis said.
“I never heard anything more about it.”
A possible solution to help head off similar situations in the future was proposed by Ron Williams at Thursday night’s meeting of the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners. Williams proposed that a straw ballot be added to the general election in November to ask the citizens if they would support a study to possibly consolidate the county and city governments.
“What I’m saying is that maybe I’m not the only one who sees consolidation as an answer,” Williams said. “It would eliminate all these things that we’re having to deal with now. It would make the government more efficient and in the long run, will save
taxpayer money.”
Dale Williams said he was not opposed to placing the question on the general election to see where the public stands on
consolidation.
“I think you’ve got to be very clear what you are going to ask on the straw ballot,” Dale Williams said. “Obviously, no reasonable person would know if they were for or against it unless they know what form it would take. I don’t see any harm at all in letting the public decide if they want to study consolidation, though.”
In all the confusion, the town of Fort White has been a forgotten entity, but the mayor has his own opinions about consolidation.
“I personally feel that it’s a step in the right direction,” Fort White Mayor Truett George
said. “I know we have a duplication of efforts, but I would hate to see Lake City or Fort White lose its identity.”
Ron Williams said one of the bitter memories of discord between the county and city happened more than 15 years ago when he chaired a fire committee.
“I chaired that committee for 15 years and asked them to put manned fire stations throughout the county, like the county is doing now, but it fell on deaf ears. We took the money we were paying the city to provide fire protection and increased our special assessments $8 and we were able to man three fire stations, and we are ready to open a fourth,” Ron Williams explained.
He also said that the county has upgraded its volunteer fire department and that county-owned fire equipment is second to none in the state.
“I asked the city to provide better fire protection for the unincorporated areas for the past
15 years, so that’s why the county went into the fire department business.”
The fact that consolidation has been mentioned and that a straw ballot will be placed on the general election ballot in November may be a sign that the opinion of residents may be considered.
“I see resistance coming from Lake City more than the county,” George said. “I think the elected officials in Lake City are afraid that they are going to lose their power.”
The recent disagreement between Columbia County and the City of Lake City escalated in the past few years when the city refused to pay the county $250,000 for its contractual share of emergency services coverage.
The disagreement took another turn recently over records that the city claims to have requested, but not received. The county, on the other hand, says the records have been produced and questions about them answered in several meetings held for that purpose.
The fuse may have been lit when the city refused to budget for the $250,000 for the EMS payment for fiscal year 2007-2008 — believing it to be a moot point.
“I’ve been on the board (of county commissioners) since 1981, and there’s always been conflict between the two buildings,” Dist. 1 Commissioner Ron Williams said. “We should be looking out for the best interests of our citizens, whether they’re city or county residents.”
In an attempt by the county to explain why the city owes its share for 911 service, several meetings have been held where budgets have been discussed, and requests for records have been made — and fulfilled, according to county officials.
City council members believe that the county is withholding public records that were requested weeks ago, some containing the county’s budget figures.
The city is interested in verifying that the shared cost for 911 is not being paid
twice by them — and its officials want proof.
“They’ve requested some things beyond public records,” County Manager Dale Williams explained.
Williams said if the city requested where ad valorem money goes, the general fund shows where the expenditures are going, but if the question is why is it going there, then you can’t produce a public record for that, it requires an explanation.
“I thought our meetings were going well, and then I read in the paper that there is public information missing ... I’m at a loss,” Dale Williams said. “I just don’t know why there is such a problem communicating over a record. We had meetings to discuss items that couldn’t be deduced by just looking at the budget.”
Other county commission members share the county manager’s confusion and even dismay.
“Dale has given the city everything we had when we met with City Manager Scott Reynolds and City Councilman George Ward on a Friday about three weeks ago,” Ron Williams said. “We looked at our budget and showed them what we paid out of the general fund and we talked about Emergency Medical Services, but did not come to a resolution.”
Ron Williams said the county’s budget can be downloaded from the county’s Web site, as well.
“They can have anything they want and Dale will make sure they get it,” Ron Williams said.
“I don’t know how many times
we have to submit the same
documents.
“I’m just frustrated.”
According to Judy Lewis, internal auditor for the county, she received a call from City Manager Scott Reynolds weeks ago in reference to how the county funded the 911 budget.
“He believed that because we moved the 911 budget to the general fund, that we were funding it out of property taxes,” Lewis said. “The budget was moved to the general fund when Sheriff Bill Gootee’s office took over the 911 call center.”
The total revenue in the
general fund is $29,652,054, of this amount only $20,637,005 originates from ad valorem taxes (city and county property taxes), Lewis said.
Lewis said with Reynolds on the phone, she walked him through the budget and explained that when she deducted the total of a select group of budgets, comprised of services that both the county and city residents used, it left the general fund $223,904 in the red — the combined selected budget’s total exceeded the ad valorem revenue.
“While I was walking him through the budget, he asked if he could send his finance director, Tweetie Tyre, over to sit with me and take her through the budget, I agreed,” Lewis said.
“I never heard anything more about it.”
A possible solution to help head off similar situations in the future was proposed by Ron Williams at Thursday night’s meeting of the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners. Williams proposed that a straw ballot be added to the general election in November to ask the citizens if they would support a study to possibly consolidate the county and city governments.
“What I’m saying is that maybe I’m not the only one who sees consolidation as an answer,” Williams said. “It would eliminate all these things that we’re having to deal with now. It would make the government more efficient and in the long run, will save
taxpayer money.”
Dale Williams said he was not opposed to placing the question on the general election to see where the public stands on
consolidation.
“I think you’ve got to be very clear what you are going to ask on the straw ballot,” Dale Williams said. “Obviously, no reasonable person would know if they were for or against it unless they know what form it would take. I don’t see any harm at all in letting the public decide if they want to study consolidation, though.”
In all the confusion, the town of Fort White has been a forgotten entity, but the mayor has his own opinions about consolidation.
“I personally feel that it’s a step in the right direction,” Fort White Mayor Truett George
said. “I know we have a duplication of efforts, but I would hate to see Lake City or Fort White lose its identity.”
Ron Williams said one of the bitter memories of discord between the county and city happened more than 15 years ago when he chaired a fire committee.
“I chaired that committee for 15 years and asked them to put manned fire stations throughout the county, like the county is doing now, but it fell on deaf ears. We took the money we were paying the city to provide fire protection and increased our special assessments $8 and we were able to man three fire stations, and we are ready to open a fourth,” Ron Williams explained.
He also said that the county has upgraded its volunteer fire department and that county-owned fire equipment is second to none in the state.
“I asked the city to provide better fire protection for the unincorporated areas for the past
15 years, so that’s why the county went into the fire department business.”
The fact that consolidation has been mentioned and that a straw ballot will be placed on the general election ballot in November may be a sign that the opinion of residents may be considered.
“I see resistance coming from Lake City more than the county,” George said. “I think the elected officials in Lake City are afraid that they are going to lose their power.”
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| Residents urged to think healthy | Residents tired of city, county bickering |
NoPowers wrote on Feb 10, 2008 1:04 PM:
If all would stop the "POWER" trips than perhaps residents would feel important matters can be tended to.Take a good look at what the people want instead of keeping this a suppressed town that is being run just as bad as the Middle East.
Putting people in power too long is hazardous to everyones way of living.
People get tired of their tax dollars being put to waste and want progress therefore yes we will vote out the old to get in the new.We all work to hard to be putting up with childish behavior. "