Newberry City Commission Faces Major Announcement, City Manager New Stepping Down

NEWBERRY ‒ The Newberry City Commission convened on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, for a relatively short meeting that included routine approvals and updates but was marked by a major announcement from City Manager Mike New.

In a surprising turn, New announced that he would be stepping down from his position, effective Feb. 24, 2025. No reason for his departure was disclosed, and New did not provide additional details during the meeting. He did, however, reflect briefly on his tenure, noting that he has served the City of Newberry for nearly 11 years.

Among the agenda items, Director of Community Development Stacey Hectus provided an update on plans to revise the city's Overlay District to address large-scale retail store applications. Hectus explained that incorporating changes into the existing Overlay District would simplify the process compared to drafting a new ordinance.

The proposed updates would provide developers with a menu of enhancements to choose from, based on the size of the structures they plan to build. Hectus stated that city staff anticipates presenting the changes to the Planning and Zoning Board in March. If approved, the proposed updates will then move to the City Commission for final approval.

Hectus also reported on Newberry’s participation in the Alachua County Bicentennial – Alachua 200 kick-off event, held on Jan. 11, 2025, at Depot Park in Gainesville. Newberry was the only city in the county to accept Alachua County’s invitation to participate in the celebration, focusing its contributions on the city’s agricultural history and the ongoing development of its Ag-Tech Park.

The city’s booth at the event, staffed by the mayor and members of the Community Development Department, highlighted the progression of Newberry’s agricultural heritage. Additionally, Newberry has been asked to lend historical artifacts to the Matheson Museum for the bicentennial exhibit, which is set to open on March 12, 2025.

The Commission also addressed several routine items of city business including an ordinance to amend the city’s water and wastewater code, which received approval on its first reading. Also unanimously approved was a resolution finalizing Avalon Woods Phase 4B Final Plat. The Commission also made Planning and Zoning Board Re-Appointments as three board members—Donald Long, Kathy Thomas, and Ann Polo—were re-appointed for one-year extensions, with their terms now set to expire in April 2026. Other board members will continue serving until their terms end.

Re-appointment of three Planning and Zoning Board Members for a one-year extension was also unanimously approved. Their terms will expire April 2026. The board members are Donald Long, Kathy Thomas and Ann Polo. The other board members will remain until their terms end.

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