Local

The team of 16 girls is the host team for the 2012 Babe Ruth Softball World Series, which is slated to begin Aug. 2, and will bring thousands of people to the area.

But before visitors arrive, SunState and Alachua County Today want to send our local team into the playoffs with the full support of the community.

Each of the players will be presented with a World Series helmet and other items to show community support.

Robert Hart of SunSate Federal Credit Union said the pep rally is about making this a memorable year for the Santa Fe Babe Ruth 12U Softball team and to let them know the community is behind them.

“We want to send our girls into the World Series with as much fanfare as possible,” Hart said, encouraging others in the community to participate.   Other local businesses and the general public can take part in the celebration and rally in several ways, the easiest of which is to show up at the July 30 pep rally and bring friends and co-workers.   Hart even suggests folks make posters to hold up at the event.

Hart is preparing goody bags with an assortment of knick-knacks and memorabilia for each of the players.  Anyone with items to contribute should contact Robert Hart by calling SunState Federal Credit Union at 386-462-3900.

The team includes players from across the area including Alachua, High Springs and Gainesville.

The pep rally is free and open to the public.  All in the community are encouraged to show their support by showing up on the

Email editor@alachuatoday.com

“Each and every vote that this commission makes has a consequence,” Langman said. “I hope that the commission and the citizens realize we need sound budgetary practices without the puffery.”

When preparing for the budget process, commissioners advised Langman and Finance Services Director Helen McIver to be conservative, to not count unconfirmed revenue and to keep all department expenditures in line with the current year’s budget.

Although the city’s centralized sewer system is anticipated to add 75 new users in the near future, revenue from these users will not be calculated into the budget because the project has not yet gone out to bid. As a completion date is not in sight, Langman opted to leave out the potential revenues to avoid facing a shortfall because of incorrect projections. Since January, High Springs commissioners have expressed aggravation over decisions made by previous commissions to include unconfirmed revenues in the budget.

Facing a 5.9 percent decrease in ad valorem taxes, Langman said the City will have to raise millage rates by 6.9 percent to keep the general fund balanced. She also suggested increasing sewer rates by $16 per user, per month, in an effort to balance the sewer fund and eliminate the need to supplement sewer operations from the general fund.

Two of the City’s enterprise funds have been trending downward for the past nine months, Langman said. While the water fund and the solid waste fund operate at a profit, the sewer continues to lose money. In an effort to balance the sewer account, funds were transferred from water and solid waste revenues.

After the City balanced its enterprise funds, the general fund continued to show a deficit, she said. In response, the City decreased department head salaries to $50,000 annually, eliminated two full-time employees and decreased fire department volunteer staff and equipment. In addition, employees on City health insurance will be required to pay $20 more per pay period, totaling $780 per year.

“It’s time for us to rethink the City and hit the reset button,” Vice-Mayor Bob Barnas said.

With several lawsuits and complaints against High Springs still ongoing, the City faces possible additional costs. Langman warned the commission Tuesday of a potential $50,000 increase in expenditures if the Florida Supreme Court rules that municipalities, including High Springs, have to pay back employees for retirement accounts.

Commissioners decided not to vote on the proposed budget during the Tuesday meeting, instead they agreed to push back the decision until the July 31 meeting.

After the city manager explained the budget, Commissioner Sue Weller made a motion to table the agenda item discussing ad valorem rates until the Aug. 2 meeting. The motion passed unanimously.

Email awilliamson@alachuatoday.com

Ten-year-old Parker Stevens, right, reacts to the unexpected bitter flavor of Mayan chocolate, a not-so-sweet member of the chocolate family.

 NEWBERRY – It didn’t take too long for a handful of attendants to volunteer at the Newberry Branch Library when chocolate was involved.

Newberry residents got the chance to taste and interact with the sweet candy at the library on Wednesday when Gainesville chocolatier Kay Owens and her assistants presented The Mystery and History of Chocolate, a production that has been traveling around Alachua County libraries this past month.

The presentation at the Newberry branch was one of the smaller performances, Owens said, but she still thought the show went well and the kids seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Tuesday’s presentation at the Millhopper Branch Library on Tuesday brought in over 60 spectators, she said. The opening presentation at the Alachua County Library Headquarters earlier this summer drew over 100.

“We’ve been drawing big crowds,” Owens said.

The informative performance was interactive and asking for several volunteers from the audience. Newberry’s 10-year-old Parker Stevens raised his hand high when the crew asked for a brave volunteer.

He was called to the front of the room to try Mayan chocolate, an early chocolate that contains cornstarch and very little sugar. Parker said his favorite type of chocolate was the type that was mixed with peanut butter. One spoonful of the special Mayan chocolate and the look on his face changed to one of disgust.

“Oh, my gosh,” he said, “it tasted like oatmeal.”

The first chocolatiers, the Mayans, didn’t have sugar and milk to mix in to the now traditionally sweet confection, Owens explained to the audience.

Even adults enjoyed and learned from the show.

“I didn’t realize they discovered it,” Melissa Bass said of the Mayans. The 33-year-old Newberry resident is no stranger to chocolate. She had stayed at The Hotel Hershey in Pennsylvania, where they had chocolate scented body wash and shampoos in each room.

Another spectator and volunteer, West Palm Beach 16-year-old Gaby Gianoli, first attended one of the performances this week because her sister, 21-year-old Francesca, was one of Owens’s assistants.

Gaby attended both the show at the Millhopper library as well as the performance at Newberry’s library. She was in town for a month, but was more than happy to go to the performances, where chocolate was given out at the end.

“I got lucky that she does this,” Gaby said of her sister’s work with Owens.

Besides educating the audience about the history behind chocolate and advocating the preservation of cacao trees, Owens also makes chocolate.

Owens said she plans on opening up her own chocolate shop called Drenched in Chocolate this September in the Millhopper area in Gainesville.

Email mharvard@alachuatoday.com

The first business would involve selling electric motorbikes in a small building on NW 250^th Street. While the business would only create one job, it is a positive business to bring to the area, Newberry City Planner Lowell Garret said.

The four commissioners in attendance voted to approve the economic development incentive sponsorship for the business, waiving a $6,500 fee required to amend land development regulations.

The second business discussed was an RV park, which would be built just east of Cedar Estates. The commission voted by a 3-1vote to table discussion on the economic development incentive sponsorship for the RV park until the next commission meeting.

Commissioner Alena Lawson voted against tabling discussion on the basis that the commission had just passed an economic development incentive sponsorship for a business that will only provide one job, and to table discussion would be unfair to the RV park business owner.

“I don’t think we’re being fair to the applicant,” Lawson said.

By sponsoring the RV park, the commission would be waiving a total of $15,500 in application fees. City Manager Keith Ashby said the amount of time needed to process each of the three applications required to build the RV park was unavailable, but he would have it ready for the next meeting.

Each application would have to be approved separately, but the sponsorship would merely waive the fees required to undergo the process.

The economic development sponsorship program will be up for discussion in December. At that time the commission can decide to continue, discontinue or modify the program.

“To date, I think it’s been wonderful,” Commissioner Jordan Marlowe said at the meeting. He also noted that possible changes to the applicant vetting process may be included in the December discussion concerning the program.

Email mharvard@alachuatoday.com

 ALACHUA – The Alachua City Commission voted at the Monday, July 23 meeting to pay $300,000 to the Lion’s Den Adult Boutique to settle the company’s lawsuit against the City and to keep the would-be sex shop from opening in the city.

In October 2010, the Lion’s Den first submitted paperwork to open a sexually oriented business in the former Scultura building near Waffle House.  The same building had been home to The Western Teepee, a western clothing store, for many years before it closed in 2005.

The settlement, which passed by a vote of 4-0, will be paid for with a combination of insurance funds and the City’s general fund.  The insurance will pay $145,125, and the remaining $154,875 will come from the City’s general fund, which is primarily supplied by tax dollars.

The settlement provides conclusion to the months-long dispute between the Lion’s Den and the City of Alachua, which began shortly after the City passed a “Gateway Ordinance” prohibiting certain businesses, including sex shops, from operating within a 2,000-foot radius of the U.S. Highway 441 and Interstate 75 interchange.

On Sept. 9, 2011, the Lion’s Den filed complaints with the U.S. District Court seeking a declaratory judgment, injunctive relieve and monetary compensation because of the perceived unfairness of Alachua’s “Gateway Ordinance,” filing an additional complaint on March 28.

After the court denied the Lion’s Den’s motion for injunction on April 17, the Lion’s Den and the City of Alachua entered into mediation to resolve the issue.

Adam Boukari, Assistant City Manager for the City of Alachua, said the city agreed to the $300,000 payment in order to avoid future legal costs.

“The city commission agreed to the terms of the settlement because it was at the recommendation of legal counsel that it would be fiscally prudent to agree to the terms,” Boukari said.  “Further, the city commission found the settlement to be in the best interest of the city and its citizens.”

According to Boukari, the City will have spent $47,978 in legal fees regarding the Lion’s Den case once all attorneys’ fees are paid.

The settlement stipulates that the City will pay a lump sum of $200,000 to the Lion’s Den within 15 days of Tuesday’s approval of the settlement.  The final $100,000 will be paid on or before Jan. 15, 2013.

The Lion’s Den is not the first adult novelty story that has attempted to set up shop in the City of Alachua.  In 2003, Adult World leased space formerly known as The Huddle House, also near I-75.  That company battled it out with the City for several months before the City agreed to settle the matter for $25,000.

Adult World owners opened the doors for business, landing them in jail after City of Alachua officials said they violated the law by not having a properly issued business license in the city.  Unlike Adult World, the Lion’s Den never opened its doors, or even finalized permitting for the store.

At the meeting, Commissioner Gary Hardacre expressed pleasure at the solution of the dispute.

“Though it cost us a little bit of money to guarantee that this isn’t going to happen, now we have a gateway ordinance that will stop that,” Hardacre said.  “We will not have to look at the Lion’s Den when we drive into our community off of I-75.”

Email delsesser@alachuatoday.com

Commissioner Scott Jamison voted against the audit by Kessler International, which is estimated to cost between $5,000 and $10,000. A recognized leader in international corporate investigation, Kessler advertises its forensic accounting company as the place “where lies go to die.”

CRA Chair Bob Barnas hopes to uncover whether money transferred has been accounted for, and that the money spent on school renovations conformed to state statute. For the school projects, the City lists the amount budgeted from the 2011-2012 fiscal year as $128,915. At the time, there were not enough funds to complete the project, and the CRA voted to obtain a line of credit from the bank to cover the difference, budgeted at $85,800, Finance Services Director Helen McIver said.

The auditors will also look into management fee transfers from the CRA to the general fund. Management Fee transfers over the past four years include $70,000 in 2009, $70,000 in 2010, $95,000 in 2011 and $95,000 in 2012, McIver said.

While Barnas is concerned that funds within the CRA, a special district, might be an illegal use on City building renovations, he is uncertain about the Florida statue detailing CRA limitations and guidelines.  He hopes the Kessler audit will clarify how CRA funds are allowed to be distributed.

“I think to not do this would be a disservice to the taxpayers in the City of High Springs, and the business owners who can benefit from improving funds and doing it the proper way,” Barnas said.

An audience member stated she felt the $10,000 price tag was steep for an audit that could be completed in a week. She questioned whether the board had received bids from any other companies.

Barnas said he had researched other companies, but felt Kessler was the best choice.

“From what I glean from the discussion so far, as Mrs. Weller stated, would not an attorney be able to answer some of these questions without a complete forensic audit,” Resident Barbara Miller asked. “It’s been done. You have the wherewithal to do differently in 2013. I don’t know why you need a $10,000 audit.”

Stating that the cost of the audit was high, Miller asked Barnas what he hoped to find that could be corrected. In response, Barnas said he wanted to understand how the City should properly handle CRA funds, and the board could “apparently not” get these answers anywhere else.

Board members Ann Carter and Sylvia Newcomb agreed with Barnas that the audit needed to be conducted.

“If there’s anyone here today that feels that they are qualified and will vouch for its correctness as to how the CRA should be managed, please step forward and save the City $10,000,” Carter said. “However, with that said, I personally, sincerely, do not feel like that will happen. So, in order for us not to throw good money to bad, we need to do this.”

Recently, the first-draft of the MAXIMUS cost allocation plan suggested the CRA transferred approximately $45,000 to $50,000 more than the City required. During the meeting, Commissioner Sue Weller made a motion that requires High Springs to pay the CRA back for any funds over the amount deemed necessary by the final draft of the study. It passed unanimously.

Kessler proposed a three-phase audit followed by an evaluation of the findings. In Phase One, Kessler establishes a working relationship with the City of High Springs, introducing its staff members to City employees. Kessler will also identify and gain access to any documentation required for the audit.

The company’s Phase Two involves a detailed review of records, such as general ledger accounts, check registers and additional records provided relative to the financial assets of the CRA.

In Phase Three, Kessler intends to identify specific areas of concern and to complete further in-depth investigation techniques, including interviews and database research.

The CRA board also voted to move the $10,000 into the professional services budget item to provide payment to Kessler International. In addition, CRA Board Member Sue Weller made a motion to create a checking account separate from the City’s finances, and the motion passed four to three.

#     #     #

Email awilliamson@

alachuatoday.com

CRA orders $10,000 audit on past projects

By AMANDA WILLIAMSON

Today Reporter

HIGH SPRINGS – Despite protests from a small group attending the High Springs Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) meeting on Tuesday, the CRA voted 6-1 in favor of moving forward with an audit involving money transferred from CRA funds to the City of High Springs, and funds spent on renovating the town’s old school.

Commissioner Scott Jamison voted against the audit by Kessler International, which is estimated to cost between $5,000 and $10,000. A recognized leader in international corporate investigation, Kessler advertises its forensic accounting company as the place “where lies go to die.”

CRA Chair Bob Barnas hopes to uncover whether money transferred has been accounted for, and that the money spent on school renovations conformed to state statute. For the school projects, the City lists the amount budgeted from the 2011-2012 fiscal year as $128,915. At the time, there were not enough funds to complete the project, and the CRA voted to obtain a line of credit from the bank to cover the difference, budgeted at $85,800, Finance Services Director Helen McIver said.

The auditors will also look into management fee transfers from the CRA to the general fund. Management Fee transfers over the past four years include $70,000 in 2009, $70,000 in 2010, $95,000 in 2011 and $95,000 in 2012, McIver said.

While Barnas is concerned that funds within the CRA, a special district, might be an illegal use on City building renovations, he is uncertain about the Florida statue detailing CRA limitations and guidelines.  He hopes the Kessler audit will clarify how CRA funds are allowed to be distributed.

“I think to not do this would be a disservice to the taxpayers in the City of High Springs, and the business owners who can benefit from improving funds and doing it the proper way,” Barnas said.

An audience member stated she felt the $10,000 price tag was steep for an audit that could be completed in a week. She questioned whether the board had received bids from any other companies.

Barnas said he had researched other companies, but felt Kessler was the best choice.

“From what I glean from the discussion so far, as Mrs. Weller stated, would not an attorney be able to answer some of these questions without a complete forensic audit,” Resident Barbara Miller asked. “It’s been done. You have the wherewithal to do differently in 2013. I don’t know why you need a $10,000 audit.”

Stating that the cost of the audit was high, Miller asked Barnas what he hoped to find that could be corrected. In response, Barnas said he wanted to understand how the City should properly handle CRA funds, and the board could “apparently not” get these answers anywhere else.

Board members Ann Carter and Sylvia Newcomb agreed with Barnas that the audit needed to be conducted.

“If there’s anyone here today that feels that they are qualified and will vouch for its correctness as to how the CRA should be managed, please step forward and save the City $10,000,” Carter said. “However, with that said, I personally, sincerely, do not feel like that will happen. So, in order for us not to throw good money to bad, we need to do this.”

Recently, the first-draft of the MAXIMUS cost allocation plan suggested the CRA transferred approximately $45,000 to $50,000 more than the City required. During the meeting, Commissioner Sue Weller made a motion that requires High Springs to pay the CRA back for any funds over the amount deemed necessary by the final draft of the study. It passed unanimously.

Kessler proposed a three-phase audit followed by an evaluation of the findings. In Phase One, Kessler establishes a working relationship with the City of High Springs, introducing its staff members to City employees. Kessler will also identify and gain access to any documentation required for the audit.

The company’s Phase Two involves a detailed review of records, such as general ledger accounts, check registers and additional records provided relative to the financial assets of the CRA.

In Phase Three, Kessler intends to identify specific areas of concern and to complete further in-depth investigation techniques, including interviews and database research.

The CRA board also voted to move the $10,000 into the professional services budget item to provide payment to Kessler International. In addition, CRA Board Member Sue Weller made a motion to create a checking account separate from the City’s finances, and the motion passed four to three.

Email awilliamson@alachuatoday.com