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Vincent, who lives 20 minutes away in northwest Gainesville, was asked to consider the position and subsequently contracted with the City to assist for a 30-day period.

Many thought Vincent was the ideal individual to step in for High Springs given his 13 years of experience as a city manager, which would prove valuable in the city’s day-to-day operations and in assisting the commission identify potential permanent city manager candidates.  He served as city manager in Waldo, Starke and Port St. Joe, Florida, where he retired in 2008.  He is licensed as a Class C Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator and Class C Drinking Water Plant Operator, has 26 years of service in the Navy where he retired at the rank of Captain in 1994, and has post-graduate studies in public administration.

In a recent interview about the wastewater system, he said, “Once the city determines what they believe will be the cost, and follow up with discussions with our engineers and the citizens, a decision can be made whether to go with a gravity feed sewer system, where possible, or look at using low pressure grinder pumps or look at the latest available technology.”

Since becoming Interim City Manager about a month ago, Vincent said he has attempted to take on some of the administrative load from City Clerk Jenny Parham, who has been serving in a dual capacity as interim city manager and clerk.  “By taking some of the load off of her,” he said, “she can get back to her primary function as a city clerk.”

“I review anything that as a city manager I can make a decision on,” said Vincent, who slogged through paperwork the first few days of employment to determine what items needed to be tackled and by whom.

Right now, staff is currently working on the sewer system with respect to the “tweeners,” those approximately 70 residents whose homes were built after the sewer installation cutoff date for federal grant funding.

Rather than having the city clerk do all the investigation on easements and required documents for USDA Rural Development, Vincent said, “I have been working with staff and Jenny to provide the required information for submission by Mittauer & Associates,” the city’s engineering firm for this project.  “Easements for the grinder pump stations are examples of information that needs to be provided by the City,” Vincent said.

Vincent is also working to address housekeeping issues with the water and wastewater plants.  “I’ve also tried to make myself available to the citizens to answer any questions they might have, he said.  As a city manager, I think part of my job is to keep the commission as up-to-date as I can on items they should be aware of and to address citizen concerns at the city staff level rather than elevating it to the commission level.”

Vincent also gets out of the office and talks with City workers about their jobs.  “Frankly, I hear a lot of pride expressed by our employees about the jobs they are doing, and what they are able to accomplish with reduced manpower.”  Meeting business owners is another important function for Vincent.  “I am trying to walk around the city and meet various business people so they can associate a face with a job title,” he explained.

“I’m getting a kick out of this job,” he said.  “The reason I became a city manager in the first place was because I enjoy the job.”

Vincent’s 30-day contract with the city was set to expire on Tuesday, Nov. 13.  Whether the commission will retain him longer will likely depend on the status of negotiations with their choice of Edwin Booth for a permanent city manager.

The annual event is sponsored by the Alachua Business League with support from the City of Alachua and local businesses.  With sunny skies and the high forecast to reach nearly 80 degrees, the weather is cooperating fully with festival planners, participants and visitors.

If this year’s event is anything like in years past, a large crowd can be expected to mingle up and down Main Street, stopping to peruse vendors’ wares of jewelry, art, doggie treats, ornaments and all variety of arts and crafts.

And when festival goers look for food or drink, they won’t have to go far as there will be a good supply of beverages, treats and food.

A number of local not-for-profit groups will be offering specialized services and raising funds for their organizations.  The Alachua Business League has been working with area groups to honor U.S. military veterans at the festival, which falls on Veteran’s Day this year.

Alachua’s Cub Scout Pack 88, which is sponsored by the Alachua Lions Club, will be hosting veterans at the "Veteran's Tent" located near the south stage on Main Street.  And in support of the Alachua County Military Support Group’s mission to send care packages to soldiers serving overseas, items such as toiletries, magazines, candy, hair ties, Wet Wipes, beef jerky, Kleenex, Band Aids, and old cell phones as well as monetary donations will be collected.

Jamie Krames, reading and language arts teacher/8th grade team leader; Heather Bates, school counselor; Heidi Kling, 6th/7th grade math teacher; Melissa Armstrong, reading and language arts teacher/6th grade team leader; Lisa Bailey, media specialist; Chief Joel DeCoursey; Damon Messina; Manda Bessner, Mebane

ALACHUA – Several Mebane Middle School teachers and the school’s principal and assistant principal recently took a tour of the city of Alachua to become acquainted with the community.  Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper, Police Chief Joel DeCoursey and City of Alachua Recreation Assistant Damon Messina escorted the group throughout the town, passing through Alachua’s residential neighborhoods, businesses district, and the Progress Corporate Park area as well as the sites of other schools located within the city limits

Dustin and Elizabeth Simmons of High Springs, joined by sons Logan, 5, and Lucas, 2, checked out the cars on display at the car show on Saturday.

HIGH SPRINGS – The 20^th Annual High Spring Rotary Car Show held Oct. 27 in the historic downtown area along the railroad tracks was a major hit.

Saturday’s balmy weather of breezes and a lightly overcast sky was the perfect setting for the much anticipated event.  The day of family fun started with a donation-based breakfast provided by the Rotary Club and continued with a ticket drawing and good food all day long, said Rotary Club president Heather N. Clarich.

Over 100 vintage, muscle and sports cars were on display. The specialty award Best Auto Paint went to Jim Hopkins and his 1971 Chevrolet Nova, and Best Custom went to Bonnie Moran with Drop Top Customs and her 2010 Dodge Challenger. Best of Show for Stock went to Don McCullen with his 1961 Bentley S5. Best of Show Modified went to Greg Murray and his 1932 Ford 3-Door Coupe. Best of Show Cycle went to Robin Hendrickson and her 2009 Yamaha V-Star 1300 Stock Metric. Many other awards were given, including to the top 25 picks by those who registered in the show.

Almost $200 was given away for the 50/50 ticket drawing, which splits the dollars raised between the ticket holder and the Club. Proceeds from ticket sales, registration fees, shirt sales and food sales benefited, among other programs, the Rotary Club Dictionary Project that aims to provide every third-grader in the district with dictionaries.

“It was a great year for funds raised, and we’re looking forward to putting those monies right back into our community!” Clarich said. “We’re looking forward to next year’s show!”

Clarich also said that thanks go out to the Rotary Member volunteers, advertisers and sponsors, including the Santa Fe High School Interact Club and High Springs Boy Scout Troop #69.

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cgrinstead@alachuatoday.com

Alachua woman pens book of dreams and visions

ALACHUA – For Linda Walker, it all started with a dream.

In 1995, the Alachua resident decided to keep a dream journal to record dreams and visions she believes are from God.

“I didn’t write every dream down, but as many as I could remember I did write down,” she said.

Fifteen years later, she’s recorded hundreds of dreams, visions in prayers in a book entitled “My Journey.” She said she received a revelation from God about a year ago to write the book.

“I just started typing it, and it took me about a year,” she said. “I never in a million years dreamed I would write a book. He’s the one who has given it to me.”

She said the book includes a lot of details about her life, but she said she thinks anyone who reads it will be able to relate.

“Even though it’s about my life, I wrote it in a way...that I feel will be a help for people,” she said.

Walker said she knows people may be skeptical of supernatural encounters, but she said she knows her experiences are legitimate.

“I knew when it was the Lord,” she said. “I also knew if I didn’t get up and write it down, I usually would forget it.”

Walker said she hopes her book helps readers in their spiritual walks.

“I don’t know what people are going to say. I don’t know what people are going to think,” she said. “It’s not for me. It’s really for other people to be encouraged.”

She said she wants every reader to realize God cares about every aspect of their lives.

“Maybe people wonder, ‘Can God speak to me through dreams and visions?’” she said. “God is speaking. Are you listening?”

Walker will be hosting book signings throughout November and December. And she welcomes anyone who is curious about her book to come to a signing.  On Nov. 10, from 1 – 4 p.m., she will be at Books-A-Million in Ocala.  A bit closer to home, on Nov. 16, she will be at Garden Gallery in downtown Alachua from 6 – 9 p.m., which coincides with the Alachua Chamber of Commerce Shop, Dine and Stroll activities along Main Street.  She will be having another book signing at the Garden Gallery on Dec. 7, and on Dec. 15 from 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. she will be at Hitchcock’s Market in Alachua.

Haisten owns Chicken Foot Development, Inc., a Florida Corporation, which also owns a Zaxby’s in Lake City, Fla. and additional locations in Tallahassee, Fla.

Haisten said he can’t say Zaxby’s will definitely open in Alachua, but he did say he has shown interest in the property.

I’m very interested,” he said. “It would benefit me.”

He said he will submit plans to the City of Alachua by the end of November.

As of Oct. 31, the property remained under the ownership of Sally Franklin, who had a long-term lease agreement with the Huddle House.

Through her representatives, Franklin has been trying to sell the property for several years although the property had been leased.  The Huddle House, which closed its doors more than a decade ago, has unsuccessfully attempted to sublet the site on a number of occasions.  Franklin’s lease agreement with the Huddle House expired May 2010.

City of Alachua officials and others have considered the Huddle House property to be an eyesore for a variety of reasons.  Chief among those is the state of disrepair in which the site has been kept.  There was also vocal opposition to an adult novelty store, Adult World, which briefly opened in the building, but was shut down in 2004.

Neighboring hoteliers have decried the appearance of the property saying that it harmed their businesses as travelers often avoid their lodging establishments upon seeing the vacant site.  At the time, the property was reportedly being used as shelter by several homeless people and as a tractor-trailer parking area.

In 2008, the City of Alachua enforced several code violations against the property, urging that the owner take responsibility to clean up the site, keep the doors secured and grass mowed.  That prompted the owner to take some action, including blocking the parking lot entrances to prevent truck parking and loitering.

Franklin would not comment on Wednesday, Oct. 31 as to a possible sale of the property.

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Email astewart@alachuatoday.com