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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ Two new members have joined the High Springs City Commission after their successful bids during the Nov. 7 City Commission race. At the Nov. 16, High Springs City Commission meeting, City Clerk Angela Stone administered the oath of office to newly-elected Commissioners Andrew Miller and Steven Tapanes. Once seated, the commission elected Katherine Weitz as mayor and Commissioner Tristan Grunder as vice-mayor.

Prior to the swearing in, the Commission held an organizational meeting for the outgoing Commission to finalize any unfinished business. The only item on their agenda received unanimous approval, which was a professional services agreement with Redspeed, Florida, LLC for a Traffic Safety Camera Program in the school zone.

Following approval, High Springs Police Chief Antoine Sheppard recommended that the city attorney develop an ordinance for a future hearing. Outgoing Mayor Gloria James adjourned the meeting following a motion to do so by outdoing Commissioner Ross Ambrose.

With the new Commission seated, City Board members were selected. Miller was elected as the Chair of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and Tapanes was elected vice chair.

Rate Increases

Finance Director Diane Wilson reviewed proposed Fiscal Year 2024 rates for water, sewer and solid waste and listed reasons for the increases. Wilson said that Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) should bring in additional revenue because those older meters will be replacing many inaccurate or dead meters that have been undercharging customers in the past. The exact amount of revenue increase was “uncertain,” said Wilson. She stressed that if the City doesn’t raise rates at all, there is a danger the City won’t have enough money to operate for the year.

Installation of the meters came later than anticipated as City Manager Ashley Stathatos said, “The meters had been delayed due to supply side problems. We anticipated receiving them much earlier than this.” Stathatos also said an increase wasn’t implemented sooner due to expected increased revenues from a development that was delayed.

During discussion, questions about a $350,000 solid waste contract expense led Commissioners to request that City Attorney Scott Walker and City Manager Ashley Stathatos go back to the drawing board with solid waste provider Waste Pro.

Commissioner Byran Williams and Vice-Mayor Grunder both recalled that Waste Pro said they were going to maintain the same rates as previous waste hauler, GFL, through the end of GFL’s contract period. Instead, said Weitz, Waste Pro had increased their rates, which means that the City has been charged more than the Commission originally agreed to pay.

The City had previously passed an ordinance to automatically increase rates on water, sewer and solid waste yearly by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) amount to keep up with inflation. However, Commissioners asked that the automatic increase be discussed at the next meeting after they received Stathatos’ report on the solid waste contract.

After some discussion, Miller made a motion to table the item until the Dec. 14 meeting. Tapanes seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

Other City Business

In other City business, Duke Energy was denied approval for plans to have five electric vehicle charging stations located at Railroad Avenue and Main Street. The Commission referenced limited parking in downtown High Springs. Had the site plan been approved, it would have meant that Duke would restrict those parking areas for a period of 10 years.

Items Tabled or Postponed

Reports on Fiscal Year 2022 City and CRA audits were rescheduled to the Nov. 28 meeting after Commissioners were informed that the City’s auditors, James Moore and Co., were unable to attend the meeting.

Appointment to the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Board (MTPO) will also need to be voted on prior to their next MTPO meeting on Dec. 8.

Commissioners unanimously approved a traffic enforcement contract between the High Springs Police Department (HSPD) and Cinnamon Hills Estate Homeowners Association, a gated community. Sheppard said his officers would not be stationed at Cinnamon Hills or provide additional patrolling of the subdivision, but would be allowed to enter if service was requested.

The City has received a $1,040,000 Florida Legislature appropriated grant for the Priest Theater, which will pay to purchase the building, stabilize the structure and repair the roof. Stathatos reports that the City would not be required to provide a match and that the City can sell the building later, if they wished to do so. This item will be placed on a future agenda. Commissioners requested to see the appraisal of the building, updated structural assessment and operational costs.

Other Business

Bradley Riddle was appointed to the Plan Board. Arthur R. Testa, Jr. was appointed to the Planning and Zoning Board. Jeffrey Dobbertien and James Amato were appointed to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

The city attorney announced an Ethics Training session at his office on Dec. 6, which is required yearly for commissioners.

Stathatos reported that the City has received a $3 million springs grant from the Water Management District. She said this was the number five approved project in the state.

She also announced that High Springs Fire Department (HSFD) Captain Kevin Pearson was at the meeting and Newberry’s Chief Vogel was acting as Interim Chief for the City.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ On Nov. 2, High Springs Police Chief Antoine Sheppard issued a press release, which was featured on the High Springs Police Department’s Facebook page. It was a message to High Springs residents about a video circulating on YouTube involving High Springs police officers’ handling of a trespass service call with what he described as a “well-known First Amendment auditor with thousands of followers nationwide.”

Sheppard explained, “These followers, a vocal minority, inundated our office and other City staff with vulgar hate speech and messages, phone calls, and emails. Many of these foreign constituents are unreasonable and extremists who live outside of our state, and they do not support any form of law enforcement.”

In addressing the incident in question, Sheppard went on to state the following, “On Sept. 28, 2023, HSPD patrol officers responded to a local children’s daycare center concerning a disturbance between a citizen and the daycare employees. Reportedly, the citizen kept walking near the daycare where children were present, and a verbal altercation began. The auditor started video recording the incident and was subsequently issued a trespass warning from the property.

Initially, the auditor praised the agency on how the matter was conducted but later found a discrepancy with a statement by HSPD officers that he was recording children at the daycare. The citizen also had displeasure with another officer being captured on body camera after the service call, saying, ‘What a Whacko.’”

In Sheppard’s press release he stated that the matter was corrected and cured immediately. “The property owner was contacted and updated on the accurate sequence of events, and the property owner reaffirmed the trespass. There was no intent to deceive the property owner on the recording of children, just miscommunication during the transaction of the service call. The accused officer is a veteran police officer with an exemplary record with our agency.

“The secondary officer was counseled and reminded to deactivate her body-worn camera system after the service call. The officer’s statement was inadvertently captured on video footage and limited to her opinion and shared with her colleagues in a private setting and not directly to any member of the public. The statement was not egregious or derogatory.”

Sheppard went on to say, “Afterward, I verbally apologized to the citizens on behalf of the agency for the oversight, and I reinterned the continuous training that we have incorporated within our agency to recognize the First Amendment Rights of our citizens.”

Sheppard finalized his press release, “In closing, I am so grateful to live and work in a community that is pro-law enforcement, and what I mean by that is community-based law enforcement that is transparent and held accountable by a balanced approach. We are not perfect, but we strive for perfection, and we will continue to serve selflessly.”

The press release was signed by Chief Antoine Sheppard – High Springs Police Dept.

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ALACHUA ‒ The City of Alachua’s Recreation and Culture Department has been in the holiday spirit! This past weekend, Legacy Park Multipurpose Center hosted The Nutcracker performed by Dance Alive National Ballet. Guests from near and far attended the spellbinding performance. The dancers were breathtaking and ballet set on Christmas Eve was the perfect precursor to the holiday season.

Don’t feel down if you missed it, since you can catch this magical performance at the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Gainesville this December. You can find information about the performance at https://performingarts.ufl.edu

Other holiday events coming up include the Annual Tree Lighting on Main Street happening Friday, Dec. 1 from 4-8 p.m. There are all kinds of activities planned for this event, including pictures with Santa, that you can RSVP for. You can make this request at www.christmasonmainstreetalachua.com. There will also be the annual Christmas Parade on Main Street. This event will take place on Dec. 9 from 2-3 p.m., so, come on out and enjoy the holiday fun.

ACTFOR and 399 Sports and Recreation Volleyball tournaments were hosted at Legacy Park Multipurpose Center this past week as well, finishing up right before Thanksgiving break. Congratulations to all of the teams that participated for another great season. Thanks also to the dedicated volunteers, organizers, parents, coaches, officials and players for making this another successful season. ACTFOR and 399 Sports and Recreation volleyball spring season registration will begin in January, so keep your eyes open if you are interested in playing.

Legacy Park Multipurpose Center offers an array of youth sports. Registration for spring sports season will begin popping up online this December for baseball, softball, volleyball, soccer and more. You can access the information, links to partner websites, and registration forms at https://www.cityofalachua.com/government/recreation-culture.

Legacy Park Multipurpose Center also hosts free Zumba classes, senior crafts, and more. Remember to visit the website and Facebook page to stay up to date on all exciting upcoming events.

Legacy Park Multipurpose Center Gymnasium will be closed Nov. 23 and Nov. 24 for Thanksgiving, but the outdoor areas will be open.

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NEWBERRY – The Newberry Planning and Zoning Board met on Nov. 6 to consider four issues. All four items received unanimous approval and are being recommended to the City Commission for consideration at the Nov. 27 Regular City Commission meeting.

The Planning and Zoning Board conducted a legislative public hearing to consider an application by I S Property Holdings, LLC to amend 0.28 +/- acres from Residential Low Density to Commercial on a site formally known as the Cold Storage property, located at Northwest 254^th Street and Northwest 1^st Avenue. Although the property was zoned Residential, it has been used as Commercial property. This request is to formalize the Future Land Use Plan Map to coincide with the property’s actual use.

There was no mention of what the owner intends to do with the property, but the change is being requested at this time because the owner told the City they would like to begin development.

The Board also conducted three quasi-judicial public hearings, including a request to rezone the City Hall and Cold Storage properties from Residential, Single-Family (RSF-2) and Commercial, Central Business District (C-CBD) to Public Facilities (PF) and Commercial, Central Business District (C-CBD) on the 1.93 +/- acre site. The property is located at 25440 West Newberry Road and 98 Northwest 254 Street.

Newberry Principal Planner Jean-Paul Perez said the intent was to align the zoning districts with their existing uses. As the Cold Storage property was to be rezoned, it seemed reasonable to rezone the entire block at the same time. Board members agreed and unanimously authorized approval of the request.

In other business, Tanglewood Planned Development received approval for a preliminary plat for Phase 1, which includes 106 of the 636 detached single-family homes that are part of this subdivision. It will also include an amenity center and a future commercial area, which will eventually come back to the Board for consideration as a separate site plan.

“The preliminary plat includes a condition which has already been incorporated into the resolution,” said Newberry Principal Planner Jean-Paul Perez. “The developer is to work with the City Manager or their designee to mutually agree upon the best route and timing for connection of the 12-inch potable water main line to the water tower site.”

Details such as the intersections and on-street parking will be provided in the construction plan phase, which is the next step. After that a final Plat will be presented to the Board, followed by Site Development, which will include earthwork and infrastructure. Following that, Lot Development would be presented to show the homes, buildings and structures on the property. Following that, Phase 2 would begin.

Upon questioning about an open area behind the Commercial area and the proposed homes by Board member Naim Erched, Walker Owen said that was the area where Duke Energy’s transmission lines run through the property and that it would be developed as walking trails and related amenities.

Erched also requested information about trees on the property and the number of homes that would be built in a year. Developer Gary Weisman said trees in the vegetative buffer would remain, but trees where the homes would be built would be removed. He also said he expected that they would construct 40 – 60 homes in a year, depending on the market.

Concern was also raised about children in the subdivision being sent to different schools. Perez said he would send a request to their contact at the Alachua County School Board requesting that all the children in the 106 homes be sent to the same school.

The Board also gave approval for the Preliminary Plat for Magnolia Acres Subdivision, 79.3 +/- acres located south of Southwest 15^th Avenue and east of Southwest 266^th Street. The project site is for 15 single-family lots that range from five to seven and a-half-acres in size. Plans call for gated community with a homeowners’ association and a 40-foot vegetative buffer.

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L-R: Milton Lewis Young Marines, Gainesville, Fla., Zach Nanke, Janquil Hunt, Timothy Hawkins and Jade Santos. The group assisted Alachua County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2811 with decorating the graves of fallen servicemembers Nov. 4 in honor of Veterans Day./ Photo by MICHAEL P. MAUER

ALACHUA COUNTY ‒ In solemn remembrance for those who’ve fallen, members of Alachua County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2811 and its auxiliary spent the early hours of Nov. 4 decorating the graves of former servicemembers in preparation for Veterans Day. By reverently placing small United States flags near each headstone, they’ve shared in a custom that has a special meaning to those who’ve dedicated themselves to helping local veterans.

Before noon, approximately 2,300 flags were placed in six local cemeteries. Among those decorated were Forest Meadow East Cemetery and Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Designated a Florida Heritage Site, the latter is the final resting place of Marine Lance Cpl. Vernon T. Carter, Jr. – Gainesville’s first Vietnam War casualty.

In less than two weeks, the flags will be collected. And the mission of the VFW post will go on.

Alachua County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2811 has maintained a proud tradition of upholding the VFW’s motto – honoring the dead by helping the living. Although more than a routine day for the veterans of VFW Post 2811and its auxiliary, the graveside tributes are just one of many benevolent works done to support those who served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Force and Coast Guard.

“We’re not just here for veterans on Veterans Day,” said VFW Post 2811 Commander Chester Lundy. “We’re here to help all veterans, at all times.”

Formed nearly 125 years ago by those who deployed to Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and China, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States has a proud tradition of service. Its work in advocating for the welfare of veterans and their families has been endorsed by a perpetual congressional charter, and its lobbying efforts helped form the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Health Administration.

For nearly a century, VFW Post 2811’s good work has also been recognized. Several times over its history, Alachua County VFW Post 2811 has been selected as an All-State Post. It earned this honor largely on the strength of its community service.

To be selected as an All-State Post, Commander Lundy and the other VFW Post 2811 members had to accomplish a long list of service-oriented goals outlined by the VFW Department of Florida.

Such good works include supporting student scholarship programs, helping hospitalized veterans, and participating in fund raising to assist the VFW’s network of service officers. Through its world-wide network of service officers and individual posts, the VFW directly assists veterans in filing benefit claims, as well as promoting awareness for veterans’ preference in government employment and educational opportunities.

Also, magazines, periodicals, podcasts and social media messages produced by the VFW on the state and national levels regularly inform members about the myriad of services and benefits available to eligible veterans. Former servicemembers in the VFW receive steady, up-to-date information not only about current benefits, but legislative efforts by veterans service organizations to help those in its ranks.

All of these services are provided free of cost—regardless if veterans can qualify for full VFW membership or not.

“We’d like people to get past thinking that we’re a smoke-filled bar,” said Lundy, a Marine veteran of Operation Desert Storm. “We’re a service organization that helps veterans and their families.”

The building VFW Post 2811 meets in does serve a vital purpose. Money raised by the VFW post through its canteen and social hall funds veterans’ programs. This fills an important niche. Not all veterans who need support have their necessities completely met by the government.

Many of the local homeless veterans and other residents at local veterans’ centers are indigent, and what little financial support they have by way of pension or government benefits are utilized to help finance their care. All the monies raised above operational costs from bingos and other such games of chance conducted by the Gainesville VFW post goes to help fellow veterans.

An example of this would be the post food and clothing drives that directly help local and hospitalized veterans. Additionally, VFW Post 2811 funds monthly picnics and other activities for low-income veterans who are living at the Sunshine Inn, Gainesville.

“We’re on a mission here,” said Avery Owen, VFW Post 2811 quartermaster. “Much like we did on active duty, we’re supporting each other.”

The quartermaster added that those in the VFW who attend meetings and are active in their posts are not only able to learn about benefits and programs, but speak with veterans who’ve applied for and have taken advantage of them.

“Veterans talk to each other,” said Owen, who retired as a master sergeant with the 3rd Bn, 20th Special Forces Group of the Florida Army National Guard. “We also watch out for each other. That camaraderie runs deep, and doesn’t end after one leaves the military.”  

Some of the post’s programs over the years have been unique and literally homegrown. For instance, VFW Post 2811 collaborated last year with the local nonprofit, Grow Gainesville. The resulting initiative established a gardening therapy program for combat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

In addition to fellow veterans, the post’s outreach efforts also extend to youth programs. Community groups VFW Post 2811 has worked with over the years include Scouting, the Young Marines and the local Eastside and Gainesville High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. Also, the student-focused VFW Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen programs that potentially award thousands in college and university scholarships are supported.

From its initial chartered membership of a few veterans mustered in May 21, 1933, the post’s roster has swollen to more than several times that amount. But despite its visibility in the community and focus on service, finding new members has been a problem.

Much of this, said Lundy, is because of misconceptions some in the community have about the VFW.

“This isn’t a club,” the Marine said. “This is a service organization. Veterans who need help or those who want to help veterans should join.”

Those interested in VFW Post 2811 and its activities can call 352-376-7660.

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Michael P. Mauer is a life member of VFW Post 2811. He served as an Army photojournalist during Operation Desert Storm and was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal by Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf for his actions during the war. This year, Mauer won the Grand Award for top feature article in the VFW National Publications Contest.

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ALACHUA ‒ Rolling in with the fall weather, the City of Alachua Recreation and Culture Department has a surplus of exciting events this coming weekend.

Come one, come all to the tournaments held Nov. 11 and 12 at Hal Brady and Legacy Multipurpose Center fields.

ACTFOR soccer tournaments start on Nov. 11 with championship games on Nov. 12. Have fun, bring coats and blankets for cold early morning games. Along with soccer, football games are being held at Hal Brady fields on the Nov. 11. Other games going on this week include 399 sports volleyball games also taking place at Hal Brady this week.

And while you’re enjoying the games, check out the concession stand treats. This past weekend’s spectators said concession stand treats were the best they’ve ever had.

Parents won’t want to forget that 399 sports youth basketball sign ups have already started with a deadline of Dec. 7. Along with sports, Dance About is being held at the Hal Brady gym on Monday, Nov. 13, and is open to grades K-8th going from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. There is a student performance opportunity at the Nutcracker on Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. Get into the holiday spirit with Dance About!

Meanwhile, Legacy Park Multipurpose Center is hosting Just Between Friends Nov. 9 -11. Offering a children’s sale filled with clothes, shoes, toys, and more, the non-ticketed public sale begins Nov. 11.

In between soccer, football, volleyball and dance, enjoy the fall season and Alachua’s charming downtown as the City of Alachua holds a Music Festival on Main Street on Nov. 11 and then the Alachua Business League’s Main Street Fall Festival kicks off on Nov. 12 at 11 a.m.

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