Columbia County Observer

Columbia County & High Springs Fire Chiefs Working Toward Automatic Aid Agreement

Posted May 17, 2013  04:50 pm

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – In 2007, Columbia County ended its automatic aid agreement with the City of High Springs Fire Department. The result: the shortsightedness of Columbia County's County Commission left 532 families along the Columbia County - High Springs-Alachua County border under protected, under-served, and paying 40% more a year for fire insurance, because there wasn't a fire station within five miles. The lack of an agreement cost Columbia County's south end residents in the neighborhood of a million dollars in increased fire insurance premiums.

CCSO: Deputies involved in shooting

Posted May 9, 2013  009:30 am

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – On Wednesday, May 8, 2013, at approximately 11:50 pm, deputies with the Columbia County Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force were involved in a confrontation while Task Force deputies were conducting a narcotics investigation at a home on 611 NW Bronco Terrace.

Sheriff Hunter Rescues County Commission:
At budget time, will he be standing in front of the Board for overdue raises for his road deputies?

Posted May 3, 2013  10:30 am

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Last night at the County Commission, Columbia County's popular 2nd term Sheriff, Mark Hunter, came to the microphone as a private citizen and ran cover for his friends on the County Commission, who couldn't answer three simple questions: Who went to Tallahassee in April during legislative week? What did they accomplish? How much did they spend?

Kirby DUI: Arraignment took under one minute. "Not guilty" plea already filed

Posted May 1, 2013  07:25 am | updated May 1, 2013  09:41 pm (1 comment)

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The Kevin Kirby DUI incident arrived in the Misdemeanor and Traffic Arraignments courtroom of County Court Judge Tom Coleman early yesterday morning. On April 19, 2013, the plea of not guilty was filed with the court by one of Mr. Kirby's attorneys of record, Lake City attorney Travis Koon. While the court docket is not clear regarding when Mr. Koon entered the case, Judge Coleman made it clear from the bench when Mr. Kirby's attorney, Jimmy Hunt of Lake City, withdrew from the case.

Kirby DUI: Official wall of silence up around county. Questions go unanswered.

April 29, County Manager Dale Williams Responds

Posted April  27, 2013  01:10 pm (1 comment)
Updated April 29, 2013  03:20 pm

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – While many communities in Florida and around the country take DUI's very seriously, the alleged DUI of Columbia County's number two man, Kevin Kirby is getting the silent treatment from the county's management. Unanswered questions are leading many to believe that the fix is in and Mr. Kirby is going to get a free pass for the event of April 14th, when he drove off the road, sideswiped a tree, hit another tree, rolled his truck, and then received a tickets for a DUI, careless driving, and possession of an open container of alcohol in his vehicle.

The Kirby DUI Incident: The process to the arraignment

Posted April  27, 2013  12:59 pm

The Observer has received many calls and has been asked many times what happens with a DUI. Here is the answer through the arraignment, which is scheduled for April 30th at 08:30 am in front of County Judge Tom Coleman. 

County Commission Deep Sixes Booze on Sunday; Boondoggle in the Boondocks; FLOW: $100,000's down the drain

Posted April 19, 2013  07:32 am

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Squandering the public's money is nothing new in Columbia County as last night the County Commission jettisoned two ongoing projects, the ill-conceived Events Center, known as the Boondoggle in the Boondocks; FLOW (Florida Leaders Organized for Water); and with barely a word of explanation turned down an ordinance that would have allowed the Sunday sale of mixed drinks in restaurants.

Columbia County Sheriff's Office: Kirby DUI Incident - Was the Sheriff playing it straight when his office said there were no documents?

Posted April 18, 2013  02:59 pm

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The recent DUI incident involving Columbia County's number two man, Public Works Director/Operations Manager, Kevin Kirby, has county workers in a buzz wondering what is going to happen next. While county management has been tightlipped, there are questions concerning the Sheriff's Office withholding of public documents about the incident, most notably, the Florida Highway Patrol Arrest Report. This record is a public document. (File Photo: Sheriff Mark Hunter)

Col. Cnty Sheriff's Office Foils Potential Suicide

Posted April 17, 2013  07:10 pm

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – In a report released from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) this morning, Public Information Officer Ed Seifert reported on an apparent suicide intervention which occurred over the weekend. He reported, "The negotiators talked with the man for a few hours, trying to convince him to surrender to deputies peacefully." 

County Commission, Along With Commissioners Williams and DuPree, Sued In Federal Ct. for Violating Citizen's 1st Amendment Rights

Posted April 15, 2013  08:24 am

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Last week the Columbia County, County Commission, along with veteran Commissioner Ronald Williams and the recently defeated Jody DuPree, was served with a federal lawsuit claiming that the two commissioners and the County Commission violated citizen Barbara Lemley's First Amendment rights at two County Commission meetings in 2011. Ronald Williams and Jody DuPree are being sued individually.

Columbia County Public Works Director Charged With Drunk Driving: "FHP plays no favorites"

Posted April 14, 2013  03:20 pm

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Early this Sunday morning was not a good morning for Columbia County's Public Works Director, Kevin Kirby. At 03:01:57 am he was booked into the county jail. Mr. Kirby was charged under what some folks call the Florida Drunk Driving Law, Florida Statute 316.193(1). Mr. Kirby was released from the county jail on $1,000 bond. 

FL Leaders Organized for Water (FLOW): Once a torrent, now  a drip. Saturday meeting cancelled.

Posted April 12, 2013  08:55 am

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – On December 1, 2011, the future seemed bright for what was to become Florida Leaders Organized for Water (FLOW). Reacting to the May 10, 2011 decision by the St. Johns River Water Management District to award a 20 year, 155,000,000 gal per day Consumptive Use Permit to the Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA), Columbia County organized the first meetings of what was to become FLOW.

Haven Hospice Challenges North FL: "I challenge all of you to appoint a health care surrogate."

Posted April 3, 2013  08:25 am

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Columbia County's County Commission heard from Haven Hospice's Administrator Polly Tyler last night where she delivered a very important message to the County and all of North Florida. She told the Commission, "I challenge all of you to appoint a health care surrogate." Ms. Tyler announced that April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day. Haven Hospice has facilities in 18 Florida counties and cares for 700 to 800 patients at a time and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

FL Leaders Organized for Water (FLOW): "We’re gridlocked. We’re not gettin' anything done.”

Posted March 14, 2013  07:35 am

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – This past Monday night FLOW (Florida Leaders Organized for Water) met for the 15th time since its first beginnings in December of 2011. Comprised of various leaders from counties and cities across northern Florida that draw their water from the Floridian Aquifer, the seed for FLOW was planted in 2011 when the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) granted JEA a permit to draw up to 155 million gallons of fresh clean drinking water a day from the shrinking aquifer.

County Commission Rules: Handicapped can wait. Field of Dreams put on hold again

Posted February 22, 2013  09:05 am

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Last night Florida's legendary good ole boy County Commission handed out a County tax exemption to United States Cold Storage to create 15 jobs at an annual cost to the County tax payers of $8,122 per job or $1,121,828 over ten years at the present tax rate. Then the Commission approved a 1% hike in the hotel Bed Tax to promote tourism in the County. The County recently approved $3,000,000 to improve the sports complex without any future plans to build the special purpose handicapped accessible Field of Dreams. The Observer asked the Commission to

County Rearranges Its Deck Chairs: 3 New Job Titles Equals Raises Averaging 20.5%

Posted February 21, 2013  07:45 am

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Tonight, beginning at its new 5:30 pm time, Columbia County's legendary County Commission is scheduled to vote on raises for three county employees in three rearranged job titles. Collectively, the average raise is 20.5% not including the cost of benefits. The County's Director of Public Works (now the Operations Manager) is on tap to receive a $22,108.53 raise; the Senior Staff Assistant (now the Safety Manager) $17,489.99; and the Assistant County Manager (new title unclear) $9.483.92. These amounts include the almost $7,000 cost of additional benefits. If approved, the pay raises will be retroactive to

Air Methods Makes Agreement With HCA: State of the art EMS chopper coming to Lake City

Posted February 14, 2013  07:10 pm

DENVER, CO / COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –  Air Methods Corporation (NASDAQ: AIRM), the global leader in air medical transportation, announced today it has entered into agreements with HCA MidAmerica and North Florida Divisions. Air Methods will provide medical communication services through its DirectCall Transfer Center for the MidAmerica Division, and has established a preferred provider agreement with the North Florida Division for air medical transport services.

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Last night Florida Leaders Organized for Water (FLOW) met in the Columbia County School Board Administrative Complex Auditorium. FLOW is represented by many communities of North Central Florida and while the rush of the public has dwindled to a trickle, the group has come up with a draft strategic plan and a draft position paper called, "Florida's Water Future." Unfortunately, none of this was available to the public before the meeting, nor was it posted on the Columbia County or the FLOW website. FLOW has a staff member on the payroll to take care of this.

Columbia County's $28 mil Event Center: On life support, nobody wants to pull the plug

Posted February 8, 2013  07:15 pm

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Last night the County Commission was again presented with a dilemma: Pull the plug on the $28,000,000 Jody DuPree Boondoggle in the Boondocks or squander more tax payer dollars on lawyers and staff fees. An ill prepared County Commission needed County Manager Dale Williams to put his spin on what's been going on. While always literate and articulate, last night the County's legendary County Manager was put in a tight spot trying to weave his Board out of something they couldn't, or wouldn't do on their own.

Columbia County to Set Record Tonight:  $8,000,000 plus to be rubber stamped on consent agenda

Posted February 7, 2013  08:15 am

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Florida's infamous good ole boy rubber stamp County Commission is looking to set a consent agenda record tonight by rubber stamping over $8,000,000 in a single vote. Many items are non budgeted items and one contract on tap with Anderson Columbia for $1,495,699.99 may be the only bid, the lowest bid, or the highest bid. The only thing the public knows is the amount and that $375,699.99 is coming out of cash reserves to make up for the difference that the grant does not finance.

Columbia County NAACP Celebrated the Life of One of the Greatest Human Beings of Modern Times, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King

Posted January 21, 2013  01:00 am

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The Columbia County Branch of the NAACP celebrated for the 29th time the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. The gathering was sparse as Evangelist Brooksene Smith ended her invocation saying, "Bless the local NAACP officers, because Lord, they have a long ways to go... Bless each and every one that's assembled here this afternoon... We ask that you continue to look around Lake City. We need you Lord like we never needed you before... Amen.

Lake City Florida Man Shot In Face With Flare Gun

Posted January 17, 2013  07:30 am

LAKE CITY, FL –  On January 16, 2013 at approximately 5:27 a.m., Mr. Enrique R. Cutts, 27, was sitting in a vehicle and was approached by Mr. Cory M. Douglas, 28, and shot in the face with a flare gun. Mr. Douglas fled the scene but was later located and arrested. Mr. Douglas was transported to Gainesville for medical treatment.

County Com Has Residents on the Run: $$$ Millions of improvements leave out ADA Miracle Field

Posted January 15, 2013  07:30 am

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Columbia County’s homeless County Commission has residents jumping through hoops and driving for miles and miles to attend meetings which are getting further from the south end of the county. Today's meeting between the County Commission and the Tourist Development Council (TDC) is being held at Gateway Community College at 7 pm. For some residents with an interest in sports and who want to be involved, the round trip can total over 70 miles. Yesterday, Florida had the 12th highest gas price in the

Columbia County Sheriff Deputies Bust Meth Lab

Posted January 14, 2013  04:35 pm

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – On Sunday, January 13, 2013, Columbia County Sheriff's Office deputies discovered a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory. At approximately 8:50 pm., Deputies Brian Lucas and Chad Guerry were conducting a neighborhood patrol when they observed a suspicious vehicle parked at 317 NE Double Run Rd. While investigating the vehicle, the Deputies could smell a chemical odor in the area. The chemical odor was consistent with the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine.

Boondoggle in the Boondocks: Columbia County's Events Center, "Where's the thing gonna be?"

Posted January 11, 2013  11:59 am

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The saga of the $28,000,000 Boondoggle  in the Boondocks, which began its life in July of 2011 as the Columbia County Assembly/Events Building, continued yesterday evening at 6 PM to a full house at the Lake Shore Hospital Authority building. Former County Commissioner Jodi DuPree's handpicked Events Center committee was almost all present as Commissioner Ronald Williams gaveled the meeting to order. Committee (1 comment)