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Stew Lilker’s

Columbia County Observer

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Czar Power 2020: County 5 Chairman, Toby Witt, Announces Commissioner Appointments

The Columbia County 5: williams,Ford, Nash, Witt, Murphy

COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Every year, based on the County Charter, the Columbia County 5 appoints a County Commission Chairman. This year's appointment is Toby Witt, who was elevated from the position of Vice Chair. In the civilized world, there are rules for Commission appointments to Boards and Committees. In Columbia County, the County Chairman invokes the "Feagle feel like it principle:" he or she appoints who they feel like.

The Chair is not obligated to explain his/her appointments, nor is the Chair obligated to ask for volunteers to serve on specific committees. The rest of The 5 do not have to approve the appointments.

The Civilized World

In Alachua County the process works like this:

a) A listing of previous-year appointments will be disseminated to the County Commission in advance of the appropriate meeting so that each Commissioner can determine his or her interest in serving on various board committees.

b) If there is no nominee or no volunteer or more than one volunteer for a vacancy, the Chair will appoint a Commissioner to serve. The Commission shall ratify the appointments to boards and committees.

In the land of The County 5 the process works like this

The County Chair, in this case, Commissioner Witt, appoints who he feels like.

It is not clear if Mr. Witt discusses the appointments with the other commissioners, or if he uses the county manager as a liaison.

Commissioners do not report back to the rest of The 5, nor to the public, regarding the work of the committees or boards on which they sit.

Chairman Witt's appointments by district:

Commissioner Ronald Williams listening.District 1, Commissioner Ron Williams

Tourist Development Council

Small County Coalition

North Florida Water Issues

Non-Ad Valorem Assessments Adjustment Committee

Commissioner Rocky FordDistrict 2, Commissioner Rocky Ford

Tourist Development Council

N FL Economic Development Partnership

Public Safety

Sports Advisory Council

Value Adjustment Board

Commissioner Sylvester "Bucky" NashDistrict 3, Commissioner Sylvester "Bucky" Nash

Suwannee Valley Transit Authority

Local Transportation Disadvantaged Coordinating Board

Suwannee River Economic Council, Inc.

 

Commissioner Toby WittDistrict 4, Commissioner Toby Witt

Suwannee Valley Transit Authority

Value Adjustment Board

Florida Crown Workforce Development Board

Ship Affordable Housing Advisory Committee

Commissioner Tim MurphyDistrict 5, Commissioner Tim Murphy

N Central Florida Regional Planning Council

Florida Association of Counties Trust

Economic Development Advisory Board

911 Combined Communications Center Board

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