LSHA At The 5: Straw Poll To Do Away With the Authority Will Be on the Nov Ballot. Commissioner Williams Looking for the Hundred-Year-Old Man
July 20, 2024 11:59 am | 5 min read
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The Lake Shore Hospital was on the County 5 docket at its July 18 meeting. The 5 wasn't giving much away in detail before the meeting. On the agenda was a five-word explanation: Lake Shore Hospital Authority update. The agenda item form did not give much more information: this is a continuation of discussions at the July 3 meeting.
County Manager David Kraus introduced the Lakeshore Hospital Authority update. "So, as you know, the Board, last time we met, called to have a joint session. Their Board [the Authority Board] chose not to vote, so the joint session did not happen. If the Board wishes to continue to do a referendum, we need to take action relatively quickly because the Supervisor of Elections will need the language in early August. You have several options at this point. I will defer to Mr. Foreman to outline comments."
See: Gov's Board Blows Off County 5 & Discussion of Non-Binding Referendum to Dissolve the Authority. (Long story short: The Gov's Board didn't see any reason to meet with the County 5).
County Attorney Joel Foreman, the only popularly elected County attorney in Florida, took the floor.
Fact Check: The "receivership" litigation was set up by County Attorney Foreman in such a way that the public was unable to attend the in-court proceedings unless you were Fred Koberlein or knew somebody.
Mr. Foreman said, "So, when we previously discussed this issue some time ago, back when the receivership was goin’ on, the Hospital Authority Board didn't have enough members – that was considered inactive. So, Mr. Koberlein [Fred Koberlein, Jr., then LSHA Attorney] and I determined that we could do the referendum process to tip off the legislature, so on – so forth."
Mr. Foreman explained that the referendum process would be "nothing more than a straw poll."
Mr. Foreman explained the process outlined in the Florida statutes.
Looking For the 100-Year-Old Man
Chairman Ronald Williams, a member of the County 5 for over four decades, was the first of The 5 to speak.
He said: "Well, as far as I'm concerned, I don't see any reason of doin’ a straw poll when we got a certain way we got to do it through the legislation process. Do so. And I asked Mr. Foreman this, and he was goin’ to check it out. Back in 56, I guess it was – somewhere in the 50s when - when this special taxin’ district was set up. I want to know who apporched [sic] the legislature to ask for that to be done. And why I asked that question was, whoever asked the legislature to do that should be the one to ask them to dissolve it.”
(Long Pause) Mr. Foreman said, "Commissioner, I haven't found the answer to that question."
Commissioner Hollingsworth was the next of The 5 to weigh in: "Joel, what is your suggestion as far as, I mean, I always say, put it for the people – let the people decide, and that's my opinion."
Mr. Foreman said, "What I'm telling you is,
no matter what, it eventually gets to the
people... If the referendum goes through, then
y'all will have to adopt a resolution... It'll
be non-binding, just a straw poll."
County Manager Kraus explained, "What the straw poll does is it gives you something that you could give to the representatives. That's all it would be." (While Mr. Kraus was speaking, Commissioner Hollingsworth talked over him).
Commissioner Ford agreed with Mr. Hollingsworth, "I agree with Robbie. I want the people of Columbia County to decide what the future for the Lakeshore Hospital Authority is. If it's - if they wanna keep it, that's fine. If they don't, that's fine. And the only way for us to know how to do that is through a straw poll."
Mr. Ford continued, "I would ask you to bring a resolution back that we could pass at the next meeting. And I would make a motion at this meeting tonight that we go ahead and approve a straw poll to be done... That gives us the information we need to move forward either way."
Unidentified members of The 5 and possibly others begin talking over each other.
According to The 5’s rules, Chairman Williams was supposed to repeat the motion so that everyone understood it. He didn't. Commissioner Murphy spoke out of order. The motion was seconded. There was discussion.
Commissioner Murphy weighed in. He wanted input from part-time Authority Manager Dale Williams.
Mr. Murphy tried to explain. However, one of The 5 over-talked Mr. Murphy. The beginning of his remarks was unintelligible. "Somebody's payin' him, so I just wanted (unintelligible, laughter, more unintelligible talking).
The Dale Williams – Richard “Dick” Powell show began with Dale Williams coming to the microphone
Dale Williams has been intimately involved with
the wheeling-and-dealing in Columbia County for
over four decades. (file photo)
Dale Williams said the Authority Board will address the dissolution issue at some point. He said Richard Powell was an expert. (Richard Powell was the County's financial advisor - financial consultant - and outside auditor for about forty years).
Dale Williams continued. "I believe it [the Authority] has a useful purpose."
Dale Williams is one of the few people left in the County who thinks the Authority has any purpose. The Authority has about $20,000,000 in cash and every week, Mr. Williams decides how many hours he claims he works. He is part-time.
Richard “Dick” Powell has been advising Dale
Williams for over for decades. (file photo)
Richard Powell came to the microphone. (Mr. Powell was formerly the Authority's accountant - inside auditor - outside auditor - financial advisor). Presently, he is the County and Authority financial advisor.
Mr. Powell said it was not well known the Authority could issue bonds.
Mr. Powell didn’t say that the legislation grants that power and is available to anyone who reads it. It is unclear why the legislation was not included in the evening's meeting material.
Mr. Powell said the power to issue bonds "is a neat thing. It would be a shame to give that up."
Mr. Powell said if the Authority goes away, it would not come back.
Mr. Powell bills the Authority as a consultant. The Board does not approve his invoices. His friend Dale Williams does that.
Commissioner Murphy announced that the whole time he served on the Authority board, he did not know the Authority could issue bonds, something easily discovered if he had read the Authority Charter.
Mr. Powell spoke some more, and then Mr. Murphy weighed in.
Commissioner Tim Murphy:
Former LSHA Governor's Appointment Shares His
View
Commissioner Tim Murphy studies the agenda
(file)
Mr. Murphy said [as spoken]:
"I'll tell you straight out what I told Governor Scott when he appointed me. If I had the authority, I'd kill all taxation authorities that are set up - like Suwannee River Water Management and the Hospital Authority. It's taxation without representation, and anybody in this room that knows anything Suwannee River Water Management or other like entities like that. It's a big part of your life if you're in the world we are in… I'm gonna to be in our representatives’ ears, and I wanna do away with 'em, because it's not right. And, you know, and I understand the bonding thing, and I know that's very important on the balance sheet, on the county's side of things, but I guess right now - no more than I know about it - what you've explained to me, I'm willing to address that, because this is not right. It's just not right for the community, in my opinion."
After another 10 minutes of circular discussion, Chairman Williams called for a vote.
The motion to put the non-binding question to do away with the Lake Shore Hospital Authority passed unanimously.
Epilogue
On the November ballot, Columbia County residents will share their view on whether or not it is time for the Lake Shore Hospital Authority to finally go away.
