Suwannee Valley Transit Authority Approves 2% Salary Increase
Finance Director Lights Up Against Suw Cnty Commissioner & Administrator, Finance Director, Attorney Ignore the Law
September 27, 2025 8:30 am | 5 min read
AI Summary in a minute
COLUMBIA-HAMILTON-SUWANNEE – The Suwannee Valley Transit Authority (SVTA) met last Monday to approve its next year’s budget (FY27). In most places, this is usually a simple task – with Suwannee Valley Transit Authority – not so simple.
The Authority, under its unqualified Administrator, Candice Kennon, failed to post its budget on its web page; its attorney Steven Mercer, apparently, was clueless about the budget passing requirements and procedures for special districts and web-based budget and audit retention rules; and its Finance Director Monica Marquardt took to the podium to go after Suwannee County Commissioner Leo Mobley regarding her misperception of his past remarks.
The SVTA has a six-member board composed of two commissioners each from Columbia (Ford and Phillips), Hamilton (Howell and Roberson), and Suwannee County (Chairman Hale and Mobley). The SVTA is one of Florida’s almost 1500 independent special districts under the Florida Department of Commerce.
An Authority That Doesn’t Follow the Rules:
Overseers With Blinders
The North Central Planning Council provides paid consulting services and the Florida Department of Transportation is directly involved with the Authority’s operations. Neither agency attends any SVTA meetings.
Florida law requires the SVTA to post its last two approved budgets and this year’s proposed budget on its website, but it has not. The Authority must also post its most recent audit. It is also not there.
A Total Lack of Respect for America’s Taxpayers
The majority of SVTA funding comes from the Federal Government – money which is passed through the state, which of course takes its cut. This money comes from the American people – direct locally generated revenue is minimal.
SVTA Finance Director Ignites: Commissioner Mobley’s prior comments misquoted and misunderstood.
During the August SVTA board meeting, the board discussed raise percentages. Finance Director Marquardt said drivers in Lake City were making $30hr, also mentioning, “I can leave and double my salary anywhere – in finance – in grants, but I like what we do here. But I mean, I'm here for the paycheck.”
Commissioner Mobley, mentioning the 5% raises received by everyone at the Authority in FY 26, said, “It gets out of hand. Especially when you're at the top end getting the 5% and settin' at the low end get the 5%.”
Commissioner Ford said, “That’s what I was lookin’ at,” and Mr. Mobley reiterated, “I have a problem with it.”
Ms. Marquardt lit into Commissioner Mobley, construing his August statement to be suggesting that drivers needed raises but other staff members were "already up there" in compensation.
SVTA Administrator Candice Kennon looks on. The SVTA
board is putting off her evaluation.
Ms. Marquardt, despite the published 3-minute time limit, went on for 8 minutes, beginning with, “When I heard that statement, my first thought was, 'If after only six years I am already considered up there, then what future do I have here?'"
Ms. Marquardt said she was speaking as an individual, not as finance director. Chairman Hale let Ms. Marquardt go on and on.
SVTA has 25 employees and a $4.6 mil budget. Columbia County has a budget of over $200 million and almost 400 employees.
Other SVTA employees attended the meeting.
Eva Moore, a former bus driver and now communications manager, noted she earns under $45,000. Ms. Moore, apparently without doing any research, compared her job to Columbia County's Radio Communications Specialist position, which pays $101,000 annually. It was the wrong comparison. But when Ms. Moore told the board, "As the cost of living continues to rise, it is becoming harder to make ends meet," no one could disagree.
Administrator Kennon sat quietly letting misunderstandings take flight.
Paige Milligan, the SVTA executive assistant, questioned why raises were being considered only for drivers when "the buses cannot operate successfully without the people behind the scenes." While that is a two-way street, raises were never considered only for bus drivers, a fact known to Administrator Kennon, who sat quietly and let misunderstandings take flight.
Commissioner Mobley: worried about folks in the “clique” getting more than others.
Suwannee County Commissioner Leo Mobley wanted employees
on the low end of the pay scale not to get the short end
of the stick. The Finance Director missed the point.
Commissioner Mobley defended his position, saying he wanted fairness and transparency. "When you gave us the budget, you gave us a budget with just a number across there (gesturing toward the top of the latest salary schedule)," he said. "I wanted to be fair, make sure everybody got taken care of, where it ain't somebody in the clique getting more than [others]."
The first salary worksheet provided via a 12th hour handout at the August 10 SVTA meeting was undated, untitled, and was missing all the employee names.
The administrator’s evaluation forms and employee grading system have so far been “top secret.”
You reporter, questioned whether Administrator Kennon should have authority to distribute merit raises when she herself has never been evaluated by the board. Chairman Hale acknowledged Administrator Kennon’s lack of an evaluation, saying she would be assessed separately. To date, the Authority board has no evaluation form for the administrator. The administrator’s evaluation forms and employee grading system have so far been “top secret.”
The Compromise and Final Decision
I would expect her (Administrator Kennon) to give the lowest-paid people [the merit raises] to try to get them up.
– Commissioner Rocky Ford
After more discussion, blurting and overtalking, Columbia County Commissioner Rocky Ford moved to approve 2% across-the-board raises with 1% reserved for merit increases. He said he preferred targeted adjustments over percentage-based increases. "I would expect her (Administrator Kennon) to give the lowest-paid people [the merit raises] to try to get them up." "If she wants to retain employees. That's where she's going to spend most of the money."
The motion passed unanimously, excluding the administrator from any raise pending her evaluation. Board members confirmed the 1% merit pool would be distributed based on performance, with Ms. Kennon bringing recommendations back to the board for final approval.
Commissioners Mobley and Ford also pressed for establishment of formal pay scales with salary ranges for each position.
What’s Next or Why is No One Paying Attention to the Law?
SVTA Attorney Steven Mercer
The Suwannee Valley Transit Authority is an Independent Special District. It is governed specifically under Chapter 189 of the Florida Statutes. The Authority’s fiscal year begins on October 1 and ends on September 30.
To remain in compliance with state law, the Authority must officially adopt its budget by resolution prior to the start of the new fiscal year. The deadline to pass the resolution approving the FY2027 budget is September 30, 2026.
This deadline was mentioned by your reporter during the meeting: “The budget needs to be passed by October 1. Today is the 14th [September], so this board could have a special meeting to approve the budget...”
SVTA is cutting it close and needs to hold what is now an emergency special meeting before October 1 to formally adopt the budget by resolution, after a public hearing, or begin operating in the new fiscal year without a legally adopted budget.
Does this make a difference to the FL Dept. of Commerce, the FL Dept. of Transportation, the North Central Florida Planning Council, the three counties that are the SVTA, or the SVTA? Probably not.
Under Ms. Kennon’s leadership, the SVTA did not approve its last year's budget by the required public–hearing, resolution–mandated process.
