April 25, 2024
07:30 am | 2 min read
LAKE CITY, FL –
Friday afternoon, April 26, 2024, the
City Manager candidates will be
answering questions presented to them by
the Council members. The Council members
will alternate with questions prepared
by HR Director BillyJo Bible.
|
April 24, 2024
01:30 pm
LAKE CITY, FL –
As the Lake City City Manager search shifts into
its last two days, keeping up with the final
schedule may, at times, be confusing. The
schedule has been revised five times in the past
month, and the month is not over.
|
April 24, 2024
07:30 am | 3 min readLAKE CITY, FL –
The bizarre antics of a City Council that has
become the admitted laughing stock of Florida –
and beyond – continues today with a guided tour
of the two final candidates by retired prison
guard and City Councilman Ricky Jernigan: the
itinerary – a mystery.
|
March 27, 2024
3:45 pm | 2 min read
LAKE CITY, FL –
The Lake City City Manager race is now down to
two finalists: Lake City Police Chief Gerald
Butler and former Pasco Assistant County
Administrator
Don Rosenthal.
|
March 20, 2024
9:35 am | 7 min read
LAKE CITY, FL – The latest Lake City City
Manager search took another confusing step on
Monday night when, out of the blue, the City
Clerk provided the City Council with a tentative
timetable and interview schedule for the three
City Manager candidates.
|
March 5, 2024
3:45 pm | 4 min read
LAKE CITY, FL –
The latest Lake City City Manager Search
continued last night in City Hall. No one was
particularly prepared, though it was the third
City Manager search since 2018. However, without
any direction, HR Director BillyJo Bible advised
the Council that she had prepared questions and
a ranking scheme for the City Manager finalists.
The City Clerk also reminded the Mayor and
informed the Council of some of the past
procedures.
|
Use the information in this story to
rate the candidates
Feb. 17, 2024
8:30 am | 5 min read
LAKE CITY, FL –
The latest Lake City City Manager search
continues on Tuesday evening, with HR Director
BilllieJo Bible scheduled to make a presentation
to the Council. Ms. Bible will review the
application review process. The Council will
decide where to go from there.
|
Feb. 6, 2024
8:55 am | 2 min read
LAKE CITY, FL –
Last night in City Hall, one might have
wondered if the Mossad had a wrap on the
Lake City City Manager applications. The
HR Manager released nine more
applications on Monday afternoon, making
a total of twenty-two applicants. Not
one word was mentioned by the Council
members, the Mayor, or the Interim City
Manager regarding the City Manager
search.
|
Mayor Witt
did not add a discussion about the City Manager
Search for Monday night's Council meeting.
February 4, 2024
11:30 am | 3 min read
LAKE CITY, FL –
The multiyear Lake City City Manager
saga continues. Leveling out the over
two years of former City Manager Paul
Dyal's intrigue, turmoil, lawsuits,
scandals, financial glad-handing, brain
drain, and city management determined by
loyalty rather than experience and
qualifications will be a big job for
Lake City’s next City Manager.
|
Dec. 20, 2023
2:55 pm | 6 min read
LAKE
CITY, FL – Resigned City Manager Paul
Dyal hit the jackpot as Lake City
financial oversight careens out of
control. Ex-City Manager Dyal
voluntarily resigned from his position
as City Manager nine months after being
hired at $3,000 a week and was then kept
on the City payroll as if he was
terminated and entitled to severance
pay.
|
Dec. 5, 2023 5:00
pm | 6 min read
LAKE CITY, FL –
Once again, Lake City is looking for a
City Manager. Baenziger search firm
nixed; City HR will do the search.
Recently resigned City Manager can apply
if he wants to.
|
October 3, 2023
5:45 am | 2 min read
LAKE
CITY, FL – Last night in City Hall, it
took 26 seconds for the City Council to
accept City Manager Paul Dyal's
resignation. While Mr. Dyal's
resignation should have become effective
30 days from his resignation letter
(September 19, 2023).
|
Sept. 19, 2023
8:40 pm | 1 min read
LAKE CITY, FL – Lake City City Manager Paul
Dyal notified the City today: "Based on my
contract terms, I am offering one (1) month
notice of my separation." Mr. Dyal was appointed
City Manager on January 3, 2023.
|
March 6, 2023
12:30 pm
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Controversial Lake City
City Manager Paul Dyal appeared before the
County 5 (Commission) last Thursday morning to
do damage control after unilaterally canceling
an interlocal agreement between the City and
County without legal authority.
|
A college degree: Now you see it - now you
don't.
January 19, 2023
3:15 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – The unraveling of Lake City
continued at the tail end of Tuesday's
drama-filled City Council meeting. Buried at the
bottom of the agenda was the undated rewrite of
the Assistant City Manager job description.
|
January 5, 2023
09:50 am
LAKE CITY, FL – Tuesday evening in City Hall,
there was only one lone voice asking questions
and looking for answers in the final stampede to
hire former City Utility Director Paul Dyal as
Lake City’s permanent City Manager: Councilman
Todd Sampson.
|
January 3, 2023
2:10 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – Controversial City Manager
Paul Dyal and his contract, now three of them,
is once again front and center on tonight’s City
Council agenda. Newly installed Councilman Ricky
Jernigan has negotiated the final version.
|
December 19, 2022
6:15 pm
LAKE CITY, FL –
Every time one thinks Lake City can’t get
worse, it does. At approximately 12:20 pm
this afternoon, City Manager Paul Dyal's
proposed contracts were added to the City
Council agenda for inclusion in this
evening's 6 pm Council meeting.
|
December 9, 2022
3:55 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – This past Monday evening,
the two new members of the City Council
doubled down on the continuing reluctance to
do a background check on Interim City
Manager Paul Dyal.
City Manager Paul Dyal’s biggest supporters in Lake City
are community activist Sylvester Warren, a
former North Florida drug kingpin, and Lake City
Mayor Stephen Witt, Mr. Dyal’s former bankruptcy
attorney.
|
November 21, 2022
11:10 am
LAKE
CITY, FL – LAKE CITY, FL – Lake City
Interim City Manager Paul Dyal, in 2018
and again in 2022, had his heart in
Alaska. Did he and Mayor Steve Witt
level with the City Council and the
public in the City’s search for a new
City Manager?
|
August 17,
2022 07:45 am
LAKE CITY, FL – Monday evening, Interim
City Manager Paul Dyal got the nod to be Lake
City’s next City Manager. According to
Councilman Jake Hill and other supporters of Mr.
Dyal, “He don’t back down from the County.”
|
August 15, 2022
01:05 pm
LAKE CITY, FL –
For quite some time, Lake City Mayor Steve Witt
has acknowledged that Lake City has been a
laughing stock of Florida. His recent actions in
the year-long helter-skelter city manager search
have done nothing to dispel his
characterization.
|
Posted June
7, 2022 03:05 pm
LAKE CITY, FL –
Over the past few months, when talking about
Lake City, Mayor Steven Witt has not been shy
about mentioning, “Lake City is a laughing
stock.” Years of out-of-control meetings and a
city manager search that has gone off the rails
has folks all over Florida shaking their heads
in agreement.
|
Posted June
6, 2022 04:30 pm
LAKE CITY, FL –
The saga of Lake City’s City Manager woes
continues tonight at 6 pm. Once again, on the
agenda is Headhunter Renee Narlock. This time
Ms. Narlock is re-presenting two prior
candidates and one new one.
|
Posted May
20, 2022 008:45 am
LAKE
CITY, FL – The
sideways procurement of its headhunter,
the enhanced level of secrecy encouraged
by the City Attorney, and the general
incompetence of the City Council have
left Lake City reeling, dysfunctional,
and unable to find a city manager.
|
Posted May
4, 2022 02:55 pm
LAKE CITY, FL –
Monday evening, the Lake City City Council
re-thought its salary requirements for a city
manager. Mayor Witt and Councilman Hill and
Jefferson had changes of heart and upped the
salary ante from $120k a year to $140k to $160k.
|
Posted
May 2, 2022 02:50 pm
LAKE CITY, FL –
At 6 pm this evening, the City Council will be
discussing its vacant city manager position
again. Flailing around like a fish out of water,
anything could happen: at the Mayor level, the
Councilman level, and from the public.
|
Posted
April 27, 2022 07:45 pm
LAKE CITY, FL –
The Lake City City Manager search continued last
night with the City Council further away from
hiring a City Manager. With the Council minus
one council member and apparent new hiring
ground rules, more 2-2 deadlocks may be on the
way. That is, if the City finds anyone to apply.
|
Posted
April 26, 2022 11:15 am
LAKE
CITY, FL – The Lake City City Manager
search may come to a merciful end this
evening after the City Council meets to
discuss the offer of retired army
colonel Glen Adams.
|
Posted
April 19, 2022 11:35 pm
LAKE CITY, FL –
After Monday night in City Hall, Lake City is
still without a permanent city manager. Unless
one believes in miracles, it will not have one
anytime soon. Lake City has been without a
permanent city manager since last June.
|
Posted
April 18, 2022 03:00 pm
LAKE CITY, FL –
The Lake City City Manager Search is in
overtime. This morning, Councilman Todd Sampson
threw a “Hail-Mary” pass. He wants the City
Council to reach back out to former Army Colonel
Glen Adams with a contract offer.
|
Posted
April 12, 2022 06:55 pm
LAKE CITY, FL –
Yesterday evening, Jim Hanson, Senior Advisor
Florida City and County Management Association
(FCCMA), told the City Council, "Lake City has a
long history of professional management until
the last couple of years. I guess that's why I
am here tonight – to try to help you.”
|
Posted
April 5, 2022 10:35 am
LAKE CITY, FL –
Interim City Manager appointment Mike Williams
declines returning to Lake City. Mr. Williams
wanted unanimious approval – didn't get it.
|
Posted
March 29, 2022 02:15 am
LAKE CITY, FL –
On Sunday afternoon, March 27, Interim City
Manager Paul Dyal told the City Council he wants
'out.' In an
undated letter to the Mayor and Council Members,
Mr. Dyal told the Council that he would
“like to step down as the City's Interim
Manager."
|
Posted
March 26, 2022 09:28 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – Last Monday evening, Lake
City’s infamous City Council met. At the helm of
Lake City’s public safety departments were a new
Police Chief and a new Fire Chief. On the
evening’s agenda: zero-zip-nada, not a single
word about the appointments.
|
Posted
March 8, 2022 03:28 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – The Lake City City Manager
search drags on. Last night, almost nine months
after her name first came up, headhunter Renee
Narloch told the City Council she “received some
new applications.”
|
On the Agenda
for This Evening – Zero Info
Posted
March 7, 2022 12:45 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – The Lake City City Manager
search continues this evening without a
scintilla of information about the search with
the agenda, other than Renee Narloch “will
participate by Zoom.”
|
Posted
February 5, 2022 08:50 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – The Lake City City Manager
search begins again with the withdrawal of City
Manager candidate Thomas Thomas of Chicago.
Monday evening, during the City Council meeting,
the Council will be discussing its next steps.
|
Posted
February 4, 2022 09:35 am
LAKE CITY, FL – The continuing saga of
Lake City’s City Manager search continued with
City Manager finalist Thomas Thomas emailing
City Attorney Fred Koberlein, Jr., with his
counter-offer.
|
Posted
January 31, 2022 07:35 pm
LAKE CITY, FL –
Saturday morning, at the unheard of time
of 8 am, the City Council met again to
discuss the hiring of veteran city
manager Thomas Thomas of Chicago. The
Council managed to get a counter
proposal worked out. When it will be
memorialized in writing and available is
unknown. The Council wants the Thomas
response by Wednesday.
|
Posted
January 27, 2022 01:10 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – On Wednesday, January
26 at 2:02 pm, Lake City City Manager Candidate
Thomas Thomas threw down the gauntlet, rejecting
the offered City salary, evaluation terms,
moving expenses, annual leave, and a little
more.
|
Posted
January 26, 2022 06:21 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – The saga of the Lake City,
City Manager search continued Monday night with
the cancellation of the special meeting to
discuss tentative contract terms for the City’s
number one candidate Thomas Thomas of Chicago.
|
Posted
January 21, 2022 12:20 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – The tortuous seven-month
route to a permanent Lake City City Manager may
have finally come to an end on Wednesday
morning. Thomas Thomas was the City Council's
number one pick to take the helm of the Lake
City Ship of State, a ship taking on water –
fast.
|
Thomas
Thomas Part I
Posted
January 19, 2022 08:20 am
LAKE CITY, FL – Last night in City Hall, City
Manager candidate Thomas Thomas met with the
public to introduce himself and answer
questions. As in the
meet & greet with candidate Glen Adams,
only a handful of Lake City’s 12,000 appeared,
and they were mostly the same as the previous
event.
|
Posted
January 17, 2022 06:30 am
LAKE
CITY, FL – A little over one week ago,
City Manager candidate Glen Adams
entered into legendary territory when he
appeared in Lake City with his handler,
headhunter Renee Narloch of Narloch &
Associates. Lake City’s City Council was
not prepared to play hardball...
|
Posted
January 12, 2022 07:00 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – This past Saturday morning,
January 8, the City Council met in a special session to
interview City Manager candidate Glen Adams, the
newly discovered X-City Manager of Santa Fe,
Texas. The Saturday morning meeting
continued the Friday evening meet & greet, where
Mr. Adams met with a handful of community
members.
|
The Adams
interview begins in City Hall at 10:30
am
Posted
January 8, 2022 08:25 am
LAKE CITY, FL – Last night in City Hall, City
Manager Candidate Glen Adams met with the public
to introduce himself and answer questions. Lake
City, with a population of 12,000, could only
summon 10 members from the public to meet this
candidate.
|
Posted
January 5, 2022 11:04 am
LAKE CITY, FL – Last week, the City knew a
wrench had been thrown into its plans to hire a
city manager. The City knew both finalists would
not be attending the planned meet and greet and
interview session planned for January 7 and 8.
The Mayor didn’t say a word at Monday’s Council
meeting. The City Clerk didn’t alert the public
until Tuesday afternoon, a day after the Council
meeting.
|
Posted
January 3, 2022 10:10 am
LAKE CITY, FL – Tonight, the City Council is
meeting for its first meeting of the year. This
coming Friday evening, the Council will be
meeting to eat cheese and rub some flesh, "meet
& greet," and then on Saturday morning do
something else: exactly what is anybody's guess.
The subject is not on this evening's agenda, and
like almost everything else this City Council
has done – there is no plan.
|
Posted
December 31, 2021 07:15 pm.
LAKE CITY, FL – As 2021 fades into the
sunset, the number one story in Columbia County
was its County Seat – Lake City. While most
folks may have never heard of Columbia
County, everyone recognizes Lake City as
one of the most recoginzed geographical
locations in the state.
|
Posted
December 24, 2021 04:59 pm
LAKE
CITY, FL – For four hours Wednesday
morning, the City Council members
alternately read questions to four city
manager candidates who appeared on a big
screen in City Hall. After the
interviews, the Council had two
candidates almost in a dead heat.
|
Posted
December 21, 2021 11:40 pm
LAKE CITY, FL –
The devolvement of the City Council
continued Monday night. During its
regular meeting, when criticized for not
coming up with questions for its
headhunter-picked City Manager
candidates, the Council sat as if struck
by lightning.
|
Posted
December 18, 2021 08:47 am
LAKE CITY, FL – Interim City Manager Mike
Williams finally said what most folks in the
know already knew – he is leaving Lake City. On
his way out, he has recommended City Utility
Director Paul Dyal to run the City while the
City Council searches for a full-time City
Manager.
|
Posted
December 17, 2021 10:05 am | Part II
LAKE
CITY, FL – Wednesday evening, Florida
headhunter Renee Narlock appeared like
an apparition on the big screen in City
Hall to guide the City Council in its
search for a permanent City Manager.
When she asked for questions about the
candidates, the Council had none.
|
Posted
December 15, 2021 09:45 am
LAKE
CITY, FL – Drama continues in Lake City
tonight, this time with the continuing
saga of finding a City Manager. Five
months ago, in July of this year, the
City Council began looking for a new
City Manager to replace the outgoing Joe
Helfenberger. Tonight the four members
of the City Council will be looking at
thirty-six candidates.
|
Posted
September 22, 2021 10:55 am
LAKE CITY, FL – Monday night, the City
Council unanimously approved an employment
agreement between former LC Chamber of Commerce
president Mike Williams and the City. Mike
Williams became the second Interim City Manager
since the resignation of Joe Helfenberger on
July 12.
.
|
Posted
September 20, 2021 02:45 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – Lake City’s continuing
interim city manager saga continued at 5:41 pm
Friday evening when the City Clerk updated the
City’s Monday evening agenda material to include
a resume by Mike Williams. Mike Williams was
chosen out of the blue this past Wednesday to
run the City.
.
|
Posted
September 16, 2021 12:25 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – The City Council met in
special session yesterday morning to act on
Interim City Manager Ami Fields' resignation and
discuss and “possibly” appoint an Interim City
Manager. Out of the blue, Mike Williams, Ex
Chamber of Commerce President, without setting a
foot in the building, got the nod on a 3-1 vote.
|
Posted
September 15, 2021 06:45 am
LAKE CITY, FL – The saga of Ami Fields'
interesting relationship with the City of Lake
City came to an end late yesterday afternoon,
revealing structural weaknesses in Lake City
itself.
|
Posted
September 8, 2021 11:55 pm
LAKE
CITY, FL – On Tuesday night, once again,
Lake City played to a packed house. Residents
and City Council members alike witnessed the
drawing back of the sheets on what seemed to be
a well-orchestrated plot to unseat Interim City
Manager Ami Fields.
|
Posted
August 4, 2021 02:05 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – Monday night in City Hall
again had Interim City Manager-City Manager
issues front and center. The City Council
considered Interim City Manager Fields' contract
and the search for a permanent city manager.
|
Posted July
15, 2021 01:30 pm
LAKE CITY, FL – Monday’s City Council special
meeting had hidden deep in the agenda the
approval of the final resolution authorizing the
removal of City Manager Helfenberger from
suspension to the ranks of the unemployed.
Delays by City Attorney Fred Koberlein, Jr. and
the City Council cost thousands.
|
Posted July
15, 2021 01:30 pm
AKE
CITY, FL – After
squandering over $10k due to delays
during the removal of City Manager Helfenberger,
three members of the City Council want to spend
another $10k plus on a head hunter to run an
advertisement and collect resumes to fill the
vacant City Manager position. Advertising for a
City Manager is something the City HR Department
should be able to do in its sleep.
|
Posted July
12, 2021 07:15 am | (1
comment)
LAKE
CITY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – On June 21,
2021, the City Council voted to suspend
its City Manager and install its just
terminated HR Director as Interim City
Manager. Tonight, the City Council will
discuss the process moving forward.
|
Posted June
29, 2021 06:51 pm
LAKE CITY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – On June
21, the Lake City City Council voted to suspend
its City Manager Joe Helfenberger after City
Councilman Todd Sampson read a laundry list of
complaints from a statement.
|
Posted June
23, 2021 09:35 am
LAKE CITY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL –
On Monday night, Lake City City Manager Joe
Helfenberger was suspended for 45 days, pending
a final resolution for his removal. City Manager
Helfenberger has the right to ask for a public
hearing. If he doesn’t, the City Council can
adopt a final resolution removing him.
|
Lake
City City Manager Search: City Council Interview
Questions Beginning 1 PM Friday
Lake City Reaching for the
Lowest Common Denominator: Lowers Requirements
for Assistant City Manager, 4-1
