Fran Taylor, who served as Williston city clerk for seven years, is shown with her interim replacement, Latricia Wright at Taylor’s final council meeting Tuesday. Photo by Terry Witt
By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
Williston’s outgoing city clerk, Fran Taylor, sat through her final city council meeting Tuesday as her interim replacement, Latricia Wright, took over her duties.
Taylor has taken a job in Maryland with the Department of Defense and will officially leave the city on June 10, but she will be available by email and phone to help the city with the transition before she starts her new job.
Some council members thought she would be leaving on June 14. Taylor shook her head with a smile.
“We’ll fire you,” joked City Manager Scott Lippmann.
City Councilman Charles Goodman said soberly that they could replace Taylor, but it would probably take three people to do it.
Wright hasn’t ruled out applying for Taylor’s position but she said she likes what she does now – code enforcement.
“I’ll pray on it,” she said.
The city is advertising for applicants. The clerk’s position is complex and requires many skills. Taylor took it to a new level. Some of things she could do won’t be expected of the new clerk, such as programming computers.
By anyone’s reckoning, Taylor is a big loss. But the council wished her well at the meeting. They hated to see her go.
City council members approved Wright as the interim clerk.
Taylor is training Wright to be her replacement while the city searches for applicants.
Horses in Williston
The council gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a change in city law that would allow a homeowner to stable a horse within the city limits if they own enough open pasture.
The council voted 4-0 to approve the first reading of an ordinance requiring three acres or more of open pasture in the city limits to stable a horse. The amended city code was spurred by a request from Marc and Melanie Nussel.
The Nussels want to house a horse on their property for their daughter but city land development regulations must be changed first.
Under the proposed rule changes, the Nussels would have to apply for a special exception permit to own a horse in the city. The Board of Adjustment would hear the request for a horse and then the city council.
City Planner Jackie Gorman said the ordinance was crafted using recommendations from IFAS at the University of Florida. IFAS recommends at least 1 ½ acres of open pasture for each horse.
The recommendation is based on having completely open pasture with no structures on the acreage.
Asked if that meant a homeowner with three acres could own two horses, Gorman said the homeowner would have to prove that the acreage was free of buildings or any structures when they applied for the special exception permit.
Gorman said the Nussels own more than three acres and she doesn’t think it would be a problem for them.
Gorman said a homeowner applying for a special exception would also have to abide by other requirements such as controlling odors emitted by horse droppings. She said the law would protect neighbors in that respect.
Parade Law
The council gave unanimous approval to an amended law governing parades.
A key piece of the ordinance exempts existing parades – the Williston High School High School Homecoming Parade, July 3rd Parade, Christmas Parade, MLK Day Parade and Veterans Day Parade from any permit fees.
The revised law sets up a permitting process which parade sponsors must follow to ensure the city has enough advance notice and security in place to block off intersections along the parade route.
Council members had considered imposing a permit fee for all parades when they first discussed revising the ordinance, but they decided in the end to exempt existing parades from any fees.
The decision was apparently a popular one. No one showed up at the city council meeting to discuss the revised parade law.
Future parades that are not on the books at this time could get hit with permit fees.
Hiring Safebilt
After extensive negotiations, the council rehired Safebilt to handle building department services such as inspections and permitting.
Safebilt will earn 80 percent of all permit fees and the city will get 20 percent for administering the program.
The contract is for one year with automatic renewals over the next two years unless the city decides to back out of the arrangement. The city can cancel the contract with 30 days of notice.
Safebilt was formerly M.T. Causley.
City Finances
The city-owned electric utility remains one of the healthiest departments in Williston city government.
Steven Bloom, the city’s financial analyst, said the electric utility collected $290,000 in revenue in March.
The Williston Municipal Airport, on the other hand, is breaking even.
Bloom said the airport currently has a $76,000 deficit after purchasing a new tractor and ground power unit, but he believes jet fuel sales will repay the debt.
The city has one of the most sophisticated small city airports in the nation.
Open House Saturday
Williston will open City Hall to the public Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of its 90th birthday celebration.
Tours will be available to anyone who wants to see what City Hall looks like beyond the massive lobby.
Refreshments and snacks are also on tap.
Shortage of Concrete Trucks
Lippmann said some of the work at Heritage Park is being held up by a lack of concrete.
He said the construction industry is booming and cement trucks are in short supply. He thinks one cement truck will show up on Thursday.
Lippmann said the city is three weeks behind schedule.
Honoring Police
Councilman Justin Head, representing the Williston Baseball Booster Club, honored the city police department at the meeting for operating the concession stand during home games this season.
Head said the police department’s volunteer work freed up parents to watch the games as the Red Devils went on a championship run. Williston beat Chiefland 4-2 in the state championship game.
Head’s son was a starter on the team at first base.
Head presented Police Chief Dennis Strow and Reserve Officer Jimmy Willis with a photograph of the state champion Red Devil baseball team.
Councilman Justin Head presents Williston Police Reserve Officer Jimmy Willis and Police Chief Dennis Strow with a photograph of the state champion Williston High School baseball team. The gift was a thank you to city police for manning the concession stand at home games this season.
City of Williston Regular Meeting June 4, 2019; Posted June 5, 2019
