Businessman Michael Cox is Williston’s newest council member. He is pictured at Tuesday’s board meeting as an audience member.
By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
Williston City Council members Tuesday appointed businessman Michael Cox as the city’s newest council member.
Cox oversees and evaluates 35 franchised Subway restaurants to enforce the restaurant chain’s policies and procedures.
He replaces former Councilman Charles Goodman who resigned after complaining about conflicts with Mayor Jerry Robinson.
Cox didn’t speak at the meeting. He will serve for the remainder of Goodman’s term but must run for office in the March 2 city election.
The council voted by ballot. Cox received two votes, the most of any candidate, and was chosen on that basis. Councilwomen Debra Jones and Marguerite Robinson selected him as their candidate.
Councilman Elihu Ross nominated Tammi Johns, owner of the Green Shutters Restaurant, but Jones said Johns told her she was no longer interested in the position.
Council President Justin Head nominated Albert Fuller, former Levy County Agricultural Extension director. He holds a master’s degree in agricultural economics. He is a Williston resident and operates a small farm in Levy County in partnership with his son.
Ross also nominated Angela Pompeo, a registered nurse who teaches health careers in grades 9-12.
Adam Perry Clark, an insurance representative wasn’t nominated nor was Deedee Merando, whose application and résumé weren’t included in the agenda.
Head said he was pleased with the quality and number of applicants for the city council position.
Revenue Shortfall
In other business, the council approved an amendment that added $175,000 to the previous year’s city budget due to overspending. The revenue shortfall was blamed mainly on an increase in fire department spending and animal shelter construction.
Fire Chief Lamar Stegall said much of the increased spending in his budget resulted from having to designate one firefighter and a fire engine for responses to Monterey Boats for a six month period. Stegall said city water pressure at the boat manufacturer wasn’t sufficient to operate all the sprinklers at one time due to a pump problem. Stegall was forced to dedicate a full-time position until the water pressure problem was corrected.
The rest of the overage in the fire budget was due to answering calls for the Morriston fire department, which is operated by the county commission, and also taking calls for Bronson Fire Rescue when those departments were unable to respond to calls in their own districts.
City council members had also previously voted to allocate $75,000 to construction of the city’s animal shelter. The donation of the money was partly responsible for the revenue shortfall in the previous year’s budget.
Raising Council Pay
Council members passed a resolution that will give city voters an opportunity to double council member pay in a March 2 referendum.
The monthly salary of a council member would increase from $200 to $400 under the proposal while the monthly pay of the council president and mayor would increase from $250 to $500.
The salary proposal should have been placed on an earlier ballot but administrative mistakes allowed the proposal to sit on the back burner in previous elections.
What about Garbage Collection?
Ross asked how city staff was doing with developing a new garbage collection contract for Waste Pro.
City Manager Jackie Gorman anticipates a draft contract with Waste Pro being ready in two weeks.
“Things are starting to look pretty shabby around town,” Ross said.
Gorman said she is trying to provide information to residents about garbage collection. She added the city is working toward fencing garbage dumpsters.
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City of Williston Regular Meeting November 17, 2020; Posted November 19, 2020
