By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

                Chiefland City Commissioners Monday said they are leaning toward filling the vacant city manager position with one of two longtime city employees who applied for the job.

            They were referring to Interim City Manager Laura Cain, the deputy clerk who has worked for the city 18 years, and Water Superintendent Shane Keene who has worked for 22 years in city government.

            Cain began her career in city government working as an administrative assistant for the water department. She served as deputy clerk for retired City Manager Mary Ellzey.

 Keene began working for the city as an inmate supervisor. He has a Class B water license to operate the city’s water system.

            Commissioners haven’t ruled out hiring one of the other 23 applicants that filed résumés and form letters with the city. The deadline for applications is Monday at 12 noon.

            Mayor Chris Jones raised the issue of choosing one of the in-house applicants by asking the board whether they were comfortable hiring someone they knew or picking someone from the outside.

            “I would prefer to do something in-house. The people we have who are applicants have been longtime employees of the city. They know the community. They know the system and that’s why I would prefer to stay in-house,” Jones said.

            Jones said choosing one of the in-house candidates would make the transition to a new city manager “fairly simple.”

            Commissioner Lance Hayes agreed with Jones’ assessment.

            “We should look in-house,” he said.

            Hayes said he reviewed all the applications. He said one candidate had plenty of experience but rarely stayed in one place long.

            “There’s no guarantee he’s going to stay,” Hayes said.

            Commissioner Lewrissa Mainwaring, after giving it some thought, agreed an in-house selection was best, but she wasn’t ready to rule out an outstanding candidate from outside.

            “I will take a look at what we get. If someone like Jesus applies, you got to take a look at it,” Mainwaring said.

            Commissioner Norman Weaver agreed the city should look first at the in-house candidates.

            “I think that would be a good way also,” he said.

            Commissioners will most likely vote at their next regularly scheduled meeting on choosing a new city manager.

            Spending Building Funds

            The city received high grades on its budget for the year ending Sept. 30, 2020.

            Auditor Brendan McKitrick of James Moore & Co. said the city’s books were in good order and the city ended the year with $1.4 million in reserve cash.

            He said the state encourages cities and counties to keep enough cash on hand to operate for two months and the city’s reserves are well in excess of that number.

            McKitrick said there was one criticism. The city had too much cash leftover in its building department when the year ended.

            Under a new state law, the city will have a year to figure out how to spend the money within the building department or lower fees to avoid such a surplus in the future.

            The news was surprising for a city that struggled to operate a building department in the past and avoid being in the red. The city is using a contractor to review its permits and do inspections, saving a considerable amount of money.

            One possible solution would be to charge a portion of the city’s water clerk salary to the building department. The clerk spends a good bit of time reviewing building permits.

            City Attorney Norm Fugate suggested Cain contact Robert Beauchamp, the city’s certified public accountant, to assist in modifying the city’s budget procedures to legally assign money from the building department to the water clerk’s salary.

            Commissioners voted to approve the audit report and transmit the report to the state.

            COVID-19 Vaccinations

            COVID-19 vaccinations are scheduled to be given at City Hall from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

            Cain said the Health Department will be giving Johnson and Johnson and Moderna shots.

            Johnson and Johnson is a one-shot vaccine. Moderna is two shots a month apart.

            Cain wasn’t certain if people could choose which type of shot they want. It’s best to ask when you get there.

            Johnson and Johnson was temporarily off the market but has returned as an available vaccine.

——————-

City of Chiefland Regular Meeting April 26, 2021; Posted April 26, 2021