I Warned City, Was Ignored: Hawkins
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A3 SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $2 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM >> SUNDAY + PLUS 1B 1D Helf slashes LC’s on city budget the map by $973K for pool Taste Buddies Story below TC no match for Tigers See 8A HACKED City’s new No. 2 brings I warned fresh skills to post 2A Akhimie city, was She ON STRIKE ignored: went Hawkins Fired IT chief says he told to her previous administration of own danger back in 2017. By CARL MCKINNEY wake [email protected] Lake City’s ousted tech chief, who took It was also 85th birthday the blame for a cyberattack that devastated party of woman not afraid City Hall in June, claims he raised alarm to face her own mortality. bells about the city’s backup system two years ago — but his pleas were ignored for By MICHAEL PHILIPS budgetary reasons. [email protected] Brian Hawkins, who was fired as the city’s Helga Handrahan is information technology director following going to die soon. She the wide-reach- knows this and yet is at ing ransomware peace. Brian Hawkins attack, is firing When she was checked says he was back at his for- into the Solaris Healthcare told the proper mer employer rehabilitation center ear- safeguards were through a law- lier this Photos by CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter too expensive, suit over his ter- year, it was mination. the fourth Local AT&T workers and says city has In a lawsuit time she picket in front of the emails that back was, as she company’s Lake City filed Aug. 9, described, work center, near up his claim. Hawkins alleges “half dead.” Columbia High School, he urged the Handrahan on Saturday morning. city to purchase Handrahan was born The strike isn’t just off-site backup services in 2017, when he in 1934 in here — employees was made IT director. Cologne, Germany. She from states all over A backup system was already in place at moved to Massachusetts at the Southeast are that time, but it stored data on-site. the age of 20 and became On-site backup systems “fail industry a U.S. citizen and got mar- also participating in the action, which standards as natural disasters or cyber- PARTY continued on 7A the Communications crimes which infiltrate the City can destroy Workers of America or prevent access to backups,” the lawsuit says is a response to alleges. Target of check unfair labor practices. scam is woman Story, 2A. HACKED continued on 6A in coma: Cops By TONY BRITT Helf slashes $973K from city budget in bid for balance [email protected] Heavy cuts required to million. This time around, he had “The budget is balanced,” The upcoming fiscal year’s total get back on even keel, to cut $973,000 from the budget in Helfenberger said. “There is no budget of $51,689,217 is down As if taking advantage of says city manager. order to make it work, but had a deficit for the gen- from $55,760,562 for the current an elderly woman isn’t bad lot more time to do it. eral fund, the tax fiscal year. Several city funds, such enough, two local women By CARL MCKINNEY The goal was reached through rate is staying the as the airport and fire services, are found themselves in jail after [email protected] across-the-board cuts to travel same. Fire assess- run more like traditional business- attempting to defraud one expenses and office supplies, plus ment fees are the es and are funded through other who was in a coma, say cops. When Lake City Manager Joe delays in some equipment pur- same or slightly means than property taxes. Katrina V. Jennings, Helfenberger was hired to lead chases. The end result is a tenta- less in some cate- The general fund, fed by ad 38, of a Southwest Wayne City Hall last year, the budgeting tive budget of $51,689,217 for the Helfenberger gories — I’m look- valorem property taxes, is down process was already underway upcoming fiscal year, with a gener- ing with an eye to COMA continued on 6A and he had three days to trim $1 al fund balance of $15,555,982. sustainability going forward.” BUDGET continued on 8A Vol. 145, No. 117 Opinion . 4A CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER (386) 752-1293 Obituaries . 5A Sports . 1B FORT WHITE FOOTBALL SUBSCRIBE TO THE REPORTER: 91 73 Classified . 5B Indians fall to Suwannee, 1B Voice: 755-5445 Life . 1D Fax: 752-9400 Scattered storms, 2A DEAL ENDS AUGUST 27TH 2782 W. US HWY 90, LAKE CITY, FL 386.3I9.7244 2A SUNDAY, AUGUST 25, 2019 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER Former rival for top spot QUICK HITS Scripture of the Day “When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O New assistant city manager Lord, held me up.” — Psalm 94:18 (KJV) Thought for Today also trained as an engineer Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers. — Alfred Lord Tennyson, 1809-1892, English poet By CARL MCKINNEY nal history probe, said City he brings to help manage City,” Akhimie wrote. [email protected] Manager Joe Helfenberger. those projects would be Helfenberger is reorga- Helfenberger said he very helpful.” nizing the structure of city A choice has been made chose Akhimie due to his Akhimie will be paid government to complement Winning Lottery Numbers for Lake City Hall’s No. 2 engineer- $97,086.24. Akhimie’s strengths. Pick 3: (Friday p.m.) 1-3-7 executive position. ing back- Helfenberger and Akhimie The city’s utility and Pick 4: (Friday p.m.) 7-6-7-0 Vince Akhimie, a pro- ground, were rivals for the city man- public works departments Fantasy 5: (Friday) 5-11-26-30-32 vider of contractual man- a skill set ager position last year. were previously under the agement services based in the city In his resume, Akhimie supervision of the city man- Lakeland, has accepted an currently wrote that he has more than ager, but will be moved to See an error? offer for the assistant city lacks. 25 years of “well-rounded the assistant city manager’s The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news manager post vacated by “ W e senior management experi- direct control. items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, the former second-in-com- Akhimie don’t have ence in all aspects of local To balance the workload, please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will mand, Grayson Cason, an engineer on staff,” government services.” Helfenberger will take con- run in this space. Thanks for reading. earlier this year. The offer Helfenberger said. “There’s Much of that experience trol of several departments is contingent on Akhimie a lot of capital projects the took place in Daytona formerly under the assistant Submissions passing a full background city is involved with, and Beach, Miami Beach and city manager’s command — The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption check, including a drug anticipates many more to “two counties in Central finance, risk management information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would screen, physical and crimi- come — and the skill level Florida not far from Lake and human resources. like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture and information to [email protected]. Lake City Reporter AT&T regional strike hits home HOW TO REACH US BUSINESS ........... 754-0419 Main number ....... (386) 752-1293 CIRCULATION Todd, president of the to the bargaining table with have the authority or the Fax number ............ 752-9400 Local picketers Circulation............. 755-5445 Home delivery of the Lake City Reporter walk on CR 252. local, which is about 130 the authority to make deci- ability to make agreements Online .... www.lakecityreporter.com should be completed by 6:30 a.m. members strong and cov- sions. at the table,” Todd said. The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate Tuesday through Friday, and by 7:30 a.m. on Sunday. By CARL MCKINNEY of Community Newspapers Inc., is ers a swath of cities from “We entered these nego- In a statement to Fox published Tuesday through Friday and [email protected] Please call 386-755-5445 to report any Gainesville to Chiefland. tiations prepared to bargain Business, AT&T said it was Sunday at 180 E. Duval St., Lake City, problems with your delivery service. FL 32055. Periodical postage paid at The strike is expected to in good faith with AT&T to “baffled” at the strike. Lake City, FL, Member Audit Bureau of In Columbia County, customers should AT&T workers across last until at least Wednesday. address our members’ con- “A strike would be in no Circulation and The Associated Press. call before 10:30 a.m. to report a the southeastern United It involves more than 20,000 cerns and to work togeth- one’s best interest,” the All material herein is property of the service error for same day re-delivery. Lake City Reporter. Reproduction in After 10:30 a.m., next day re-delivery States initiated a strike technicians, customer ser- er to find solutions,” CWA company wrote. “We’re baf- whole or in part is forbidden without or service related credits will be issued. midnight Saturday, launch- vice representatives and District 3 Vice President fled as to why union leader- the permission of the publisher. In all other counties where home delivery U.S. Postal Service No. 310-880. ing a labor campaign that other workers who sup- Richard Honeycutt wrote ship would call one when is available, next day re-delivery or POSTMASTER: Send address changes service related credits will be issued.