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HIGHLANDS NEWS-SUN Thursday, March 22, 2018 VOL. 99 | NO. 81 | $1.00 YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1919 AN EDITION OF THE SUN Fast-moving storm whips through county By KIM LEATHERMAN hail were reported in the damage. convincing. We haven’t STAFF WRITER northern section of the “If there was a tornado, gotten enough damage county. Funnel clouds it would have been east reported from the county SEBRING — A massive were also reported in of U.S. 27 because it to make that determina- thunderstorm barreled Spring Lake and in didn’t tighten up until tion yet.” through Highlands Lorida on social media. that time.” Sandy Kessler of Spring County late Tuesday This coincides with the Austin is waiting on Lake Improvement afternoon threatening findings of Meteorologist more photographic District experienced Irma-damaged roofs and Marc Austin of the evidence from the some weather with power poles and lines. National Oceanic Highlands County rotation in it. The storm was a good and Atmospheric Emergency Operations “The rain was twisty, reminder to residents Administration. KIM LEATHERMAN/STAFF Center, which could sort of; it moved my car that hurricane season is “Lake Placid missed come as early as today, to the other side of my just around the corner, most of the wind,” Austin High winds that reached 70-80 mph, according to the National before confirming any house,” Kessler said. beginning June 1 through said. “The main circula- Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, ripped off the canopy at tornadoes. She did not have hail Nov. 30. tion passed well north of the Shell gas station in Sun ‘n Lake Plaza, on U.S. 27 at the front “Possibly, that’s all I at her home, but did Damage was reported Lake Placid. Lake Lotela entrance of Sun ‘n Lake. can say so far,” Austin experience flooding. throughout the county in Avon Park and Lake been between those two 27. There may have been said. ”We did have a “Two outer rooms but Lake Placid dodged Jackson in Sebring, looks lakes and then towards damage west of there tornado warning out flooded because I was the bullet for the most like the main corridor Highlands Ridge Golf but it would have been there at one time with a part. Pebble to pea size of damage would have Course and east of U.S. more straight line wind signature that was fairly STORM | 4 Fisher hired THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT as AP city manager How does it work? By PHIL ATTINGER Governments differ throughout Highlands STAFF WRITER By PHIL ATTINGER STAFF WRITER AVON PARK — Councilman Terry Heston, who held his opinions on SEBRING — Highlands County has hiring June Fisher as Avon Park city three municipalities, two special im- manager, didn’t speak much Tuesday provement districts and a countywide night, but moved to hire her. Board of County Commission. Other Avon Park City Not one of them works like the oth- Council members kept ers. The Lake Placid town charter, for to their previous re- example, lists the mayor as the supervi- spective votes on hiring sor of all employees, according to Lake Fisher as either the Placid Town Manager Phil Williams. permanent city manager His position was only made in charge or on an interim basis of town employees by a resolution in while the city interviews 2014. Conversely, the Sebring mayor other applicants. Deputy FISHER serves as a largely ceremonial role and Mayor Brenda Gray and does not vote at city meetings. The Councilwoman Dora other five members of the Sebring City Smith voted yes for the hire, along with Council include a president who runs Heston. the meetings in a strong council/strong Mayor Garrett Anderson and city manager form of government. Councilman Jim Barnard voted no, While the Lake Placid mayor votes, it but were quick to point out that they is only to break a tie between the other supported Fisher. They just thought it four council members. The mayor also would be best, and most fair, to have works closely with the town manager. Fisher compete for the job, as her suc- Sebring Mayor John Shoop said he PHIL ATTINGER/HIGHLANDS NEWS-SUN cessor did. City Manager Julian Deleon, may veto local laws passed by the other Lake Placid Town Attorney Bert J. Harris III points at a place on the town map that might need soon to take a job as utilities director five members of the council, but they for DeSoto County, went through the to be included in a proposed community redevelopment agency boundary, during a meeting in can overturn that veto. The Sebring mid-January 2017. Lake Placid Town Council is still debating the formation of a CRA. process when he was utilities director mayor also recommends department for the City of Avon Park, Barnard said. heads to be hired, or fired, Shoop said. terms. The mayor is paid $350 per “And Deleon was the best candidate However, the council members have month, and council members get $300 we had,” Barnard said. to vote on those decisions. All other a month. FISHER | 4 operational decisions are made by the Sebring has its own police force city manager, Shoop said. and fire department. Lake Placid has Lake Placid council members serve a police force but has a county-run four-year terms, elected at large. volunteer fire department. Avon Park Winners are those in the field of candi- has a fire department but contracts Museum seeks dates who get the most votes. Williams with the Highlands County Sheriff’s said council members get paid $100 Office for law enforcement. per month and the mayor gets $150 The sheriff’s office is one of five con- to showcase and can be on the town health insur- stitutional officers whose budgets are ance plan or get compensated for the part of the overall Highlands County difference between the town plan and Government budget, set by the County history their own personal plans. Commission. By JAY MEISEL Shoop said Sebring council members The other constitutional officers STAFF WRITER and mayors serve three-year terms. The are the Clerk of the Courts, Property Appraiser, Tax Collector and Supervisor SEBRING — On Wednesday, Ingrid city clerk is also elected, he said. As of Elections. Spring Lake supervisors Tim McKenna, left, Utech, archivisit at the Sebring with Lake Placid, all seats are elected at The commission has five members, and Leon Van mark their choices for project Historical Museum, sorted through a large and the top vote-getters take the each one representing a geographical priorities for the improvement district in 2017. box of materials about Maj. Thomas B. seats. However, aside from expenses, district. Each commissioner is elected Supervisors held a public workshop March 8, McGuire Jr. Sebring council members and the by the entire voting public of the coun- 2017, at the behest of Supervisor Brian Acker, McGuire, who grew up in Sebring, mayor get paid $1 per year, Shoop said. ty, but runs in separate races from the who felt sending separate questionnaires to was one of the most decorated Information was not available at others for a specific seat. They are paid district staff would violate Florida Sunshine American fighter pilots during World press time for Haley’s latest salary. approximately $50,000 per year. law. War II. He died serving his country on Avon Park’s strong council/strong The commission hires or fires the Jan. 7, 1945. city manager government also elects district’s residents. county administrator and county Utech had to go through the box members at-large, with the top In Spring Lake, three of the five are attorney. All other positions are to find out what the museum had vote-getters taking seats, except for elected by a landowner (one lot, one recommended for hire by the county available about McGuire. those running for mayor, who run vote) ballot and the other two are administrator, except for the assistant That’s because the museum lacks specifically for that seat. popularly-elected. They have three- county attorney, chosen by the county cataloging of the materials that have With some reorganization of the staff year terms and are compensated $100 attorney. Commissioners confirm been donated over the years. in the last nine years, administrative month. In Sun ’n Lake, two supervisors high-level hires. However, that is expected to change functions have been consolidated are landowner-elected and the other Out in the unincorporated areas are during the upcoming months and under a few department heads under three are popularly elected, serve four two special improvement districts: years. the city manager. years and are paid $300 per month, or Sun ’n Lake of Sebring, between Avon The Sebring City Council agreed The council has both a mayor and $3,600 annually. Park and Sebring, and Spring Lake, Tuesday evening to pay half the cost of deputy mayor, both of whom vote at Both districts have water supply southeast of Sebring on U.S. 98. Both software that will allow the museum meetings. The council’s attorney sits systems but only Sun ’n Lake has a have golf courses as their main draw to digitize its collection. The full cost is in the middle between the mayor and district-wide sewer system. Spring Lake and have some commercial prop- around $1,300. deputy mayor and serves as a parlia- is poised to build a new wastewater erty amidst a majority of residential “It’s going to be a long process, but mentarian, while the mayor actually treatment plant capable of handling all development. of course it will help us,” Utech said.