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+ PLUS >> New CCS employees attend orientation, 3A PREP FOOTBALL NBA Jackson era gets Lowry to Heat tops underway at Columbia NBA free agency news See Page 1B See Page 1B TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2021 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM DEPUTY ARRESTED FOR THEFT FDLE investigated stealing approximately trative leave pending the “This individual’s complaint into $3,800 from a vehicle late conclusion of an internal actions were selfish and alleged theft of $3,800. Thursday night or early investigation. Hunter said not only affect him person- Friday morning. if the allegations are found- ally, but our entire agency. By JAMIE WACHTER Hunter said CCSO super- ed, termination would be Behavior like this is unac- [email protected] visors began looking into the next step for Lipelis’s ceptable and will not be the complaint and once it employment and that he tolerated.” Following a short was determined that crim- would also then face crimi- Keith Wilmer, the assis- investigation, a Columbia inal conduct had possibly nal charges from the State tant special agent in charge County deputy has been occurred, he requested Attorney’s Office. of FDLE’s Tallahassee arrested for grand theft. the Florida Department of “To say that I am disap- Region, said agents from During a press confer- Law Enforcement conduct pointed in the actions of FDLE’s Live Oak field ence Monday afternoon, a criminal investigation. this individual would be an office were able to recover Sheriff Mark Hunter said That investigation understatement,” Hunter most of the reported sto- the Columbia County resulted in the arrest said Monday. “We work len money from Lipelis’s Sheriff’s Office received of Ruslan Lipelis, 50, of hard to build and main- residence as well as obtain JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter a complaint from a resi- Lake City on Friday night. tain a relationship with our an arrest warrant and Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter speaks to the dent early Friday morning Lipelis has also been community that’s based on media at Monday’s press conference. about a deputy allegedly placed on unpaid adminis- trust. DEPUTY continued on 2A City to take its Game, badges time in search for manager Council has received that the proposals from four city could different search firms. use in its search for the next By TONY BRITT city man- [email protected] ager. Witt “I know City officials are expect- nobody had time to review ed to take at least a mini- it, so…,” he said, as he read mum of two weeks before off some of proposed fees. deciding which firm it “There was a couple under plans to use to help select $20,000, but I think every- the next city manager. body needs to review and During Monday night’s then we can open it back city council meeting, Mayor up at the next meeting — at Stephen Witt detailed the least everybody knows the prices associated with four information.” firms that submitted pro- Councilman Chris posals to aide the city in its Greene said he didn’t have search for a city manager. time to review the email Witt told council mem- and he thought the mayor’s bers that a lengthy email decision to discuss it at a was received Monday later time was wise. afternoon where the firms “I haven’t had an oppor- had presentations and tunity to review it and so I listed prices that ranged think we need to take the from $33,600 to less than time,” he said. “We don’t $20,000. need to rush. We do have Last month a majority an interim city manager in of city officials authorized place and so I think we COURTESY/Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Witt find at least firms A member of the Columbia County Fire Rescue splits a pair of Columbia County Sheriff’s Office defenders on CITY continued on 3A his way to the hoop Saturday afternoon. More photos, Page 8A. Chamber back to drawing board Board considering instead decided to contin- ilar to the deemed to have “enough to a separation with serving as operations man- interim as director ue looking for a new direc- Chamber’s separation from the top the Columbia County ager for Soukup Strategic search reopens. tor. original two candidates and the Chamber in Hudson, N.Y., Solutions, a consulting “After much discussion, process, next candidates” by the last November amid finan- firm for non-profits. By JAMIE WACHTER it was decided the search with an committee, Beil said pre- cial irregularities that he While the Chamber’s [email protected] would be extended and will internal viously. deemed a result of mis- search continues on, Beil remain ongoing until the search But after bringing the communication. said the board is discuss- The search is back on position is filled,” Chamber Beil commit- two candidates in and get- Sheesley, a self-de- ing possibly hiring an for the Lake City-Columbia President Brandon Beil tee charged with attract- ting feedback from the scribed “Chamber girl” interim director to help County Chamber of said in a prepared state- ing and then searching membership and then dis- who is involved with provide guidance during Commerce. ment. “We know the weight through applicants. Beil cussion “at length” among Chambers in the com- the prolonged hunt. The Chamber host- the position carries and are said the Chamber is look- itself, the board decided munities she has lived in, “We don’t want to rush it ed meet-and-greets with dedicated to finding the ing into how to expand a neither were right. has not been a director because we want to make executive director final- best candidate for the job search that attracted 56 Hunt had 18 years of of a Chamber. Rather, sure we get the best candi- ists Jeffrey Hunt and Tish as our members deserve applicants originally that management experience her career has been in date,” he said, adding the Sheesley on July 22-23, but nothing less.” was whittled down to Hunt with various Chambers non-profit organizations the Board of Directors has That search will be sim- and Sheesley, who were of Commerce but agreed across the state, currently SEARCH continued on 3A Vol. 147, No. 97 Obituaries . 2A CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER (386) 752-1293 Opinion . 4A Advice & Comics . 5A SUBSCRIBE TO 81 72 THE REPORTER: Sports . 1B Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 Showers likely, 2A Classifieds . 3B-4B 2A TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2021 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER DEPUTY QUICK HITS Continued From 1A Scripture of the Day arrest him all within a day. “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for Wilmer said the investi- the morrow shall take thought for the things of gation remains active. itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Hunter said Lipelis, — Matthew 6:34 (KJV) who joined the CCSO in September 2017, had no disciplinary actions in his background when he was Thought for Today hired. Lipelis also had not Hope is patience with the lamp lit. been disciplined during — Tertullian, 160 A.D.-220 A.D., Roman author his nearly four years of work at the sheriff’s office prior to the incident late Thursday night and into Winning Lottery Numbers early Friday morning. Pick 3: (Sunday p.m.) 5-9-0 That incident occurred Pick 4: (Sunday p.m.) 7-6-7-0 after a deputy on patrol Fantasy 5: (Sunday) 5-6-19-27-31 noticed suspicious behav- ior in a private finishing area of 3 Rivers Estates. Hunter said Monday See an error? The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news that the deputy encoun- items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, tered two individuals there please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will and determined one had run in this space. Thanks for reading. an arrest warrant and called for backup. The complaint, Hunter said, was called in by the Submissions The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption victim, but her name is JAMIE WACHTER/Lake City Reporter information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would being withheld at this time. Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter (right) listens as Assistant Special Agent in like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture “As we hold others Charge Keith Wilmer addresses the media at Monday’s press conference. and information to editor Jamie Wachter at accountable in our com- [email protected]. munity, we must also hold money. “It’s tragic that it a lot of our employees are and into, what we call, our ourselves accountable,” happened. I do want the upset. family. It doesn’t matter Hunter said, adding inves- citizens to know that this “I’ve said this a hundred who gets the black eye, we Lake City Reporter tigators have yet to deter- is kind of a gut punch for times when we’re bring- all wear it. This is a pretty HOW TO REACH US ADVERTISING mine why Lipelis stole the the entire agency. I know ing people into this agency significant black eye.” Main number .......(386) 752-1293 Director Chris Ratliff Fax number ............752-9400 (386) 754-0417 Circulation.............755-5445 ([email protected]) Online ....www.lakecityreporter.com CLASSIFIED OBITUARIES The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate of Community Newspapers Inc., Kym Harrison is published Tuesday through (386) 755-5440 Mrs. Marilyn Joyce Key HOME, 2659 S.W. Main Blvd., Nancy W. Vining Spanish Fort, AL. To view Saturday/Sunday at 180 E.