A3 + PLUS >> Hamilton guard jailed on bribery charges, Story below LOCAL FOOTBALL Lake City Reporter Bell is back wins top award for Tigers Story below See Page 1B THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM CCSO TOBY WITT: ATV SRWMD can’t feigned ditch interest cops in deal By CARL MCKINNEY May have been a stall [email protected] tactic to keep governor A speeding four-wheeler couldn’t out of the mix, he says. outrun law enforcement Tuesday morning, and neither could the By CARL MCKINNEY driver, Columbia County deputies [email protected] say. Mason Paul It seemed like there was a light at Redd, 28, of the end of the tunnel in the years- Northeast Amanda long legal battle between a property Street in Lake City, owner and water man- faces charges of agement officials. But fleeing and eluding, that hope is now dead, Redd criminal traffic vio- and the case, which lation and resisting has cost taxpayers mil- arrest for the ATV chase he led a lions, is likely to keep deputy on — plus charges of drug dragging on. possession and possession of drug Witt Jeff Hill says the paraphernalia for what authorities Suwannee River Water found during the pursuit, accord- Management District unjustly took ing to a Columbia County Sheriff’s his family farm over the replacement Office report. of a rusty pipe, and the agency’s ATV continued on 2A state-appointed board has shot down a settlement offer backed by the county. The water management district Hamilton previously indicated it would be amenable to the deal, said County guard jailed FILE PHOTOS Commissioner Toby Witt, who inter- In this 2014 file photo, Jeff Hill poses with the rusty pipe at vened on Hill’s behalf and now wants on bribery the heart of his dispute with water management officials. to get Tallahassee involved. charges BELOW: Hill is seen during a 2014 legal proceeding. HILL continued on 2A By CARL MCKINNEY [email protected] With talks now A Hamilton County prison guard is on the other side of the bars broken off, the after authorities found a contraband phone connecting him with a smug- lawsuits can gling operation, according to an arrest affidavit. continue and the Rodrick Eston Manning, a guard at Hamilton Correctional district’s legal Institution, faces charges of unlaw- ful compensation, unlawful use of fees can keep a two-way communication device, conspiracy to introduce contra- piling up. band into a secure facility and com- pounding a felony after the Florida GUARD continued on 2A Reporter wins President’s Award for stories on gas prices This is the newspaper’s Community Newspaper pub- of stories and opinions were From left are third President’s Award lishers in Athens, Georgia, the linchpin of the newspa- reporter Tony from CNI in last decade. recently. The per’s news cov- Britt, Associate President’s Award The Lake City erage entry that Editor Michael is presented to one Reporter’s news earned top hon- Philips, Editor From staff reports newspaper in the staff was honored ors. The stories Robert Bridges, The news staff of the company’s foot- for its in-depth, appeared during reporter Carl Lake City Reporter earned print of Florida, enterprise news December 2018. McKinney and the President’s Award from Georgia and North coverage of high The stories Publisher Todd Community Newspapers Inc. Carolina. gasoline prices in examined the Wilson. This is The honor represents the par- The Lake City Columbia County. large discrep- the third time ent company’s top award for Reporter’s news ancies between the newspaper overall news coverage during staff was honored for its gasoline prices in neighbor- has won the 2018. in-depth, enterprise news cov- ing counties and from other CNI President’s The award was present- erage of high gasoline prices Award since ed during a gathering of in Columbia County. A series AWARD continued on 3A PAUL ANSCHULTZ/Lake City Reporter 2008. Vol. 145, No. 115 CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER Obituaries . 2A (386) 752-1293 Sports . 1B COMMUNITY CALENDER SUBSCRIBE TO Advice & Comics . 3B Big weekend of events ahead, 5A THE REPORTER: 91 73 Classified . 4-5B Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 Partly cloudy 2A THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER for the work. choice but to sell. fered on another property HILL Hill disagreed and took The water management he still owns, Witt said. QUICK HITS Continued From 1A the agency to court, saying district acquired 75 acres The county would have minor repairs are exempt in 2014 through a court-or- turned the pond into a com- Scripture of the Day “This is one of the worst from permit requirements. dered sale to recover fines munity fishing pier or some “Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness examples of government By 2010, the court had and legal fees. kind of park, Witt said. in the day time, and in the night his song shall be overreach I’ve ever seen,” ordered Hill to pay $100,000 Hill said the agency then “We would have found a with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.” Witt said. in fines and $280,000 in drained the pond, causing public use for that,” he said. — Psalm 42:8 (KJV) Witt said he feels like the legal fees. flooding issues that forced In a second meeting with water management district A judge also told him him to sell the other 50 the water management dis- feigned interest in a settle- he had to go through the acres. trict, Witt said the agency’s Thought for Today ment to stall him from urg- permitting process, which “The law is on my side,” board of directors indicated ing the County Commission would have been Hill said. it would not be approving I buy expensive suits. They just look cheap on me. to drag the governor’s prohibitively Witt, who the settlement. — Warren Buffett, born 1930, U.S. businessman office into the conflict on expensive, Hill SRWMD had took office in “You’re not going to tell the side of Hill. said. no desire to January, met me that the price they would “It did seem like they Compliance broker a deal with the water have paid to settle would’ve wanted to settle, and now would’ve to end costly management been more than keeping the Winning Lottery Numbers they have no desire to do involved hiring district earlier in legal fight going,” Witt said. so,” said Witt. “That fires a geotechni- litigation, Witt the year. “The millions keep adding Pick 3: (Tuesday p.m.) 1-0-5 me up even more.” cal engineer to says. They drafted up.” Pick 4: (Tuesday p.m.) 8-0-0-3 Hill has multiple lawsuits draw plans for a settlement that The next step is getting Fantasy 5: (Tuesday) 4-5-16-24-35 pending in state and federal the pipe, Hill said, estimat- seemed agreeable to both the County Commission to courts centered on the per- ing the price tag could have Hill and water management pass a resolution condemn- mit dispute with the water rocketed up to $300,000. officials, Witt said. ing the water management See an error? management district, which Water management offi- Under terms of the deal, district and urging the gover- The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news he said started over a minor cials proposed a settlement the county would have nor to get involved, Witt said. items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, repair job and led to the deal in 2013 — $170,000 for taken over maintenance “I’m not going to quit please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will agency acquiring 125 acres 62 acres. The offer came of the pond and dike. The fighting for Mr. Hill,” Witt run in this space. Thanks for reading. of his land. with strings attached, Hill water management district said. “As long as I’m in “It’s a waiting game for said. would have returned the office and have a voice for me at this point,” Hill said. About 90 percent of the rest of the land to Hill. him, I’m going to use it.” Submissions The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption Hill replaced a deterio- money would be owed back The district would have The SRWMD board information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would rated drainage pipe in 2006. to the agency for engineer- also paid Hill for water mit- chair, Virginia Johns, could like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture Water management officials ing fees, he said. igation rights based on the not be reached for com- and information to Robert Bridges: rbridges@lakecityreporter. told Hill he needed a permit Hill ended up having no flooding issues he has suf- ment Wednesday. com. Department of Corrections’ arrest affidavit. er, according to the affida- Lake City Reporter GUARD law enforcement wing, the Months later, on April 23, vit. HOW TO REACH US BUSINESS ........... 754-0419 Office of Inspector General, Manning started communi- Cineas and Manning dis- Main number ....... 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