Fort White: Newly Elected Mayor George Jacob Thomas Annoints Himself With Powers He Does Not Have. Does the Columbia County 5 Care?
December 12, 2024 7:15 am | 5 min read
FORT WHITE, FL – The recent election of George Jacob Thomas as Mayor of Fort White began with Mr. Thomas taking an oath to uphold the Constitution, the laws of Florida, and the Town of Fort White. It didn't take long for Mayor Thomas to go off the rails.
The Government of Fort White: Powers of the Mayor
Fort white is a municipality in the South end of Columbia County. Its rules come from a charter that was approved by the Florida legislature and signed into law by the governor in 2023.
The Mayor's powers come from the charter and are, for the most part, ceremonial. Recently, the town Council voted to have Mayor Thomas preside over its Council meetings. The Council directs the Mayor to execute all "instruments to which the town is a party, and shall have all other administrative duties provided for in this charter or provided for by ordinance of the Town Council." [Town Charter]
The Town appears to have not passed any ordinance granting additional powers to Mayor Thomas.
The Town Council also has the ability to grant Mayor Thomas additional powers "on-the-fly,” but has not done that.
The Fort White - County 5 Equipment Controversy:
Utilities – a backhoe – a dump truck
The controversial backhoe.
Over the course of the past couple of years, controversy has developed between the Town and the County regarding utilities.
The long-story-short: the Town Council approved an agreement [the interlocal agreement or the ILA] with the County to have the County run the Town's Utility. The County agreed to pay the Town $25,000 a year for three years.
After the pandemic, the Town contributed money to run a pipeline and do improvements to the Town water plant. Some of this money came from ARPA funds.
The controversial dump truck.
In return for a $300,000 Town investment (after the County agreed to the ILA), the County agreed to purchase and give to the Town a backhoe and dump truck worth the equivalent of $300k.
Your reporter attended all the meetings where this was discussed. There were never any strings, other than the County could use the equipment when needed when working in the South End of the County.
During this time, the County wanted to form a county utility authority with Fort White, a utility that would have turned over control of Fort White's water plant to the County.
The Town, while initially thinking this was a good idea, began to have second thoughts, based on, among other things, the thuggery of the Town by the County.
Then, out of the clear blue sky, the legendary County Commission (County 5) came up with the idea that the equipment had strings on it, and the County Attorney sent the town reversion agreement. The agreement said that if the Town withdrew from the Interlocal Agreement, the equipment would revert back to the County.
This was never the agreement.
The Town balked.
Then came along George Jacob Thomas, who ran for Mayor in November 2024 and deposed Mayor Ronnie Frazier.
After the win by Mr. Thomas, it was reported to the Observer that Commissioner Rocky Ford was telling folks that he had got his guy in.
November 18, 2024: The Town Council discusses the reverter
Now, mayor, Mr. Thomas told the Council, "Probably, I'll end up having a meeting with (Town Attorney Lindsey) Lander, Commissioner Ford, and the County Attorney to try to get to the bottom of it.”
“The agreement was [we gave them] $300,000 and will get this equipment free and clear, or was it always based on us being part of the interlocal?”
Town Attorney Lindsey Lander
Town Attorney Lander clarified: “That's been – I think that is everyone's understanding, and that's been hashed out. The former Mayor and I attended a meeting [January 2024]. We thought that it was put to bed. We were getting the equipment to use however we saw fit because it benefits the citizens of Columbia County who are also citizens of the Town of Fort White.”
Since then, it's become something different. The Council just needs to make a decision.
A letter from County Manager David Kraus to the Town (received on 6-21-23) made it crystal clear that the backhoe and dump truck “will be owned and maintained by the Town…”
“They have a position – we have a position – who blinks?”
Attorney Lander continued, “The reversion stuff came along much later on in the discussion. The County is of the position that the equipment is conditional on us signing this agreement (the reversion agreement).
Attorney Lander concluded, “They have a position – we have a position – who blinks?”
Mayor Thomas said he wanted to try to talk to the County. "Give it the good old college try.”
Councilman Bill Koon, a supporter of Rocky Ford.
Councilman Bill Koon weighed in, “My opinion: sign it. Be done with it. It’s their equipment. We ain’t got nothin’ in writin’. The County will take it if we don't sign it… I’m tired of hearing the same thing.”
Commissioner Rocky Ford was in attendance. He said, “The whole deal with the County and the Town of Fort White about the equipment. We were gonna form a utility. That hasn't been talked about at all.”
County Commisioner Rocky Ford in Fort White
Commissioner Ford said the equipment was conditioned by the Town joining the utility, and "that's why the reverter was put on the equipment. That was our agreement."
Commissioner Ford's statement is not supported in the record.
Town Clerk Connie Brecheen
Town Clerk Connie Brecheen explained that the Town and the County had an agreement where the County would maintain the Town's water plant. The Town spent $300,000 on maintenance of the plant, saving the County money, and in return, the County gave the Town a backhoe and a dump truck for the money they donated to the water plant.”
There was some more discussion. Councilman Koon said he was at a meeting with the County where the County said they gave the equipment to Fort White.
Mayor Thomas said he would like to talk to Commissioner Ford. Commissioner Ford said the Mayor needed to talk to the County Attorney.
The Town Council agreed to give Mayor Thomas time to familiarize himself further and then moved to continue the discussion at the next Town Council meeting.
Without Council Approval, Mayor Thomas Takes Things Into His Own Hands
Without approval of the Town Council, Mayor Thomas, a law student, drew up two separate agreements, modifying County Attorney Joel Foreman's reverter agreement, and sent them to County Manager David Kraus.
It is unclear at the time if the County Manager knew that Mayor Thomas was acting without Fort White's Council approval.
Rather than add both agreements to today's County agenda, Manager Kraus picked one. It is unclear how he made that decision.
Yesterday afternoon, Mayor Thomas told your reporter that the County was recommending pulling his agreement from the County agenda.
Epilogue
It is unclear why the County is pulling Mayor Thomas’s proposed agreement from the agenda or if it will happen.
If the agreement is pulled, Mayor Thomas will get the chance to pull in his spurs and do it right, having one of his suggested agreements approved by the Town Council before sending it over to the County 5 for its consideration.