North Florida Water Utilities Authority: Only one 'insider' applicant until former City Manager Joe Helfenberger filed a last minute application
April 5, 2025 8:10 pm | 1 min read
Ex City Manager Joe Helfenberger being interview by the
North Florida Water Utilities Authority board. Left to
right: Com. Tim Murphy (Col. Cnty.), Com. Rocky Ford
(Chairman, Col Cnty), Com. Franklin White (Suw. Cnty.),
Com. Leo Mobley (Suw. Cnty.), Citizen Steven Dicks (Col.
Cnty.)
The one minute version of the story.
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – The North Florida Water Utilities Authority (NFWUA) interviewed two candidates for executive director, Joe Helfenberger and Shannon Roberts, despite neither meeting the advertised qualifications. The hiring process faced criticism for limited transparency and allegations of insider favoritism, while anonymous local political figures suggested the outcome was predetermined.
The Candidates
Joe Helfenberger: Former Lake City Manager with 36 years of public-sector experience, emphasized infrastructure development, grant acquisition, and community-focused governance. He prioritized financial sustainability, transparency, and phased project execution.
Shannon Roberts: Suwannee County Administrator and NFWUA insider since its inception, blended private-sector executive experience with knowledge of the Authority’s history. He stressed strategic planning, regulatory navigation, and expanding membership to bolster influence.
Challenges & Vision
Mr. Helfenberger highlighted multi-county collaboration and equitable funding, while Mr. Roberts focused on regulatory hurdles and aligning projects with growth goals.
Transparency issues have plagued NFWUA: meetings went unrecorded, minutes were outdated and not updated, and Columbia County halted video posts to avoid embarrassing Suwannee County.
Contrasts
Mr. Helfenberger sought salary parity with the public-sector, declining health benefits.
Mr. Roberts avoided specific salary demands, later suggesting county administrator benchmarks.
Mr. Helfenberger came across as a pragmatic consensus-builder while Mr. Roberts appeared as a strategic insider.
The article leaves readers to assess who better suits NFWUA’s needs amid ongoing governance and transparency concerns.
Read the 5 minute version with pictures and links to the interviews, here.