Tim Murphy’s Multi-County Utility Workshop May Give a Glimpse Into North Central Florida’s Utility Future
May 21, 2025 10:55 pm | 2 min read
Columbia County graphic. Photos via Unsplash
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 pm, Columbia County, with the help of Florida Gateway College, is hosting a multi-county, multi-agency utility show-and-tell. Attendees have been invited from across North Central Florida.
The letter announcing the event was prepared by Florida’s only elected county attorney, Columbia County’s Joel Foreman. The meeting will be held in the Florida Gateway College Library from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm.
As of 6 pm Wednesday, these are the known presenters:
Columbia County, Suwannee County, Suwannee River Water Management District, Fort White, Florida Dept. of Transportation, City of Lake City, North Florida Water Utilities Authority, FL Dept. Of Environmental Protection [unknown]
The purpose of the meeting is to give the invitees "a meaningful opportunity to present updates on any major projects or current events impacting the region."
Columbia County has suggested that presentations "may include significant transportation improvements, utilities [sic] infrastructure, policy developments, and large-scale capital projects."
The meeting is the brainchild of Columbia County chairman Tim Murphy, the purpose of which is to "identify new opportunities for partnership and collaboration, while educating one another about issues” affecting the region.
Florida Gateway College is providing the meeting room for free. However, because extra college staff is being brought in to facilitate the recording and broadcast of the meeting, Columbia County is being charged a nominal $300 fee.
FGC President Larry Barrett made the last minute
broadcast 'change-of-heart' possible.
Initially, for some unexplained reason, County chairman Tim Murphy did not want to broadcast the meeting. As the public generally works during the day, a 1:30 pm meeting would not have been accessible.
On Sunday, May 18, your reporter reached out to Florida Gateway College president Larry Barrett, asking if the college was going to broadcast the meeting as a public service anyway.
On Monday, May 19, the college reached out to Columbia County, asking again if the County wanted the meeting broadcast. Once again, the County's answer was: No.
Your reporter also reached out to Columbia County Commissioner Rocky Ford (this reporter's commissioner), explaining the importance of the meeting. Mr. Ford did not reply.
Then, on Tuesday, the County called the college with a change of heart, a change instigated for the public good by County Manager David Kraus.
FGC President Barrett moved fast and is making FGC staff available to make the broadcast possible on short notice.
Columbia County YouTube videos can be found here.
The public, who provides the money, will be able to see and rate the presenters and the projects. By the end of the meeting, one may know what the agencies are doing, how they are doing it, where they are doing it, and where they can work together.
Columbia County Chairman Murphy has yet to announce any follow-up meetings or who or how the information will be summarized and reported on to the public.
Columbia County Clerk of the Courts Jay Swisher is reportedly taking minutes. Clerk Swisher has been years behind on Columbia County minutes for which he is responsible, and his minutes may take months or years to show up.
Epilogue
With the population in Columbia and Suwannee Counties expected to increase about 10% by 2045; with economic development being hawked by local representatives who have not consulted with their populations about how much economic development they want; and with public agencies like the Suwannee River Water Management District and the Department of Environmental Protection seemingly answerable to no one, the meeting and the presentations are important.