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Century Commits Quarter Million Dollars In Expenditures Not On Agenda During Final Minutes Of Meeting
April 18, 2024
The Century Town council committed up to nearly a quarter million dollars on items not on the agenda in the final minutes of a two-hour meeting this week, not providing any opportunity for public comment prior to their votes.
The council voted unanimously to allow Mayor Luis Gomez, Jr. to hire Clear Water Solutions for a period not to exceed one year for a monthly fee of $19,464 — up to $233,568 in one year — to take over the operations of the town’s water and wastewater departments.
The item was not on the meeting’s agenda but was brought up by Gomez during his “Mayor’s Report” to the council.
“I’ll give you a minute to look over that,” Gomez said as he passed a document out to council members. The document was not provided to the council, the public, or the media prior to the meeting as part of the weekly agenda package. NorthEscambia.com made a public records request by email to Gomez, interim Town manager Howard Brown, and staff member Mallory Walker early Wednesday morning by email and received no response or acknowledgement by Thursday publication time
Just 21 seconds after passing out the information to the council for their first look, Gomez commenced discussion on hiring the company.
After the involuntary resignation of Heath Burkett, Century’s water and wastewater superintendent, last month, council member Alisha Johnston took over his duties as an unpaid volunteer. She is a state-certified operator in both areas. The transition came as the town after the town came under several warning letters from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
The town has advertised three water and wastewater jobs for weeks but received little response.
Johnson blamed the lackluster response a lot of bad press and the fact that the town’s operations are being closely monitored by DEP following the warning letters.
Gomez said the town is “getting ready to release Ms. Johnson back out into the world” and that she would no longer be able to provide free water and wastewater leadership, necessitating the services of Clear Water.
Gomez did not specify how any bids may have been received for the services.
A little more than six minutes after seeing the first information about Clear Water, the council unanimously approved the mayor’s recommendation to hire Clear Water.
Washington Trip
During the “Council Comments” portion at the end of the meeting, the council — including council member Shelisa Abraham — unanimously approved up to $800 for travel and expenses for Abraham to attend a Florida League of Cities Federal Action Strike Team event next month in Washington, D.C. The travel expenses were not on the agenda.
“What is the benefit that it provides to the Town of Century,” Council president Dynette Lewis asked.
“Century gets a voice at the table,” Abraham replied. “We also have a weekly call with the White House to express our concerns for our town, what funding is needed here, what our emergencies are. what our projects are. We stay top mind at the White House.”
Fireworks
For several years, the towns of Century and Flomaton have split the cost of annual Fourth of July fireworks show, alternating the show’s location between the towns each year. This year, Flomaton is contributing just $5,000 toward a show in Century. In another items not on the distributed council agenda, the council unanimously approved $13,000 to put on the 2024 fireworks show.
NorthEscamba.com file photos.
Comments
13 Responses to “Century Commits Quarter Million Dollars In Expenditures Not On Agenda During Final Minutes Of Meeting”
You are giving third world countries a bad name.
Century-run by third world quality politicians, a failed town government.
Years ago, I worked in North Georgia and there was a nice little country cafe there called The White House Cafe. Is this the White House mentioned in the Town of Century’s minutes? Must be because anyone who believes the Town of Century is getting a voice and open line to the White House in DC is living in a fantasy world. Why does the Town of Century need for the White House to know their business? Towns should not be funded by the federal government. They should be self-funded through fees and taxes. The problem Century has is they are constantly relying on and begging for someone else to pay their bills through grants. I might talk to Mrs. Jazzreel and see if she can get the Jacksons some grant money. I sure would like one of them barndominium to park my tractor in. Maybe a new tractor too. Better yet, I need a grant to start a comedy reality show, Town of Century, Top Mind. “Not a joke folks.”"
I’d love to see an accounting of the infrastructure funds that Rep. Saltzman handed these idiots. On the surface they seem like bumbling idiots, but under the surface they may be smarter than we give them credit for, they have figured how to make money evaporate before your eyes.
Somebody getting paid big and they splitting it among each other
SO, WHAT NEW WITH CENTURT IT’S A BIG, AND I SAY BIG, BIG JOKE NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPAN, BECAUSE THE COUNTY AND STATE DON’T WONT THAT MESS AND WHO WOULD, NOT ME AND THET THE TOWN COUNCIL KNOWS THAT, AND THAT WHY THEY DO THE THING THEY DO
“Century gets a voice at the table,” Abraham replied. “We also have a weekly call with the White House to express our concerns for our town, what funding is needed here, what our emergencies are. what our projects are. We stay top mind at the White House.”
Yes, they stay up late every night worrying about the ‘Town of Century’ at the White House….
What amazes me is lack of government oversite. Nothing from the SAO nor Saltzman nor Broxson.
Just posing with a gold plated shovel… Thinking that will get votes. Saltzman is Mike Hill 2.0 regarding her responsibility toward Century.
Took FDEP long enough.
Items not on agenda should NEVER EVER be voted on.
OH,THAT’S RIGHT its law abiding Century.
Gomez couldn’t run a lemonade stand much less a town.#stop the clown show.
I see countless calls for dissolution of the century charter—please don’t.
As an Escambia county tax payer, I don’t want to have my tax dollars used to correct this clown show—as they say, “not my circus-not my monkey”. Clearly, the only requirement to run the city is that you must have no idea what you are doing, have no management skills whatsoever, and have no understanding money management (on any level).
If the ultimate solution results in the charter revocation, it should only occur after the people who caused the problem are prosecuted for the obvious malfeasance taking place every day.
Where are they getting all this money?
13,000.00 for fireworks town is broke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At it again. This is never ending!