Conexon buys Fiber By Central Florida

Conexon Senior Vice President of Business Development Carl Meyerhoefer answers several questions about the route taken by photons along a fiberoptic cable. Meyerhoefer spoke with a number of people for two hours from 8 a.m. until the general meeting started at 10 a.m., and perhaps he spoke with even more people after the meeting ended near noon, although one journalist left the meeting area after that four-hour tour of duty concluded with the choosing of random tickets for prizes.

Story, Photos and Videos
By Jeff M. Hardison © May 3, 2026 at 11:30 p.m.
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     FANNING SPRINGS – Central Florida Electric Cooperative (CFEC) Attorney Woodroe Blake Fugate looked out at an audience of 673 voting members of CFEC present Saturday morning (May 2) for the 2026 Annual CFEC Meeting, and without needing to count the number of small American flags held up to signify the actual votes, it was clear to him and any other observers that more than 449 of the account holders were in favor of a proposal put before them for their decision.
     Here is the proposal, which the younger member of the two-attorney law firm of Fugate and Fugate read aloud and that three-paragraph, which was printed on the back page of the CFEC agenda for that meeting.
     “The members of Central Florida Electric Cooperative authorize the Board of Trustees and General Manager to negotiate and execute a Purchase and Sale Agreement with Conexon for the sale of all fiber-related assets owned by CFEC.
     “The final agreement will include a purchase amount sufficient to retire, at a minimum, 100% of the debt incurred through the fiber project, and CFEC will retain all awarded grant funding.
     “Closing of the transaction is anticipated to occur following finalization of the agreement and completion of all necessary steps.”
     The 449 votes are the lowest number of votes for the 673 voting members of the CFEC to equal at least two-thirds of that cohort. Florida law requires the rural electric cooperative to have a two-thirds’ majority of votes at a meeting to sell assets.
     During the question-and-answer period before the vote, one member complained that some members who may have wanted to vote on this proposal were not at the annual meeting. Facts presented at the meeting showed the bylaws of CFEC were met by sufficient notice being published and show a quorum of more than the 290 members were present enough to conduct the annual meeting.
     The bylaws of CFEC show, too, that there is one vote per account holder. For instance, Jeff M. Hardison is an account holder. Therefore, even if his lovely and talented wife Sharon Hardison had come to the meeting with him, the couple would have only one American flag to hold up as the vote was called to approve or not approve the proposal.
     There were a number of other questions and comments made before the vote was called, which happened after all of the people who wanted to pose questions had made their points.
     Many of the questions were clearly answered – before the questions -- during presentations by Central Florida Electric Cooperative General Manager and Chief Operating Officer Denny George and Conexon Co-CEO Jonathan Chambers.


Conexon Co-CEO Jonathan Chambers speaks to the audience from the lectern on the elevated stage on Saturday.


In this video, the first 10 minutes of about a 15-minute speech, Central Florida Electric Cooperative General Manager and Chief Operating Officer Denny George tells people about the need for CFEC to sell Fiber By Central Florida to Conexon. The members present for the May 2, 2026 CFEC Annual Meeting overwhelmingly voted to do just that. Click on the PHOTO to see and hear the video.
Video By Jeff M. Hardison - All Rights Reserved


In this video, it is the final seven minutes of a 15-minute speech by Conexon Co-CEO Jonathan Chambers as he tells Central Florida Electric Cooperative the history of his company and of his partner Co-CEO Randy Klindt. Klindt, by the way, is the chief executive officer of Conexon’s Internet Service Provider entity -- Conexon Connect.
Click on the PHOTO to see and hear the video.
Video By Jeff M. Hardison - All Rights Reserved


Central Florida Electric Cooperative (CFEC) Attorney Woodroe Blake Fugate speaks to the people as he conducts the voting process to determine if at least two-thirds of the CFEC account holders present at the meeting want to allow the sale of assets worth more than $100 million. And the answer is, ‘Yes.’ The sale probably will be finished in June or July, according to a source involved with the process.

     CFEC President Alan Mikell, the trustee for District 6, said he is pleased to report the success of CFEC in brining fiberoptic Internet service to the members of the cooperative.
     He said the law firm contracted by the cooperative would present the proposal as well as conduct the vote for that proposal to sell Fiber By Central Florida to Conexon.
     President Mikel and the entire other members of the CFEC Board of Trustees -- Vice President Kyle Quincey (District 4), Secretary/Treasurer Larry Thompson (District 9), and trustees James E. McCain Sr. (District 1), Melissa Lewis (District 2), Jessie Robinson (District 3), Donald Lane (District 5), Tammy Bryan (District 7) and Bo Markham (District 8). – unanimously endorsed the adoption of the proposal to sell.
     By selling Fiber By Central Florida, CFEC would pay off all $100 million-plus in debts incurred from bringing it into existence. 
     CFEC worked with Conexon to design and build the fiberoptic network known as Fiber By Central Florida, which is owned by CFEC, Mikell and others said. 
     Central Florida Electric Cooperative General Manager and Chief Operating Officer Denny George told the members about the need for CFEC to sell its Fiber By Central Florida assets.
     As he began his presentation, George reminded members that the cooperative belongs to the members. Every mile of line retained in service and every pole set; every storm recovery success story, he said, is because members of this community believe they deserved the same opportunity for electric service as everyone else.
     Whether a member resides just outside the town limits of any of the area’s municipalities, or if they live in the woods, or on a farm or ranch, George said, “Everyone gets the same level of service at the same price.”
     Electric cooperatives were created because many electric companies would not provide electric services to people in rural America, George said.
     George said as he looked around the large meeting room that Saturday morning, he did not see customers. Instead, he saw owners and families.
     The decision of whether CFEC should sell or keep Fiber By Central Florida is a decision to be made by two-thirds or more of members present for this meeting, according to Florida law. It is not a decision to be made only by the Board of Trustees or by CFEC management, he added.
     “We are family,” George said, “because we live together, play together, work together and worship together.”
     George said that the need for high-speed Internet service was critically needed in the CFEC service area for students to learn, businesses to succeed and for families to meet their everyday needs.
     Just as in decades past, private companies chose against investing in a utility to serve the needs of people who live, work, play and worship in rural communities, George said. And just as the rural electric cooperatives brought together the self-reliant people of these communities to build electric transmission lines, now the co-ops have built fiberoptic cable networks.
     Thirty-six thousand homes and businesses in the CFEC service area are now connected with Fiber By Central Florida, George said.
     This system is built and working well, he continued. Taking care of the network on a long-term basis, he said, is different than the initial establishment of the system.
     CFEC is facing long-term financial pressure, George said. Maintaining a broadband fiber network while operating the ongoing electric provider services creates another layer of obligations, he said.
     The Board of Trustees determined the best method now to assure the electric cooperative and fiber service will see continuous reliability, and both will thrive, is to let another entity purchase Fiber By Central Florida.
     George explained why he endorses a “Yes” vote to the proposal:
     ● It will pay off the $100-million debt that came from building Fiber By Central Florida; and
     ● Removal of broadband debt reduces pressure on the CFEC side of services; and
     ● This act protects long-term electric service reliability; and
     ● The fiber system will continue to benefit people in the CFEC service area; and
     ● Conexon has been a partner with CFEC since the first day of building the current network named Fiber By Central Florida. and
     ● Conexon was the single best resource for obtaining needed equipment, materials and labor; and 
     ● Conexon knows the system because it was instrumental in its design, development, and decisions about equipment placement in substations and on poles; and
     ● Conexon is a national leader in broadband services; and
     ● Conexon has one of the highest ratings for customer service of any Internet service provider – best in class, especially in rural markets; and
     ● Conexon has a philosophy and foundation that mirrors the ideals of rural electric cooperatives; and
     ● The CFEC Board of Trustees found the best partner in every aspect it considered – price, practices, reliability and understanding of the needs of people in rural Florida.
     As he wrapped up his presentation, George spoke at length about the effort put forth by CFEC employes to not only build this great fiberoptic network, but to recover electric service for the multitude of customers impacted by hurricanes in the past few years.
     Then, he spoke about his wife Hallie and how they raised four sons.
     He knows what it means when six hurricanes took out service and families had to wait for power restoration. He knows what it means to a family to have improved Internet service now, too.
     “These are not abstractions to me,” George said. “These are why I take these actions seriously, and the reason I will not support any act that puts either system at risk. This discussion is not about abandoning something that we built. It’s about stewardship.”
     George said the CFEC trustees found this approval of this proposal strengthens CFEC financially – while assuring the fiber network remains stable, competitive and well-operated for years to come.
     Conexon Co-CEO Jonathan Chambers then told about his history and of his company and of his partner Co-CEO Randy Klindt. Klindt, by the way, is the chief executive officer of Conexon’s Internet Service Provider entity Conexon Connect.
     Chambers said he worked for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and helped it, when requested, by letting leaders know that a proposed plan for growing broadband services vastly favored urban areas while essentially ignoring rural America.
     With Klindt, they formed a broadband fiber company that has grown.
     Chambers has a 30-year career in government, including extensively with the FCC.
     He currently lives in rural Colorado and is a member of a rural electric cooperative there. As Chambers drives around Colorado, while some people look at the mountains and trees, he looks at utility poles.
      Chambers shared the history of him and Klindt finding success, where Klindt is a founding partner recognized as an electric cooperative broadband pioneer, and Chambers brings extensive regulatory and federal funding experience to that team.
     In regard to what the people expressed concern about, Chambers indicated that people would see their existing plans continuing at the same rates, in what is forecast to be a seamless transition from Fiber By Central Florida to Connexon Connect.
     He did mention that Conexon has a $40 monthly fee for the people who have a certain low level of household income, which is not something Fiber By Central Florida offered.
     Chambers shared his story of Klindt’s success in helping people come together to establish broadband networks.
     He told about electric co-ops that had established broadband networks but did not want to operate them. 
     “They wanted to serve their neighbors,” Chambers said, “but they didn’t want to get into another line of business.”
     That’s when he and Klindt started the Internet business they called Connect.
     Electric cooperatives in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri and “around the country” started working with Chambers and Klindt, Chambers said. 
     They showed their plan was a partnership, he continued, by putting the name “Connect” with the co-op’s name like Tri-County Florida.
     The cooperatives told the Connect team that they have established their rural electric cooperatives and have a reputation based on great member service and other ideals of the rural cooperative electric concept.
     Chambers said to the cooperatives that he would measure his company’s level of service with an affordable price and compare that through a national third-part evaluator.
     He told the cooperatives that if his company was not at least five points higher than the highest ranked broadband provider in the United States, then those co-ops could take their names off of the association with Connect.
     Net Promoter Scores showed Cox at negative two; Verizon at zero; AT&T at zero, but the AT&T Fiber Only was up to 20; T-Mobile was at 22; Conexon Connect was at 79, Chambers said, as he showed the quality of his company’s service as measured by an independent firm that looks at quality of service for Internet service providers.
     The reason Conexon is so much higher than other Internet Service Providers in ratings for service, Chambers said, is because “We adopted co-op principles ourselves. We continued to not just do what’s good enough for rural America – but deliver the highest quality for price service.
     He has worked with hundreds of co-ops, he said. Chambers shared a thought he has regarding the word “covenant” in relation to cooperatives.
     Chambers said he is a man of deep faith.
     He let listeners know that for him, the word “contract” is not in the same realm as “covenant.”
     There are differences between co-ops, and investor-owned utilities or municipal-operated utilities. Co-ops are member-owners; they are local and community based, he said.
     “Co-ops are built on a covenant,” Chambers said. “That sense of all for one and one for all. The difference between a covenant and a relationship you may have with an electric provider, or a broadband provider -- the difference is you enter into a contract with those companies. You enter into a covenant with your cooperative.”
     The difference between contract and covenant, Chambers said, is that while a covenant “lifts people up,” a contract equals a “zero-sum game.”
     A zero-sum game is a competitive situation in game theory where one participant’s gain is exactly balanced by another participant’s loss. The total benefits, minus the total losses, always equal zero. It represents a “win-lose” scenario, often driven by finite resources where one party’s success comes at another’s expense.
     “People try to get the best deal” in a contract, he added.
     “Covenant is never a zero-sum game,” Chambers said.
     While contracts create an environment where one party seeks to gain the “best possible deal,” Chambers concluded, covenants “seek to achieve the best possible world. A covenant binds people together and lifts them up.”
     Chambers said CFEC members have a covenant with the co-op. If a person chooses AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or some other Internet Service Provider, then that person enters into a contract with that company. 
     Chambers said that people who sign up for fiberoptic Internet service from Conexon enter into a covenant with Conexon.
     As noted, some people did not hear everything in the presentations by Denny George and Jonathan Chambers. On some social media platforms, some people wrote their opinions about the business transaction that was a proposal endorsed by every member of the CFEC Board of Trustees and to the CFEC management team, as well as at least two-thirds of the eligible CFEC members who voted to approve it on May 2.
 

Vote count proves to be correct
LaClair, Broadhead and Levesque
score most votes
By Jeff M. Hardison © May 1, 2026 at 2 p.m.
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     BRONSON – The initial election results from Tuesday’s (April 28) special municipal election shows the voters of the Town of Inglis chose three people to be on the Town Commission.

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     After a machine recount and a manual recount were completed, the numbers first reported as unofficial on Tuesday night are correct, according to information provided from Levy County Supervisor of Elections Tammy Jones on Friday morning (May 1).
     Of the 999 people who are registered voters in Inglis, 206 voted in this special election, according to records. That means 20.62 percent of the registered voters in Inglis chose the three winners, according to records.
     The voters were allowed to choose as many as three of the five candidates running for the three vacant seats, according to records.
     With 100 percent of the votes tallied, the candidates had the most votes, although one of the candidates had only one vote more than the next highest.
     The voters made the following choices.
     These are unofficial results of the five candidates, according to information on the website of Levy County Supervisor of Elections Tammy Jones. 
     ● Harry William Brodhead – 116 votes (22.35 percent)
     ● Deborah LaClair – 131 votes (25.24 percent)
     ● Lisa Levesque -- 109 votes (21 percent)
     ● Clinton C. Robinson – 108 votes (20.81 percent)
     ● Andy Drew White – 55 votes (10.6 percent)
     Inglis Town Clerk Cery Logyman managed the procedure so that the candidates could qualify to run for election.
     Levy County Supervisor of Elections Jones now oversees the actual municipal elections for Bronson, the City of Cedar Key, Chiefland, Inglis, the Town of Otter Creek, Williston and Yankeetown.
     The City of Fanning Springs, which is partially in Gilchrist County and Levy County, was unable to coordinate to allow Jones to run that city’s municipal elections.
     The Town of Inglis, like the Town of Otter Creek and the Town of Yankeetown, Jones said, have one at-large election for more than one vacancy. In this election, there was one election for three seats.
     That is unlike Bronson, the City of Cedar Key, Chiefland, the City of Fanning Springs or Williston, where there is one candidate listed as being in a group number or a seat number – single-member districts.
     The Levy County Canvassing Board convened at 9 a.m. on Friday (May 1) and conducted the recount at the Levy County Supervisor of Elections Office, 421 S. Court St., in Bronson.
     The Levy County Canvassing Board is comprised of the Honorable Levy County Court Judge Luis Bustamante, as chair; Supervisor of Elections Jones; Levy County Tax Collector Michele Langford; and alternates – Levy County Commissioner Charlie Kennedy (District 1) and Levy County Commissioner Desiree Mills (District 3).

Chiefland city manager passes
W3C question to Vision Committee
By Jeff M. Hardison © April 29, 2026 at 8 a.m.
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     CHIEFLAND -- During the twice-a-month regular Chiefland City Commission on Monday (Apri 27), City Commissioner Chris Jones mentioned the idea of speaking with the Waccasassa Water and Wastewater Cooperative (W3C) leaders regarding the city potentially connecting to the W3C’s regional wastewater treatment facility that may be built in the future.
     His comment was under the “Commissioners New Business” part of the agenda.
     City Manager Laura Cain suggested that rather than the City Commission directly speaking with the W3C, instead the Chiefland Vision Committee can hear from the water and wastewater cooperative, and then the Vision Committee can make a presentation to the City Commission regarding that.
     “Water, water, every where,
     And all the boards did shrink;
     Water, water, every where,
     Nor any drop to drink.”
     This stanza, from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, written in 1798 by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Oct. 21, 1772 - July 25, 1834) is part of that 19,000-word book. Those four lines reflect some irony for people in Florida, especially the counties next to the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean – just as it did for the sailor telling of his adventure in that poem. Coleridge, an English poet, critic, philosopher and theologian, in this small part of that relatively long poem, shows how the gray-bearded Ancient Mariner at a wedding party tells about the irony of being surrounded by saltwater and not having any freshwater to drink.
     The whole story of that sailor’s adventure takes some time to read. At a pace averaging 250 words per minute, this book will take one hour and 16 minutes to read. With a half-hour per day spent on that adventure in ready, it will take three days to read. That daily read would last twice as long as that regular twice-monthly Chiefland City Commission meeting on Monday.
     Meanwhile, back on Chiefland City Commissioner Jones’ idea of the city communicating with the cooperative about the potential of the city becoming involved in the wastewater treatment aspect of the W3C, City Manager Cain reduced the time spent on Jones’ possible topic to mere seconds.
     And Jones let the introduction of that possible start of a discussion stop then.
     Moving something to the Chiefland Vision Committee may slow it down. First, based on available records, specific, current members’ names for the City of Chiefland Vision Committee are not publicly listed on the city’s official website nor are they on recent, easily accessible news archives, which focus primarily on the five people elected and currently on the Chiefland City Commission – Mayor Lewrissa Johns, Vice Mayor Norman Weaver and city commissioners Kim Bennett, Chris Jones and LaWanda Jones.
     The eight members of the Chiefland Vision Committee as of April 28, according to information gained from a telephone call to Chiefland City Hall that Tuesday are -- Denny George, A.D. Goodman, Doug King, Dr. Robert “Bob” Mount, Dr. Bennett Patterson, Jacob Piazza, Stoney Smith, and Robert Williams. The City Commission liaison to that committee is Chiefland City Commissioner Chris Jones.
     The W3C is a member-owned wholesale utility aimed at developing regional water and wastewater infrastructure for Cedar Key, Otter Creek, and Bronson. It seeks to install 35 miles of pipeline for improved water quality, septic-to-sewer conversion, and sustainable, long-term water management.
     The purpose of the cooperative is to provide a regional water supply, wastewater treatment, and disposal to replace vulnerable coastal systems. The first members-partners of the cooperative venture originally aimed at linking the Town of Bronson, the Town of Otter Creek and the City of Cedar Key in a cooperative venture that involves constructing a water treatment plant, a wastewater treatment plant, and installing approximately 35 miles of pipelines, primarily adjacent to State Road 24.
     Funding for the project has progressed relatively well since its inception, where the W3C will use grants and loans to fund construction and minimize costs for residents. The W3C would sell water and wastewater services at a wholesale price to its member partners, the Town of Bronson and the Cedar Key Water and Sewer District, which is a special district that provides water and sewer services to the Cedar Key islands in Levy County.
     Some of the Town of Bronson’s leaders are not completely in favor of all things that are W3C.
     The Bronson Town Council voted 3-to-1 on March 16 against signing a W3C agreement, potentially halting Bronson’s participation in the $150 million regional water project. The Bronson Town Council's majority decision, perhaps influenced by studies showing no immediate need for extra water capacity for that town, may prevent W3C from taking over local water resources at the well it owns, which is currently surrounded by property owned by the Town of Bronson. 
     Test drilling by the W3C for the water part of the project has occurred, and success from that experiment shows that the well is a viable source for the regional water part of the potential future water and wastewater treatment venture.
     As for Chiefland and Otter Creek in regard to drinking water, many years ago there was discussion about Chiefland sending freshwater to Otter Creek via a pipeline for a certain fee. That project never went past a point of discussion where Chiefland leaders back then saw it as impossible due to the cost of building the pipeline.
     In regard to Chiefland’s current wastewater woes, it uses about 95 percent of its capacity to treat wastewater now, which limits the city’s ability to provide that service to potential developers of large-use facilities.
     During the very brief discussion during the little part of the agenda for the twice-monthly regular City Commission meeting in Chiefland on April 27, where the total meeting from its opening prayer and pledge to the flag through its adjournment lasted about 16 minutes, City Manager Cain intimated the future multimillion dollar wastewater plant for the city may be funded and constructed in as few as three to five years on its current potential track.
     City Manager Cain has told the City Commission before that resolving the problems related to the need for more wastewater service for interests in the city limits is a concern she addresses daily, and she has done so for years now.
     Meanwhile, the Chiefland City Vision Committee, which has no regular meeting schedule and only meets on special occasions, may find a date, time and place to coordinate with the W3C to speak about the possibility or impossibility of the City of Chiefland becoming either a W3C member or a retail customer that would buy wastewater service from whatever members exist in the cooperative as it evolves or dissolves in years to come. 

Commissioners comment about
road closure impacting residents
No EMS access exists yet
for residents cut-off by road blockade

Levy County Emergency Management Director Leatha Keene speaks to the County Commission on April 21, as shown one of the actions noted under ‘Other Action’ at the bottom of this story. The 5-0 positive vote involves the award of a $994,624.44 generator purchase to help during hurricane evacuations. The Generator Assistance Grant allocates funding to fiscally constrained counties to provide air-conditioned sheltering for the general population during emergency declarations. Levy County will use the awarded amount to reimburse expenditures related to the purchase and installation of backup generator for an emergency shelter located within a school building. The county awarded this contract to allow it to utilize available grant funding.

Story and Photos By Jeff M. Hardison © April 24, 2026 at 7:30 a.m.
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     BRONSON – During the Commissioner Reports portion of the April 21 meeting of the Levy County Board of County Commissioners’ meeting, Vice Chairman Charlie Kennedy was the first to break the silence about a woeful scenario first reported by HardisonInk.com on March 30 with a story, photos and video in an exclusive first under the headline EXCLUSIVE FIRST Road barricade stops Levy County man from emergency services; Wheelchair-bound sister cannot visit brother at his residence.
     That is all in the archives now, and may be seen by clicking HERE.
     A second story on April 2 under the headline EXCLUSIVE FIRST Case reopens after emergency injunctive relief sought is in the archives now and can be seen by clicking HERE.
     Vice Chairman Kennedy said he has been receiving calls about this issue and he feels there is a danger to the families who cannot receive any emergency help from ambulances at the end of the blocked road.
     “I find that to be a problem,” Kennedy said, “and it needs to be addressed one way or another.”
     Commissioner Desiree Mills said she concurs with Kennedy and she has concerns about the issue. She said it is troubling to her to see this situation. 
     Commissioner Johnny Hiers directly addressed the problem, as he said he agreed with Kennedy.
     Something has to be done about “this road situation,” Hiers said. He wants the ability as a county commissioner to take some sort of positive action to overcome this tragic situation that exists now.
     As noted in the April 2 story, Levy County is a named party in the civil circuit court action that sought to resolve the issue.
     Obviously, the multitude of petitions signed by people and provided to the Levy County via the office of County Manager Mary-Ellen Harper are not doing anything except showing the County Commission that many people in the general public still understand a concept of human decency and being able to care about the welfare of a neighbor. However, apparently for almost a month, the County Commission members seem to be aware enough of the issue to potentially do something, as indicated by some of them speaking on April 21 about this particular problem.

OTHER ACTION

Levy County Manager Mary-Ellen Harper speaks to the County Commission members about actions she seeks for their approval on April 21.

     In addition to “Commissioners Reports,” the five elected leaders on April 20 performed the following actions that are not just words:
     ● Declared four pickup trucks, one riding mower, one water wagon, and a bus as surplus and to approve the transfer of these assets to the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. 
     ● Approved a resolution to help in the transfer of animal control duties from the County Commission to the Levy County Sheriff's Office.
     Directed staff to terminate the lease for the State of Florida for the Levy County Forestry Camp, which will result in the Levy County Department of Public Safety (Levy County Fire Rescue) to move its operational office from the former women's prison to be on the campus of the Levy County Government Center in Bronson.
     ● Approved the purchase of one LifePack 35 Heart Monitor in the amount of $64,173.41 from Stryker as quoted under the Sourcewell Contract Solicitation. 
     ● Approved upfitting the 2024 F550 Chassis (received last FY) at a cost of $140,598 as quoted by Southeastern Upfitters of Williston as a non-competitive procurement.
     ● Awarded Levy County Hurricane Shelter Generator to Cavan Electric Inc.an agreement to purchase a generator to provide for the electricity required to air-condition the part of Bronson Middle High School that can be used as a hurricane shelter for $994,624.44. 
     ● Heard that the county again had a successful amnesty day for people to bring in old tires for free disposal at the solid waste transfer station in Bronson.
     ● Bought a new Rototech RPA2030C Compacting Grapple for the solid waste transfer station in Bronson at a price of $413,890 to replace the old, worn-out machinery.
     ● Approved appropriation of Reserves for Contingency within the Solid Waste Fund for the purchase of the replacement knuckle boom at the Landfill Transfer Station.
     ● Approved the County Manager Harper to execute an agreement with Accenture Infrastructure and Capital Projects, LLC, for annual maintenance services related to the County’s EMS, Fire Protection, Residential Solid Waste, and Road Maintenance assessment programs for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 for $27,700.


Chiefland Fire Chief Dwayne King tells the County Commission about a previous request that he is making again.

     ● Approve an increase of $19,224.12 to the appropriation for Chiefland Fire Rescue to purchase portable radios. The fire chief mentioned that in a recent fire suppression in the Fowler's Bluff area, firefighters could not use their cell phones as a backup method for communication at the scene, because as some people know, cell phone reception in that part of Levy County is not functional.
     ● And more.
 

Eighth Judicial Circuit Court judges’
election races change
By Jeff M. Hardison © April 21, 2026 at 11:45 a.m.
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     LEVY COUNTY – Thanks to help from Levy County Supervisor of Elections Tammy Jones and Eighth Judicial Circuit Court Administration Public Information Officer Christy Cain, information about the election or appointment of circuit court judges in Eighth Judicial Circuit Court Groups 1, 4, 7, 9, and 11 as well as a reminder about the new group in this circuit -- Group 14 -- came to light with research triggered by a press release last week from Jones’ office, and was followed through with research completed relatively quickly by HardisonInk.com on Monday (April 20).
     Voters in the Eighth Judicial Circuit would have had the choice during the 2026 Election Cycle, to choose from whatever candidates qualify to run for circuit court judge in Groups 1, 4, 7, 9, and 11, as previously noted in a story published in HardisonInk.com.
     The Eighth Judicial Circuit includes Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy and Union counties.
     Levy County Supervisor of Elections Jones, having previously provided media with the Notice of General Elections in Levy County, recently provided the amended Notice of General Elections because of a change after the first posting.
     Pursuant to Section 100.021, Florida Statutes, county notices identifying the offices and vacancies to be filled at the General Election in November of 2026 – including all state, county and district-level positions is provided to the public.
     “This requirement ensures voters have clear, timely information regarding every office scheduled for election during the 2026 cycle,” Levy County Assistant Supervisor of Elections Jones’ Office noted. 
     The Levy County Supervisor of Elections Office recently received notice of resignations filed with the Governor’s Office. Due to recent resignations by an incumbent circuit court judge in the Eighth Judicial Circuit, the Group 1 judicial office previously listed will no longer appear on the Notice of General Election for Levy County, according to records.
     As a result, that office has been removed from the applicable Notices of General Election, and amended versions (in both English and Spanish) have been posted on the official website at https://www.votelevy.gov/ in accordance with Florida law.
     The choice to retire this year by the Honorable Eighth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Robert K. Groeb, who is the Group 1 judge, will lead to the governor appointing a person to fill that vacancy.
     In addition to Judge Groeb, effective July 1 in this circuit, there are 14 circuit court judges, an increase by one.
     Following are the current judges with an asterisk next to their group number if they are an incumbent whose seat on the bench is on the potential list for election. Of course, if only one candidate qualifies for a position, then that person wins by default.
     Group 1 – The Hon. Robert K. Groeb
     Group 2 – The Hon. David P. Kreider
     Group 3 – The Hon. Susanne Wilson Bullard
     * Group 4 – The Hon. Craig C. DeThomasis
     Group 5 – The Hon. Denise R. Ferrero
     Group 6 – The Hon. Donna M. Keim
     * Group 7 – The Hon. Philip Andrew Pena
     Group 8 – The Hon. Gloria R. Walker
     * Group 9 – The Hon. Kristine Van Vorst
     Group 10 – The Hon. James M. Colaw
     * Group 11 – The Hon. Chief Judge William E. Davis
     Group 12 – The Hon. Sean Brewer
     Group 13 – The Hon. George M. Wright
     Group 14 – The Hon. Jonathan D. Ramsey
     The addition of one circuit court judge to the Eighth Judicial Circuit was part of the legislative action that increased the number of county judges in some counties, as well as increasing the number of judges on the Sixth District Court of Appeal.
     The effective date was at the start of the state’s budget year, last year -- July 1, 2025, and that is when this officially takes effect.
     There are 20 judicial circuits. Dixie County is in the Third Judicial Circuit, which did not see an increase in county judges or circuit court judges.
     Judges may be elected or appointed depending on circumstances.
     As of early 2026, the majority of Florida’s high-level judges are appointed, with seven of the seven Florida Supreme Court justices and all District Court of Appeal judges were appointed by the governor via assisted appointment, which included judicial nominating committee reviews. For trial courts, while many start via appointment to vacancies, there are over 1,000 total judgeships; as of late 2025, over 170 judges were Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees, according to information on Ballotpedia.
     For the Florda District Courts of Appeal (DCA), all appellate judges are appointed by the governor from lists provided by nominating commissions.
     While a vast majority of the 1,000-plus authorized judgeships for circuit/county courts are officially listed as elected positions, a significant number of sitting judges originally took the bench through gubernatorial appointment.

FDOH issues
rabies alert in Levy County 
By Jeff M. Hardison © April 15, 2026 at 8 p.m.
     LEVY COUNTY – The Tri-County Unit of the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) issued a rabies alert on Wednesday (April 15) in Levy County in response to a confirmed case of rabies in a fox that was killed in Chiefland off of Southwest Third Street, according to a press release from "Alex Santana" of the FDOH. 
   A search for Santana’s title in the FDOH was unsuccessful, and the rabies alert was found on a social media platform.
     A search of the FDOH website on April 15 showed the most recent rabies alert issued near the Tri-County Area was on Feb. 27, in Marion County.
     A Levy County government Facebook page posted the “letter” from Santana dated April 15.
     The fox is said to have died on Saturday (April 11), Santana noted. The Levy County part of the Tri-County Unit of FDOH is reportedly monitoring rabies among wild animals in the area. All residents and visitors should be aware that rabies is currently present in the wild animal population, Santana noted.
     People and domestic animals should always avoid physical contact with wild animals (such as raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats and coyotes), which carry a higher risk of human exposure and a need for rabies post-exposure treatment.
     Any person who is exposed to rabies, should receive appropriate treatment after exposure to protect them from the risk of rabies. Death is a risk from contracting rabies.
     This rabies alert is for 60 days and includes the following boundaries in Levy County, according to the FDOH message, which is not the best in descriptions, but which is noted as it was listed in Santana’s announcement on Facebook via the Levy County government:
     · Northern boundary: State Road 27 and Young Boulevard.
     · Southern boundary: Northwest Fifth Avenue and Northwest 86th Street.
     · Eastern boundary Northwest 11th Avenue and Northwest 110th Street.
     · Western boundary: Northwest  60th Avenue and Northwest 14th Street.
     The FDOH urges people to take the following precautions to prevent rabies exposure:
     · Immunize your pets and livestock based on your veterinarian’s recommended schedule.
     · Keep pets under direct supervision and on a leash, and keep livestock secured on your property. If an animal bites your pet or livestock, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately and contact Levy County Animal Services at 352-486-5138 or FDOH-Levy at 352-486-5300.
     · Avoid contact with wild or stray animals. Do not handle, feed, or unintentionally attract them with outdoor pet food, open garbage cans, or other sources of food. If you have been bitten or scratched by a wild or domestic animal, seek medical attention, and report the injury to DOH-Levy by calling 352-486-5300
     · Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home; instead, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
     · Call the local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood. Contact FWC North Central Region at 386-758-0525.
     · Prevent wildlife, including bats, from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, schools, and other similar areas where they might come in contact with people and pets.
     For more information on rabies, please visit FloridaHealth.gov/Rabies or contact DOH-Levy at 352-486-5300.
     Rabies virus is very deadly, with nearly 100 percent fatal illness in humans and other mammals, according to the FDOH.
     Animals with rabies may show strange behavior – they can be aggressive, attacking for no apparent reason, or act very tame (especially wild animals). They may not be able to eat, drink or swallow, according to the FDOH.
     They may drool because they are unable to swallow their saliva. They may stagger or become paralyzed. Eventually they will die.
 

School zone speed cameras explained
30-day grace period end approaches
Automated speeding tickets
in school zone starts
By Jeff M. Hardison © April 14, 2026 at 9 a.m.
     CHIEFLAND – As noted in a story published March 23 in HardisonInk.com, based on information provided by Chiefland Police Department on March 23, the City of Chiefland announced the launch of its new school zone speed safety program, beginning with a 30-day warning period.
     Automated cameras will photograph license plates of speeding vehicles in the school zone for Chiefland Elementary School, and the owner of the offending vehicle will receive an automated notice in the mail.
     This 30-day grace period is designed to provide an opportunity for the city to educate motorists about its newly installed automated school zone speed enforcement system for Chiefland Elementary School.
     The following school zone will be monitored -- for Chiefland Elementary School, Northwest 14th Street, which is also known as Levy County Road 341 -- northbound and southbound, in the marked school zone area. The warning phase aims to promote full compliance with posted school zone speed limits before any civil penalties are issued. Enforcement is part of the city’s broader commitment to keeping students in school zones safe.
Key Points
     ● Drive at the posted speed of 45 mph when the yellow lights are NOT flashing in that zone. Slowing down to 15 mph when the yellow lights are not flashing will cause drivers who understand the regulations to be somewhat frustrated.
     ● During the school day, when the lights are not flashing, a vehicle driving in that zone at 10 or more miles faster than 45 mph may trigger an automated ticket to be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle captured by the machine.
     ● During the school day, when the lights ARE flashing, a vehicle driving in that zone at 10 or more miles faster than 15 mph may trigger an automated ticket to be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle captured by the machine.
     ● Receiving a citation in the mail can be paid, or can be contested in court. Follow the written directions of a traffic citation if received in the mail. Failure to follow the written directions of a citation may result in suspension of a driver's license.
     ● When the children are on a holiday, such as for Spring Break, or for the annual Suwannee River Fair Youth Livestock Show and Sale, and the light have not been turned off by the city and is blinking, a driver may slow down to 15 mph, and that may frustrate drivers who are more aware of reality than people who don’t notice zero activity at Chiefland Elementary School. However, if there is no school during the time when the lights have not been programmed to not blink, and a vehicle goes 45 rather than 15 mph, it is unlikely that the company operating this service will send an automated citation. If that occurs, call the CPD and speak with Chief Anderson. If there is an accidental citation sent, he can fix that.
     Chiefland Police Chief Scott Anderson said the city and the Chiefland Police Department want to ensure everyone is aware of school zone speeds before enforcement begins.
     “Our highest priority remains the safety of our children,” Chief Anderson said.
     Every driver is being asked to join the city in protecting those young lives.
     The automated speed ticketing program was launched in response to data showing excessive speeding in school zones. While enforcement is the best way to get drivers to comply with any law, it is impossible for police to be everywhere. An initial speed study at Chiefland Elementary as well as at Chiefland Middle High School conducted by NovoaGlobal revealed an average of more than 1,000 speeding violations per day, underscoring the urgent need for continuous enforcement.
     Advanced traffic enforcement cameras will monitor vehicle speeds in the designated school zones. No fines will be issued during this initial 30-day time; however, after that, civil penalties of $100 will be assessed for each violation. These citations are civil and are similar to a parking ticket.
    If a person has any questions about this, please call the Chiefland Police Department at 352-493-6777.

Williston City Council appoints
Mike Rolls as interim city manager

The four members of Williston City Council at the special meeting late Friday afternoon (April 10) are (from left) Williston City Councilwoman Alexa Haniff-Riccio, Vice President Michael Cox, President Darfeness Hinds, and Councilwoman Debra Jones. Also present, but not pictured, is Williston Mayor Charles Goodman. Councilwoman Meredith Martin was absent.

Story, Photos and Video By Jeff M. Hardison © April 10, 2026 at 8 p.m.
All Copyrights Protected By Federal Civil Law
Do Not Copy and Paste to Social Media or Elsewhere
     WILLISTON – During a 15-minute special Williston City Council meeting on late Friday afternoon (April 10), Williston Police Chief Mike Rolls became Williston City Manager Mike Rolls by a 4-0 vote of approval on a motion by Councilwoman Debra Jones, seconded by Vice President Michael Cox, with Councilwoman Alexa Haniff-Riccio and President Darfeness Hinds voting in favor of the Jones-Cox motion .
     Williston Mayor Charles Goodman said he felt a caveat included in the motion was “bizarre.”
     Indeed, it was different than normal.
     City Clerk Latricia Wright is to serve as a secondary sort of interim city manager, and in the absence of Rolls would be the city manager – according to the approved action.
 

City Clerk Latricia Wright and Interim City Manager Mike Rolls


Before the vote, Police Chief Mike Ross makes a statement about what he anticipates if chosen to be interim Williston city manager – including to make things as they should be. Click on the PHOTO to see and hear the 34-second video.
Video By Jeff M. Hardison – All Rights Reserved



Interim Williston Police Chief Matt Frotney, formerly Maj. Fortney


In this archived and copyright protected photograph from a banquet years ago, WPD Deputy Police Chief Terry Bovaird (who served as interim city manager as well as city manager), WPD Sgt. Mike Rolls (who is the interim city manager now) and WPD Chief Dennis Strow (who served as interim city manager) are seen in one photo.
Photo By Jeff M. Hardison – All Rights Reserved

     A finer point in the governance of Williston from Tuesday evening when City Manager Sue Beaudet was fired via a 4-0 vote of the City Council, until that moment shortly after 4 p.m. on Friday, is that Robert “Rob” Kilian, the Utility Director for the City of Williston, was the city manager as of Tuesday night, or since the wee hours Wednesday morning. Wright said Kilian told her that he did not want to be co-interim city manager, and therefore she was the city manager at that time.
     As noted, as best as can be determined, by the Friday afternoon actions, Kilian had surrendered the total interim city manager job to Wright.
     During the process Friday, it was noted that Rolls could not serve as both the city manager and the police chief at the same time.
     Hence, a document shows that Williston Police Department Maj. Matt Fortney is now the interim police chief until, or if, Rolls returns to the duty as police chief, and then Fortney would become a major again, unless he merited a deputy police chief title or a colonel rank then. 
     Fortney has far more years in the WPD than Rolls, where Fortney served for 29 years since February of 1997. Rolls became police chief on April 23, 2022, after earning the 2021 WPD Officer of the Year Award, when he was a sergeant with the WPD then.
     Mayor Goodman noted it is “bizarre” to note in a motion that Wright would serve as city manager in the absence of Rolls, because that is now an understood condition. Also, it would seem that she could not serve as the clerk at the same time as serving as “co-city manager.” 
     The mayor made it clear that he believes the 4-0 approved motion seems bizarre to him.
     Williston City Attorney Kiersten Ballou of the Folds, Walker & Maltby (or Folds & Walker) law firm of Gainesville was absent from the special meeting where the new interim city manager was appointed.

198^th Performance

This is CFEC Chief Information Officer and Fiber By Central Florida Chief Operating Officer George Buckner III singing the HardisonInk.com Jingle on May 2, 2026, at the Annual Central Florida Electric Cooperative Meeting in the City of Fanning Springs (Levy County, Florida).  Jeff M. Hardison asks people to sing the jingle, and some of them agree to sing it. (Thanks people!) CLICK ON THE PICTURE ABOVE TO SEE AND HEAR THE VIDEO ON YouTube.com. The very first person to sing the jingle was Danesh “Danny” Patel of Danny’s Food Mart in Chiefland in March of 2013. HardisonInk.com started as a daily news website on Feb. 1, 2011.
Photo and Video by Jeff M. Hardison © May 2, 2026 at 9 p.m.
All Rights Reserved - Do Not Copy And Paste Anywhere Else