High Springs fills vacant commission seat

seat will be up for re-election.

His appointment fills the void created when Diane Shupe resigned halfway through her term from the commission Feb. 11 for health and family reasons.

Fourteen candidates applied for the seat since Shupe’s resignation. But Hill said he only decided to apply when he saw the City Commission unable to agree on a candidate during discussions March 9 and March 11.

“There seemed to be a deadlock, and I had previously talked with all the commissioners when they were running for their seats and I thought ‘Well, I think I can get along with those people,”’ Hill said.

Mayor William Coughlin first nominated Hill for the seat in discussions March 25, with Commissioner Dean Davis and Vice Mayor Eric may also in support.

Commissioner Larry Travis was the one dissenting vote against Hill, instead nominating Jessica Hall and Byran Williams for the seat.

“I have great respect for Mr. Hill; I think he’s very qualified, but I also think I want to point out Mr. Williams is qualified,” Travis said. “If we’re looking for a fiscal conservative and all the things that go with it, I think Byran also has great qualifications.”

But with three votes for Hill, the seat was filled with minimal discussion or debate between commissioners.

Hill moved to High Springs from England in 1958 to work as an accountant for one of High Springs’ oldest businesses, Loncala.  He served on the city commission from 1994 to 2001 and held one term as mayor.

He said his plan for his time on the dais now will be to focus on budgetary concerns and fiscal issues.

“My strength, I suppose, is in finance,” Hill said. “And since I have had the past experience I feel that I can adjudicate on anything that comes along. I know this is going to be a very tight budget year, and I have headed up the commission before when we have gone through the budget.”