BY TRACY LEE TATE
Times Staff Writer
The city of Lake Butler has a new finance director/deputy city manager and he is a hometown boy who is happy to be working in the city where he was raised.
John A. Sapp (34) assumed his position on Aug. 1, 2022. He brings to the job both education and experience in the financial world. He is a Union County High School graduate and has also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting from St. Leo University and a Master of Arts in the same field from Western Governor’s University. He has worked for two auditing firms, spending about a year each at with Purvis Gray in Gainesville and Powell & Jones in Lake City. He was introduced to Lake Butler City Manager Dale Walker at a meeting and later was made aware of the position with the city opening up when former Finance Director/Deputy City Manager Michael Cotter left the position.
“I applied and was lucky enough to get the job,” Sapp said.
Sapp was born and raised in Lake Butler by parents John Wayne Sapp and Tammy Dukes. He has a younger sister, Tara Lynn Sapp, four years his junior. He met his wife, Dale Sapp, at church and the couple has now been married for 12 years. The couple has three children, Calvin (11), Sybil (9) and Lewis (7), as well as a chocolate lab named “Balto.”
When asked how he liked his new position, Sapp said that after two months he was enjoying it. He said his job entailed, he gave a list of duties that he was responsible for. Included on this list was reviewing the city finances and transactions for accuracy to ensure consistency and transparency and learning Walkers role so that he (Sapp) could fill in for Walker when a “confident and competent backup was needed). Sapp said he appreciated the team of professionals he worked with at the city and enjoyed the cooperative and helpful attitude of his co-workers.
When not at work, Sapp said his priority is family. He said he enjoys trips to the beach, other family time and a good steak. He said he also enjoys a good novel and listening to classic rock. He is quick to state, however, that is faith is a big part of his life – he is a professing and believing Christian. He and his family attend church regularly and read the Bible together at home.
“To state my priorities I would list family, church, work and school,” Sapp said. “I am at that season of life where you begin to set out your priorities for the present and future and these are mine, what is most important to me.”
Sapp said his primary work-goal is to be honest and excellent in his position and serve the people of the city to the best of his ability.
I love being in my hometown where I know most of the people I serve and work with,” Sapp said. “I intend to give this position my best and I will continue to work hard to make that best better.”
