BY TRACY LEE TATE
Times Staff Writer
LAKE BUTLER— Richard Tillis, former Lake Butler City Manager and current interim city manager, has resigned effective immediately.
Tillis came on board with the city temporarily – he was retired and 81 years old – offering to work with the board long enough for them to understand the financial straits the city was in after the mismanagement of funds by the most recent city manager, Dale Walker and have the time to locate applicants and hire a new manager.
He cited his love for the city and the impulse to try and help it recover from financial disaster.
Had no idea what he had taken on
During Tillis’ tenure as interim manager, he agreed to several interviews and conversations with the Times and said he had no idea what he had taken on. He said that he was finding inappropriate spending, money transferred from account to account, and a maze of apparently intentional obfuscations of where the funds were going, including the inclusion of grant funds, which should have been segregated into special funds, included in the general fund to inflate the illusion that the city was on a firm financial footing.
With hours of pouring over three years of financial statements and eventual help from city auditors Powell and Jones, Tillis was able to determine the exact financial position of the city, and the picture was dismal. After determining the issues, Tillis then developed a budget for the city in the coming fiscal year, which, in his own words, was “the first time I have ever formulated a budget with no capital outlay planned for in any of the funds.” In his budget introduction, he stated that there was no extra money anywhere in the city coffers and that even the reserves had been spent. All three city funds were depleted below the state requirement for a governmental body to have enough in reserve to operate for three (with six being recommended) months without income in situations such as natural disasters.
Finance director also gone
Tillis said in an interview during his development of the budget that he had to work essentially from scratch because he had no reliable records to work from and that many of the amounts listed for various expenses had to be derived from researching the costs himself.
Tillis and Finance Director John Sapp worked on the budget for several months to try and make everything work as it should within the city’s means. The finished tentative budget document was austere and cut to the bone to keep city services at their current level, help the city begin to recover financially, and prepare for expenses coming in the future.
Tillis had initially tendered his resignation to be effective Aug. 30 but later chose to accelerate his departure to Aug. 22 in the face of a commission budget workshop set on that date.
He did not attend the workshop, and neither did Sapp, who has also resigned. At that meeting, the commission dissected the budget, with several line items needing to be explained to them by the city manager who served previous to Walker, Dave Mecusker (who was present in the audience), and another city employee.
Decades of reserves depleted
Below is Tillis’ resignation letter stating the reasons for his early departure. In this document, he explains in detail his reasons for his early exit and his regret that he is leaving a job unfinished.
The document, dated Aug. 16, 2023, was addressed to Lake Butler Mayor David Stegall and the Lake Butler City Commission members.
“I feel obligated to let the commission know that my last day of employment with the City of Lake Butler will be August 30, 2023. I also feel I have to provide reasons why I am leaving and can’t stay. I am disappointed that I was unable to finish my work and complete the goal set when I started. However, I am proud of the work I was able to accomplish, even in spite of continuous opposition, interference and micro-managing by one commissioner.
This is a problem not only for the manager, but for the commission as a whole. The city should know its financial condition, but I am not convinced that you really comprehend how bad the financial condition of the city really is. But you will by this time next year if you don’t make dramatic improvement. For almost three years there was no general oversight by the board over the city’s operations. Vast amounts of funds were allowed to be wasted and spent without restriction. Hundreds of thousands of dollars that it took the city literally decades to put aside as reserve funds, Gone!
‘We have a non-functional government’
I volunteered to come here at 81 years of age because I thought I could help. I had an eleven-year record of successful operation with this very city. I have been able to provide some help this time, but it has mostly been without board support.
Sure, many of you have expressed appreciation for what I’ve done, but I didn’t have your support! All of you know the problem, but you refuse to address it, and rather choose to ignore it. Hard decisions don’t come easy.
That is a failure by the board, not the manager. You each were elected to serve the best interests of the citizens and provide for the general welfare, health, safety and well-being of your constituents.
I don’t see that happening. Each of you are expected to have a voice in how that occurs, then after expressing that voice cast your vote independently on how you think the best interest of the city is served. That doesn’t happen.
One person is allowed to dominate the meeting and the discussion, and the rest simply follow along. We basically have a non-functional government, not serving the best interests of its citizens.
What I see is the inability to make key decisions when needed and when you are given the information you need to do so, but then failing to do so and tabling the matter.
When necessary, decisions aren’t made, and management can’t function well either.
‘I’m wasting my time
I feel I can’t be effective here any longer and I’m wasting my time. Interference and undue criticisms have already resulted in the loss of most of the city hall operating staff.
How long will you continue to be inactive? You need to protect the remaining staff. Be patient and caring. Their workload will be immense. Give them your support, not your criticism.
I don’t say this to be critical. I share this with you after working with functional, effective city governments for more than 35 years. I know how they should work. I share with you the benefit of what I have learned about city government during those 35 years.
It’s up to each one of you to make the needed improvement if it is to get better.
First, I think you need to decide if you want to operate a commission-city manager form of government.
Right now, it’s obvious some of you don’t. If you do, I suggest that every one of you immediately take the course offered by the Florida League of Cities, in person, not online, but face to face, for city commissioners. If you’ve already taken the course, do it again.
Apparently, the first time wasn’t enough. It will help you to do your job properly and effectively. You will not only be helped individually but how to function better as a group.
Time is short
Today, you are not operating as a commission-manager form of government. I would suggest this be done before you hire a new manager. Otherwise, he will be here for a very short period of time and will then be looking to leave.
These are reasons why I can’t continue to be a part of this environment. I truly do wish you success in the future for the sake of the citizens.”
Upon the receipt of this document, the Times attempted to contact the mayor, city commissioners, and Tillis and they either refused to comment at that time or were unavailable for comment.
The city is still conducting budget workshops and will also hold public hearings on the budget, all in the month of September.
The board recently voted to appoint Mayor David Stegall as acting city manager until it can locate and hire a “permanent” person to fill the post. The city is operating with no finance director at this time.
