Arnette House Regatta Boat Race
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 36
$2
Sept. 10
SEPTEMBER 9 - SEPTEMBER 15, 2022
Page B5
The Hotel Marion will return
City council appoints Peter Lee as city manager By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
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File photo: February 10, 2022 [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2022.
Plans to restore the Hotel Marion pass their first hurdle By Jennifer Hunt Murty jennifer@ocalagazette.com
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hen local philanthropists and real estate developers David and Lisa Midgett announced their intention to restore the tallest building in downtown Ocala back into a boutique hotel called The Hotel Marion, there was one big challenge: they needed to own all of the units in the historic structure. David Midgett told the Gazette recently that the couple has finally acquired ownership of every unit at the building,
located at 108 N. Magnolia Ave. “We had multiple hurdles to overcome, including owners who didn’t want to sell as well as a few title problems and code issues,’’ he said, “but our team was able to complete the acquisition phase earlier this month.” The Midgetts are finalizing financing with a local community bank and are building their list of partners to pull off the ambitious project. “We have entered into a Design/Build contract with See Hotel Marion, page A2
School board calls for new pathways into teaching By Caroline Brauchler caroline@ocalagazette.com
their three-year period is up, according to MCPS and the Florida Department of Education. fter Gov. Ron DeSantis While the board discussed opening proposed legislation to utilize pathways for out-of-field educated retired veterans and first candidates to become certified, some responders to teach in public members expressed that they in no school classrooms, one school board way want to lower the standards for member in Marion County questioned teaching certifications. why it’s still difficult for members of “I don’t ever want to minimize the other fields to become educators. work that our teachers have done Board Vice-Chair Allison Campbell and what they’ve done to become raised the issue at the September 1 certified teachers,” said Board Chair Administrative Briefing and Work Eric Cummings. “There’s a shortage of qualified people being in front of our Session regarding the training process students and being out there in the for those who have received a bachelor’s classroom. I don’t want to just ‘put the degree in a major not related to book out there,’ but I think the state has education. At a time where the district the ability to open up some pathways to is in critical need of educators, she get people in the classroom.” said she hopes for a way to more easily Board Member Nancy Thrower accommodate anyone who is qualified said she has personal experience to teach in a classroom to do so. with being hired as an educator after “I would like to see adjustments coming from outside of the field of on how that certification for teachers process looks for those [who are] education. Thrower received degrees changing careers,” said Campbell. “We in equestrian studies and psychology have some updates that from Lake Erie College have been happening with then pursued a career in veterans and those that education in 1997. She “We need to do what’s right for our have come forward in then worked at North community because having great recent legislation. What Marion High School as a paraprofessional until she hasn’t changed is the time schools is just what we need to have. became certified to teach requirements for those to That’s nonnegotiable.” receive certification…even full time. if they have a bachelor’s or “There’s a lot of Nancy Thrower School Board Member potentially have a master’s degree when it’s not in a See Teacher, page A5
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subject that is transferrable easily.” The discussion comes after the governor proposed several incentives for retired veterans and first responders to re-enter the workforce and ease the strain of a statewide teaching shortage. The proposals include incentives of fee waivers and bonuses, apprenticeship programs for those with associates degrees and a scholarship program for teachers of dual-enrollment courses, according to the governor’s office. For teaching candidates with a degree in education or the certification area desired, once the candidate passes all examinations and training necessary, they receive a certificate that may be renewed every five years. By comparison, someone who wishes to change careers to become an educator or who wishes to teach after earning a degree in a different subject matter will earn a three-year nonrenewable initial temporary certificate and will have to go through another extensive process to earn a renewable certification once
he Ocala City Council in a 4-1 vote named Peter Lee city manager at its Sept. 7 meeting, removing the interim tag the 20-year city employee has had since April 19 when he took over after the council fired City Manager Sandra Wilson. At the council’s Aug. 16 meeting, council members Jay Musleh and Barry Mansfield voiced support for making Lee the next city manager. There had been no public discussion up until that point, and the issue was set for the board’s Sept. 7 agenda. Council member James Hilty qualified his “no” vote with the recommendation that the council do a national search for the next city manager. “Nothing against Pete,’’ he said, “but I think we owe it to the citizens of Ocala to try to find the best candidate possible, so I think we should do national search.” Council member Kristen Dreyer indicated she had always intended to support a national search for a candidate, but after having worked with Lee for the last 20 weeks, she was confident he has the ability to lead the city. Council president Ire Beth indicated he wasn’t sure if council had the right person in Lee, but he was willing to give him the next two years to prove himself. Betha added, “We can always terminate him if he doesn’t work out, and we would be no further back than where we are now.” Ocala resident Brian Creekbaum was the only member of the public at the meeting to oppose the move and to recommend a national search. “I don’t think you can hire the best people unless you look for them. And I don’t think you can credibly claim you hired the best people unless you have looked for the best people,” said Creekbaum. Lee has worked for Ocala in the Growth Management department for 20 years. He made an assistant city manager on July 6, 2021. Lee’s base salary as city manager is $225,500. Under Ocala’s charter, the city council has the authority to hire and fire those serving in the positions of city manager, city auditor, city attorney, and city clerk. Except for the police department, which falls under the supervision of the mayor, the city manager has authority over all other city 1,100-plus employees. The city manager oversees Ocala’s almost $1 billion annual budget. The Ocala/Marion Chamber & Economic Partnership (CEP) had written a letter to the council in April after Lee’s interim appointment encouraging a national search. On Aug. 26, Kevin Sheilley, president and CEO of the CEP, sent an email to the city council indicating that the CEP board had agreed unanimously to once again encourage the council to conduct a nationwide search for a new city manager. He wrote: “We understand and know that Pete Lee has done a great job in the interim role and understand the desire by some Council members to dispense with a search. We think this would be shortsighted and ultimately unfair to both Mr. Lee as well as to the City. You want to know that you have the best candidate serving in this position and that he or she was chosen as the best candidate. A search affords you the opportunity to ensure that is the case and ultimately if Mr. Lee is the selection, to know that you truly have the best leader for our community. This request should in no way be seen as a slight to Mr. Lee but, on the contrary the belief that by going through the process and by giving his application the strong review it deserves, you are securing both his and the community’s success. Musleh closed the discussion with a reminder to the CEP that the city council members were elected by the public to guide the city in these decisions, not the CEP.
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