[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6299572,"mediaKeyId","2496744-cd1c669783b36df7dcc92664eefdf913","parentId",2496744,"title","Public commenter accuses council member Noah Walker of misconduct and demands apology during Lake City meeting","audioSeconds",173,"startMs",533000,"endMs",706000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2496744-cd1c669783b36df7dcc92664eefdf913&start=533&end=706","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2496744-cd1c669783b36df7dcc92664eefdf913/thumbnail_533000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6299572/Lake-City/Columbia-County/Florida/Public-commenter-accuses-council-member-Noah-Walker-of-misconduct-and-demands-apology-during-Lake-City-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6299572-e5a9f29f13e48c0ae69082ee0951da3f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213668&Signature=eE9leOEkI70G6igulBVP3bqpxuHapnFJFXKM1NLWh6xa08fY8dps8H93q5iroBIqp2T49YyEb1KAFfxfgQkzaKlY-euaJXCD6DWFSxjUpn6QPTi5D9S2Rom5tXeTNU-47Dh9sKMue0ZOO05tWKwiJgcLJZDs8AdUPvmjjgQ3gGzSFIBPo-47MHQX6rv-hHfBxbwieLmP-ypcuJfuNuOLM2qsVyk7~MRfD6L2f-HmhItgoyNSFkUBriYXSdEa1MTsozc3TXtliXKfMB4xITGapm~-3uVvZ-ZIspPHBDZi4FH6cL6w79Y4ZzIz~d7Q47EeBlULRCTAqL3oa~f-NpAfig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Lake City, FL","date","2025-03-04T12:10:16Z","article","During the public comment portion of the Lake City Council meeting on March 3, resident Sylvester Warren III accused Noah Walker of abusing his role two weeks earlier and demanded a public apology to a community member identified as Mr. Bowden.

Warren said Walker \"abused the true purpose of the gather for his own personal ambition and amusement\" and that \"Noah Walker thinks his sense of pride, white privilege, and superiority justifies his misguided actions toward mister Bowden, whom he owes a public apology.\" He described Mr. Bowden as \"a legend, a pioneer among the black community,\" and warned the council he would press the matter again at a future meeting.

Warren spoke during the public-participation slot the council had opened earlier; no other members of the public had signed up that evening. After Warren concluded, the mayor thanked him and the meeting moved to scheduled presentations.

The remarks were made during public comment and did not produce any formal council action during the meeting.

The council did not respond substantively during the meeting beyond a brief acknowledgment; no apology or follow-up action was recorded on the meeting agenda.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","March 3, 2025- City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","During public participation, Sylvester Warren III called for a public apology from Noah Walker, criticized Walker's conduct toward a community member, and warned of further action at future meetings.","taxTitle","Lake City, Columbia County, Florida","taxId",56856,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6299577,"Lake City council nominates Lisa Morrison as council-appointed trustee for municipal firefighters pension",197,3533000,3730000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2496744-cd1c669783b36df7dcc92664eefdf913&start=3533&end=3730","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2496744-cd1c669783b36df7dcc92664eefdf913/thumbnail_3533000.jpg","/articles/6299577/Lake-City/Columbia-County/Florida/Lake-City-council-nominates-Lisa-Morrison-as-council-appointed-trustee-for-municipal-firefighters-pension","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6299577-70164e2b4bc5cb9f4209d15d4113f3a5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213668&Signature=LxTD0zcLXVYMvHcno~L1d121RnlgbqaV9ssc9SlcbhlwISJ3L~2KwE3Uv68kZs19oGii52mn9njjYNi3YAoIJrOz4ZIu~NiOHyKA1XrbDmM9dwg9YraapahqO6JrV7fMXswb62gW5lEohsuPrnfB8EEn7bkQtCSAQGBMKKpIoWrSJJ8eFW6eIPyBvgJG94fWfXaRxUbFRgLVi3Bdun1MUDorexr5ROWHy1wJkLgm5AjCa06tg3FSPvJRGHCmWwL~PWk7DRkVIlZ9Iqc4-usAxWiy0~k6CKk0UBTiFAwJFq2sJx-f40yOc0nQ1BBuyHbpNK3X1RKmmGriBhrEyXgsOw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lake City Council on March 3 nominated Lisa Morrison to serve as the council-appointed trustee on the City of Lake City's Municipal Firefighters Pension Trust Fund and directed staff to return with the formal appointment resolution.

Council member Carter moved to nominate Lisa Morrison and the motion was seconded; the council voted unanimously to forward the nomination (Jernigan: yes; Carter: yes; Jones: yes; Harris: yes; Mayor Walker: yes). Council clarified the action on the record as a nomination and asked staff to prepare a resolution for formal appointment at a future meeting.

A council member said the firefighters' pension board had initially requested that the council appoint a city employee who also resides in the city. The council’s motion nominated Lisa Morrison; staff will draft the resolution implementing that nomination and bring it back to the council for formal approval.

There was no public comment on the item.

Staff will prepare a resolution to effect the appointment and present it for council approval at a subsequent meeting.","The council nominated Lisa Morrison to serve as the council-appointed trustee to the city’s municipal Firefighters Pension Trust Fund and asked staff to prepare a resolution confirming the appointment.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6299581,"Lake City council ranks Sunrise Consulting Group first in RFP for state lobbying; authorizes staff to negotiate with ranked firms",2831,709000,3540000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2496744-cd1c669783b36df7dcc92664eefdf913&start=709&end=3540","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2496744-cd1c669783b36df7dcc92664eefdf913/thumbnail_709000.jpg","/articles/6299581/Lake-City/Columbia-County/Florida/Lake-City-council-ranks-Sunrise-Consulting-Group-first-in-RFP-for-state-lobbying-authorizes-staff-to-negotiate-with-ranked-firms","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6299581-5e612a9c0f818b65caf103d99bb5d662/orig.mp4?Expires=1771213668&Signature=JEh0QsE4s6mam7N9SndHp9VCpp5bpA~68FMX6I8d2PHIJKVG9JRhiygKX2VpKhurs-SsJawvuqj5ciuFpT~2sFsedKObSLqs0Ze2FPmENZh8K3ViNosx2uXHOC6OK5WS6kVS~qrUr7C413xgR3FPmzQqrpPVgukQ8bRbW-NKbQfqJ-YLAdbjwj2Nz0Pk1~MZulMNzMEXs3gbHOZ20CTdmUVBJrMNNs11ZICrxG12B8nvbp7a46j~IAsFiXxYPj7JbVM7MiN~UI3NS2flDLLDpaS2WMs7RIwPqkhSUk00WVq1nf2GTPqtG8Ea2md8YdOZJsfg6JtYRhGsVWWRBqtjoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lake City Council voted March 3 to authorize staff to begin contract negotiations with the council's top-ranked choice for state lobbying services and, if those talks fail, to proceed down the ranked list.

RFP 0072025, seeking state lobbying services, drew seven proposals; an evaluation committee shortlisted three firms for live presentations. The council heard presentations from an advocacy-focused firm (listed in meeting materials as the advocacy group), Sunrise Consulting Group and Johnson and Blanton before private scoring and a public tally.

Council member Jernigan moved the authorization, and Council member Carter seconded. The motion directs staff to negotiate with the top-ranked firm first and, if negotiations fail, to move to the second-ranked firm and then the third; the council voted unanimously to approve the direction (Jernigan: yes; Carter: yes; Jones: yes; Harris: yes; Mayor Walker: yes).

Sunrise Consulting Group received the lowest total score (7 points) and was named the council's first choice; Johnson and Blanton finished second (11 points) and the advocacy group finished third (12 points). The scoring method asked each council member to rank the three firms 1–3, with the lowest total determining the winner; staff scores would be used to break a tie if necessary.

Presenting firms described different strengths. Andrew Clell of Sunrise Consulting Group said the firm specializes in representing local governments and emphasized relationships with agency staff and legislative staff involved in appropriations and grants. \"I think my firm is the best choice for Lake City,\" Clell said during his presentation. John Johnson, founding partner of Johnson and Blanton, emphasized appropriations experience and said the firm is selective about municipal clients to avoid conflicts; a Johnson colleague summarized the firm's approach as: \"relationship is everything, and we believe that.\" Representatives of the advocacy-focused firm emphasized a senior-staff approach and bipartisan contacts in the legislature.

Council members who spoke during discussion said all three firms were qualified and described the choice as one of strategy: whether to prioritize a firm focused narrowly on municipal issues or a larger, bipartisan firm with broader corporate clients. Several council members said Sunrise's local-government focus and price point made it their top pick.

Staff will return to council with a negotiated contract for approval once negotiations conclude, or with a recommendation to open negotiations with the next-ranked firm if talks with the top choice fail.","After hearing three presentations for RFP 0072025, the Lake City Council ranked Sunrise Consulting Group first and voted to authorize staff to negotiate with the top-ranked firm, then the second choice if negotiations fail.","actionData","errors"]

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Public commenter accuses council member Noah Walker of misconduct and demands apology during Lake City meeting

Lake City council nominates Lisa Morrison as council-appointed trustee for municipal firefighters pension

Lake City council ranks Sunrise Consulting Group first in RFP for state lobbying; authorizes staff to negotiate with ranked firms