FORT WHITE, Fla. (WCJB) - The Town of Fort White remains without an interim town clerk after council members ended a special meeting Wednesday without selecting a replacement for former Town Clerk Joe Helfenberger.
Helfenberger resigned earlier this month after serving in the part-time position for about three months, citing the “environment and circumstances” surrounding the job.
At Wednesday’s meeting, council members said they have identified two potential candidates, one referred through a temporary staffing agency and another from a previous application, but neither was ready to be considered for the position. The council plans to meet again on Monday to continue its search.
In the meantime, the council unanimously approved authorizing Assistant Town Clerk Kelly MacPherson to process payroll to ensure town employees continue receiving paychecks while the clerk’s position remains vacant.
Much of the discussion centered on MacPherson, with several residents questioning why she has been entrusted with many of the town clerk’s responsibilities but has not been appointed interim clerk.
Resident Harriett Grady showed support for MacPherson.
“Well I wanna see somebody that had some tenacity like Kelly does, somebody that had the backbone and the gonads, if you will, to stand up to these bullies and not let them intimidate her or him,” Grady said.
Grady also expressed frustration with the continued instability at Town Hall.
“I pray every night that God will intervene because I don’t see any other way, and if we have to continue doing this until November, it’s gonna be really, really sad and really hurtful to the town. They’re not helping the town at all by doing all this arguing and chaos,” she said.
Not everyone agreed MacPherson should serve as interim clerk.
In a statement provided to TV20, Councilman Lonnie Harrell shared his opinion on Macpherson:
On the other hand, Mayor George Thomas thanked McPherson for continuing to assist with daily operations during the transition.
The town clerk position has remained a focal point amid ongoing turnover at Fort White Town Hall. Over the past year, multiple employees have left their positions, and town leaders have continued working to stabilize operations.
Council members are expected to reconvene on Monday to consider candidates for the interim town clerk position.
