Nickles resigns as Century's planner

"Please accept this letter of resignation in my position of Town Planner, effective Friday, December 29, 2017. I will continue to complete the projects currently underway. I appreciate the opportunity to have been a part of moving Century forward and the support I have received from the Town and Century residents over the past 30+ years," is what landed on Century Mayor Henry Hawkins' desk from Town planner Debbie Nickles the day following Century's last town council meeting on Monday, Dec. 18.

Nickles was present at the council meeting when the council approved charging Paces Foundation for Century Park Apartments the new water and sewer hookup fees of $180,250 instead of honoring the rate of $63,750 that Nickles and the then-Mayor Freddie McCall, Sr. had quoted two years ago when the project was presented to the council for consideration.

Nickles has been working for the town in a consulting position for more than three decades, beginning in 1985. She shares a history with the town of Century that reaches back to the mid 1980s.

"In 1985 I went to work for West Florida Regional Planning Council as a planner," said Nickles. "At that time, the West Florida Planning Council was providing a lot of technical assistance to Century under a contract to provide assistance. They had a CDBG housing grant at that time, and Joe Campus, who was administering that grant, asked me to help with Century on that CDBG housing grant. It just kind of went from there."

Nickles said the Florida Growth Management Act came along, and the town had to write a land development code and comp plan. Eddie Ross was mayor of Century.

In 1989 Mayor Ross asked the executive director of the planning counsel if Nickels would come to work at the town because they needed a planner, they had some things to do, and he thought she could help Century plan and achieve some goals.

"The director of the planning council told him to hire me to work with the town instead of contracting through the planning council," said Nickles.

Between 1989 and 1991, she began working directly with the town.

"Thats how I got to be a town employee with Century," said Nickles.

Around 1991, Century was working toward building a new town hall, installing a new sewer system, building a new police station, according to Nickles. She said she felt the town was moving along.

In 1990 Ross died, when Mayor Barnes took over, so she went back to the planning council, where she worked from about 1991 to 2007.

Nickles said that in 2007, she retired from the planing counsel.

"Then Freddie called me and asked if I would come in a consulting position," said Nickles. "I said yes, so since then, I have been working with the town."

Nickles said thats when she started her consulting group business, the Nickles Consulting Group.

"So it started as a per request needed (PRN) type situation and became a full time job," she said. "For 32 years, I've been working for that town. Unfortunately things have not worked out as I hoped."

Nickles said the council's decision to uphold the new rates was not the outcome she hoped for.

"That was the fee rate schedule at the time," she said. "You have to go by what your ordinance states.

We didn't have a crystal ball to see what the rates would be two years later. I can't help that those rates were from 1991."

Nickles is saddened at the thought of resigning from working with and for the town.

"I'm heartbroken," she said. "I've cried for two days now and I feel like I had no choice. There's been a lack of communication."

Nickles' influence on Century can be seen in the many projects she has worked on for the three decades she has spent working on improving Century.

"As far as grant-related improvements, there's probably $20 million worth," she said.

The list includes Showalter Park, the Tri City Little League Park on Church Street, a transportation grant to install the road into the Industrial Park, rural development grants, state grants, parts of Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and some drainage and housing projects.

Nickles' resignation has caused reactions from people in Century.

"There have been a lot of phone calls and people reaching out," said Nickles. "It's very gratifying that people care that much."

Councilman Ben Boutwell, who voted to approve the new rates, is hopeful Nickles may reconsider her resignation.

"I think it's sad that she is resigning under the circumstances," said Boutwell. "She has done so much for the town the past 30 years, I wish she would stay on. I know she has projects she will finish. She has generated a lot of improvements, done a lot for the town and has been a vital asset to the town."

Councilwoman Ann Brooks was the only council member who voted no to approve the new rate.

"I'm very sad about her resignation," said Brooks. "Its a tremendous loss for the town, I'm hopeful that she might change her mind. It's very discouraging for her professional opinion to be attacked the way it was. The mayor just doesn't work with her either."

Century Mayor Henry Hawkins was unavailable for comment at time of press.