DeSantis appoints four to McIntosh Town Council after mass resignations

McIntosh Town Hall [George Lansing Taylor Jr./University of North Florida Digital Commons]

Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed four people to the McIntosh Town Council on Friday to fill the vacancies left by the mass resignations over the recent change in requirements for local officials’ financial disclosures.

Eva Callahan, William “Lee” Deadrick, Donald Medeiros and Richard Talbert were chosen by the governor to be the newest members of the town council.

Former councilmembers Mark Naworensky, Melinda Jones, Suzanne Sindledecker and Scott Mullikin resigned in December after the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 774, which requires mayors and governing elected officials to file Form 6, which requires disclosure of net worth and assets in greater detail.

Previously, the county commission members had to file Form 6 while city officials only had to file Form 1. The McIntosh Town Council members, along with officials from Reddick and Dunnellon, resigned citing privacy concerns over the increased requirement.

McIntosh Town Council Vice President Frank Ciotti, who has served since 2005, was on the board when appointees Callahan and Deadrick served their previous terms as council members. Ciotti and Mayor Marshall Roddy were the only elected officials left in McIntosh after mass resignations swept the county.

“It was such a great feeling to have a full council where we can pass legislation and continue the traditions of McIntosh,” Ciotti said.

Callahan rejoins the council after formerly serving as a member for 17 years. She is retired but formerly worked at the Florida Department of Health’s Administration and Medical Records Office. She has been a McIntosh resident for over 20 years and is currently the treasurer of the McIntosh Garden Club, according to the governor’s office.

“(Callahan) is really a particularly detailed individual,” Ciotti said.

Deaderick is also a former member of the McIntosh Town Council. He also serves on the Micanopy Area Cooperative School Board of Directors. With a bachelor’s degree in food science from the University of Florida, Deaderick is the owner of Northwest Seafood Inc., according to the governor’s office.

“(Deaderick) was born in McIntosh,” Ciotti said. “There are few people who we have serving who actually were born and raised in town.”

Medeiros, a U.S. Army veteran, is retired but formerly worked as a cross country coach and professor at the University of South Alabama. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Santa Clara and a doctorate in philosophy from Arizona State University, according to the governor’s office.

Talbert is the secretary of the city of Ocala Fire Museum Advisory Board and a part-time instructor at the Florida State Fire College. He is also a member of the McIntosh Lions Club. Talbert earned an associate degree from Eastern Florida State College. He was recognized as Florida Fire Chief of the Year by the Florida Cabinet in 2009, according to the governor’s office. 

With a full council again, Ciotti said the board can finally act and has its priorities set on making needed repairs.

“We have some water issues, we need to replace some pipes,” Ciotti said. “We’ll get an engineer out here now. We’ll be able to pass appropriate legislation where we can fund repair projects.”

Ciotti said while he understood why the previous council members resigned after Form 6 became mandatory, he wanted to continue serving his town no matter what.

“I’m not about to abandon the town for any reason, other than health or something more in depth,” Ciotti said. “I’m just going to keep trucking on.”