REDDICK — The introduction of the Form 6 requirement has led to a long list of resignations from the governing bodies of Florida's small municipalities.

The latest example is the Town of Reddick, where the entire town council and the mayor have turned in their resignation letters.

Randy Klein, of the Klein & Klein law firm, serves as the town's attorney. He told a Star-Banner reporter on Wednesday that he had the resignation letters from the five council members and the mayor. Klein said the letters were dated between Dec. 29 and Dec. 30.

Klein said one letter indicated the reason for resignation was the Form 6 requirement. He said if he had to guess, he would say they all left because of Form 6.

"No one wants to see it disappears," Klein said, making mention of the Town of Reddick.

Form 6

The six who have decided to leave early are: Mayor John Vetter; council President Steven K. Rogers; and council members Martha Cromwell, Shirley Youmans, Nadine Stokes and Myra Sherman.

Neither the mayor nor council members could be reached for comment on Wednesday.

The lawyer said the only person who has not resigned is Town Clerk Marjorie Stroup. Though she's elected, she doesn't have to fill out the controversial form, Klein said.

As of Jan. 1, council members are required to fill out Form 6, which lists their assets and liabilities. The form can be accessed by the public.

Other office holders who have resigned have called the form an invasion of their privacy and have signaled their strong opposition.

Last week, four of the five McIntosh town council members submitted their resignation letters. And, in the city of Dunnellon, the mayor and a council member walked away from their positions, citing Form 6.

So far, no other Marion County elected officials have left office because of Form 6. Anyone who wanted to vacate their positions had to do so before Jan. 1.

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A brief history of the Town of Reddick

Klein said although there are no longer any elected officials in the town, it continues to operate because the clerk has authorization to sign checks so the town can pay its bills. Klein said the town currently cannot enter into new contracts.

According to its website, Reddick was founded in 1882 and is located in northwest Marion County. The website notes the council meets the first Thursday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at the Reddick Community Center.

"Reddick is proud that it has no municipal taxes and is one of only three municipalities in the State of Florida that is debt free. The Town is a community of people living and working together and caring for one another. And we hope it will always be," according to the website.

The website also states: "There will be an informational meeting Thursday, January 4th, at 7:00 pm for residents of the Town of Reddick. Meeting will take place at the Community Center, 4345 NW 152nd St., Reddick, FL, for the purpose of updating everyone of the current status of the Town of Reddick."

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For now, Klein said he hopes residents will be willing to serve the town. He said council members are not paid and the elections are staggered. He also said that the seats of three council members are up for election in April.

Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com

A 56-year-old man was arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office after he was accused of robbing a local gas station at gunpoint and stealing approximately $165 worth of cigars.

On Wednesday, an MCSO corporal and multiple deputies responded to the Circle K gas station located at 17980 N Highway 441 in Reddick in reference to an armed robbery that had just occurred.

Upon arrival, the corporal interviewed two convenience store employees/victims who provided corroborating statements, and the deputies viewed the store’s video surveillance footage, according to the MCSO report.

Both victims told the corporal that they were outside the convenience store when they observed the male suspect, later identified as David Wayne Navarro, approaching the gas station shortly before 5 a.m. The report stated that one of the victims entered the convenience store and walked out of sight to the back of the store, and Navarro and the second victim entered the store moments later.

The second victim began interacting with Navarro as a potential customer. When the second victim approached the counter, Navarro allegedly displayed a revolver in his right hand, and he demanded “all of the cigars,” according to the MCSO report.

According to the second victim, Navarro was calm during the incident and advised that he “did not want to hurt anyone.” The second victim proceeded to hand Navarro approximately eight cartons of Cigarillo cigars in two plastic grocery bags. The MCSO report stated that the first victim emerged from the back of the store at this time, and Navarro fled from the store on foot.

An MCSO deputy was canvassing the area when Navarro was observed walking northbound on N Highway 441, just north of Highway 318 and the gas station. The MCSO report stated that Navarro matched the suspect that was viewed on the convenience store’s surveillance footage, and he also matched the description that was provided by both victims.

The MCSO report stated that after being read his Miranda rights, Navarro admitted that he had committed the robbery. He claimed that he was “struggling to breathe” due to a medical condition, and he had gone to the convenience store to take the cigars because they “help him breathe.”

During the post-Miranda interview, Navarro stated that the revolver was not loaded, and this was confirmed by the deputies when they retrieved the firearm. Navarro stated that he was “partially hoping he would get arrested” so he could go to jail for medical treatment, since the hospital discharged him on numerous prior occasions without helping him feel better, according to the MCSO report.

Navarro was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held on $50,000 bond. He is facing a felony charge for robbery with a firearm.

A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, October 10, according to jail records.

Lyon County High School’s Jack Reddick, a standout senior on the school’s basketball team, has recently made waves in the basketball community with his commitment to play Division I basketball at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU). Reddick’s decision comes after a remarkable journey with the Lyon County Lyons, during which the team has seen unprecedented success in recent years.

The Lyon County boys’ basketball program has been on a historic run over the past three seasons, seeking their third consecutive Second Region championship and a trip to Rupp Arena. With notable performances at the Sweet 16 in 2022 and 2023, the team has garnered attention as contenders for a state championship this season. Reddick has played a significant role in this success, contributing his skills and leadership to the team’s achievements.

Throughout the regular season, Reddick has showcased his talent on the court, averaging 15.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. His impressive performance includes making 59 3-pointers for the season, highlighting his scoring ability and versatility on the court.

“Whenever I first started talking to Coach Francis at Florida Gulf Coast University, I knew there was something there,” Reddick said. “As I started to build the relationship with Coach Chambers and the rest of the coaching staff, I knew that they were the right coaches for me.”

He emphasized the welcoming atmosphere he experienced during his visit to the campus.

“It all just felt like home. Everything about FGCU was exactly what I was wanting in a school.”

When asked about his academic aspirations, Reddick revealed his plans to study Entrepreneurship, citing FGCU’s renowned Entrepreneurship program as a key factor in his decision.

Looking ahead to his contribution to the team, Reddick expressed confidence in his versatility and ability to read the floor.

“What they liked most about me was my versatility, my ability to read the floor, and how I will do whatever it takes to win,” he stated.

“My visit to FGCU was perfect,” he said. “I got to see everything in a short time span. The way Coach Chambers ran practice, how all the coaches interacted with the players, how the players interacted with each other — it was all impressive.”

With his commitment to FGCU, Reddick is poised to embark on a new chapter in his basketball career while pursuing his academic goals. As he continues to hone his skills and lead Lyon County on their quest for success, Reddick’s dedication and determination serve as a testament to his promising future in collegiate basketball.

It is now official. All three of ‘The Three Amigos’ from the Lyon County basketball team will be continuing their basketball careers on the NCAA Division I level. The latest to make his announcement was Jack Reddick, who announced via social media post Wednesday morning that he would be attending Florida Gulf Coast University.

Reddick joins teammates Travis Perry and Brady Shoulders as Division I commits in what would have to be a historic accomplishment for a Kentucky small school basketball program. Perry is headed off to the University of Kentucky, while Shoulders will be playing at UT-Martin.

Florida Gulf Coast is located Fort Myers, Florida, and is a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. The move will Lyon County fans the chance to see him play fairly close to home on several occasions. Other members of the conference include Austin Peay, Lipscomb, Bellarmine, Eastern Kentucky, and North Alabama.

Reddick has been a big part of a history-making run for the Lyon County boys basketball program over the past three seasons. The Lyons are currently seeking their third straight 2nd Region championship and trip to Rupp Arena. The Lyons won a game at the Sweet 16 in 2022 and again in 2023, and are considered by many to be among the favorites to win a state championship this season.

Through the regular season this year, Reddick is averaging 15.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest. He has made 59 3-pointers for the season, which ranks second only to Travis Perry on the team.

It is now official. All three of ‘The Three Amigos’ from the Lyon County basketball team will be continuing their basketball careers on the NCAA Division I level. The latest to make his announcement was Jack Reddick, who announced via social media post Wednesday morning that he would be attending Florida Gulf Coast University.

Reddick joins teammates Travis Perry and Brady Shoulders as Division I commits in what would have to be a historic accomplishment for a Kentucky small school basketball program. Perry is headed off to the University of Kentucky, while Shoulders will be playing at UT-Martin.

Florida Gulf Coast is located Fort Myers, Florida, and is a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. The move will Lyon County fans the chance to see him play fairly close to home on several occasions. Other members of the conference include Austin Peay, Lipscomb, Bellarmine, Eastern Kentucky, and North Alabama.

Reddick has been a big part of a history-making run for the Lyon County boys basketball program over the past three seasons. The Lyons are currently seeking their third straight 2nd Region championship and trip to Rupp Arena. The Lyons won a game at the Sweet 16 in 2022 and again in 2023, and are considered by many to be among the favorites to win a state championship this season.

Through the regular season this year, Reddick is averaging 15.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest. He has made 59 3-pointers for the season, which ranks second only to Travis Perry on the team.

The old Reddick High School is shown on Northwest Gainesville Road in Reddick, Fla. on Monday, July 26, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

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The iconic yet dilapidated Reddick High School will face the wrecking ball after nearly 100 years of sentry duty near the town center on Northwest Gainesville Road.

On Tuesday, the Marion County School Board voted to accept the cost to demolish the old school building at just under $500,000. No immediate date was set for demolition, but Allstate Construction, which was awarded the contract, hopes to finish the job by early November, according to a letter to the school board.

While the structure has remained largely empty since the late 1960s, it’s become part of the town’s identity, even appearing as a pencil drawing on the town’s website.

“It’s very sad that the building has to be taken down. But at this point, it is an unsafe structure. We let it go too far. At this point, from what we heard from the engineer’s standpoint, it can’t be saved,” said Steven Rogers, Reddick city council president.

Rogers hoped the newer gymnasium addition could be saved.

“They put a new roof on it, and they redid the floor. They spent a lot of money on it, and our hope was that could be saved, somehow, but I don’t know if that is going to happen,” Rogers said. “We hate to see it go, but we’re resolved to the fact that it’s unsafe.”

The school board did not discuss saving any portion of the building.

During a July 22 school board workshop, Robert Knight, director of facilities for Marion County Public Schools, suggested moving forward with demolition as soon as possible to avoid increased costs.

At that same meeting, Nancy Thrower, Marion County School Board chairwoman, said it was time for the facility to go.

“It’s an eyesore for the people of Reddick,” Thrower said.

She hoped some of the brick from the original structure could be saved and used for a monument to the school or even sold to the public.

“Within reason, we would like to save some of that stuff,” Thrower said.

For Rogers, the decision hits home.

“I went to school there. I grew up right here in Reddick. It’s sad for me to see something like that get torn away,” he said.

Reddick High School was established in 1927 and graduated its last class in 1964. The school first opened in 1923, and through the years, several additions to the original building followed. The last was in 1936 when the gymnasium was built. In 1957 the school was renamed North Marion High School. The current North Marion High School building in Sparr was built in 1963, and the Reddick site closed the next year. The new North Marion consolidated with Anthony and Fort McCoy high schools.

While the structure may be ready to come down, the history remains.

Nancy Leitner, who attended Reddick High School, shared her memories and affinity for the school.

“Reddick High School was the social center for Northwest Marion County,” Leitner said. “Strong bonds formed between the students of Reddick High School.”

The school’s mascot was the Terriers.

“If you went to Reddick High School, you’re family,” Leitner said.

The next school reunion for the Reddick Terriers is set for April 22.