AVON PARK — Groundbreaking for Avon Park Executive Airport's new terminal building should begin within 30 days. Airport Manager C.B. Shirey said that he was hoping it would be completed by Sept. 30, the end of the city's fiscal year. The building will be the ...more

May 8, 2008

SEBRING — Leadership is changing hands as the men who have run Highlands County, Sebring and Avon Park for more than 10 years step down. C.B. Shirey, who served as Avon Park city manager for 11 years, moved to the role of manager of Avon Park Executive Airport in January. Carl Cool, county administrator, will retire May 31 after 17 years. Bob Hoffman, city administrator of Sebring, will retire June 30 after almost 18 years in the position. They swear they didn't plan it like that. "It's just happenstance," Cool said. "We might have joked about it, but it just turned out that way." ...more

February 10, 2008

AVON PARK – A water main burst near the Avon Park Executive Airport early this morning, causing outages throughout most of the city's water system. ...more

February 7, 2008

AVON PARK — The Avon Park City Council decided to form a seven-member committee to recommend a new police chief from the 61 applications the city received. In creating the committee, the council decided to fill the police chief's position before they found a new city manager, using the committee's recommendations to help interim City Manager Sarah Adelt pick out Frank Mercurio's successor. The city has not begun advertising for the city manager's position. ...more

January 16, 2008

AVON PARK — C.B. Shirey stepped down as Avon Park's city manager to become the Avon Park Executive Airport's first dedicated airport manager. According to the text of a resolution unanimously passed by the city council on Wednesday, Shirey will continue to "provide his service and expertise and allow a smooth transition to (the interim) city manager" for the next 60 days. City Clerk Sarah Adelt will assume Shirey's old duties until the city hires his replacement. Even though three of the five council members criticized Shirey's performance as a city manager in his evaluation last month, the council agreed that Shirey should take on the smaller role. Council members were a bit concerned at first about whether Adelt could run the city in the meantime. ...more

January 3, 2008

AVON PARK — Officials with the Avon Park Executive Airport are in the early stages of planning a new terminal building. They recently found a contractor, Orangewood Builders, to build the building. Currently, the city also has grants lined up for the construction. ...more

December 27, 2007

AVON PARK — The city's search for a new police chief could be put on hold if City Manager C.B. Shirey becomes the Avon Park Executive Airport's manager next month. Shirey said that the council would instead try to find his replacement before they fill the vacant police chief position. He had no estimate on how long this could take, saying it depends on how quickly the city begins advertising the open position. The Avon Park Police Department has had its police chief position vacant since late September, when then-Police Chief Frank Mercurio was forced to resign. Since then, Shirey received 60 applications for the position. APPD Cmdr. Michael Rowan, who has assumed Mercurio's old duties while the city was searching for a new chief, said he did not expect this delay to have any further impact on the department. ...more

December 21, 2007

AVON PARK — City Manager C.B. Shirey applied to be the Avon Park Executive Airport's manager Tuesday, a move that could force him to resign as the city manager if he were hired. The city council could hire him as early as Jan. 2 when they have their next meeting. If he is hired, Shirey might continue acting as the city manager until a replacement is found. Shirey announced his intentions Monday. Some council members became aware of Shirey's plans only the morning before the meeting. They would have hired Shirey that day, but Shirey did not complete the application until Tuesday. ...more

December 12, 2007

AVON PARK — City Manager C.B. Shirey offered to apply to become the Avon Park Executive Airport's manager Monday, a move that would force him to resign as the city manager if he is hired. ...more

December 11, 2007

AVON PARK — John Barben admits the Avon Park Executive Airport is troubled. As it bled more than $3.8 million in state grants since the 2005-2006 fiscal year ending Sept. 30, it generated only about $345,000 in business revenue. ...more

October 11, 2007