Dave Murzin tackled his share of challenges, representing District 2 for eight years in the Florida House. None of the challenges compare to what he is stepping into as Century’s first town administrator.
- “There are multiple challenges we have,” said Murzin, who will be paid $112,000 a year plus benefits. “You can’t pay a bill online if you’re a century resident for any of the services. We need to fix that. That requires updating technology. We need to improve communication everywhere. That’s one of the things I’m going to do. I want to have some town hall meetings.”
The Century Town Council approved his appointment by a 3-1 vote on Tuesday, and this morning Murzin began his first day with an impromptu meeting with eight customers at the local Whataburger. Murzin said one of the customers recognized him from a newspaper article and invited him to meet with the group.
- “They started talking about how Century was and the challenges it faces,” Murzin said. “No. 1 is generational poverty. The poverty rate is tremendous here. Section 8 housing is the big thing. There haven’t been jobs here since the mill shut down. Now the way out is to join the military.”
Murzin said his priorities for the first 30 days on the job include meeting with Mayor Ben Boutwell, council members, employees, Century employers and veterans who live in the town. He said he wants to see how the town can grow, and he wants to make sure veterans are maximizing their potential benefits.
His Background
When he represented District 2 in the Florida House, Murzin prioritized health care, energy and tax reform. After he termed out in 2010, he ran for the Escambia County Commission District 2 seat held by Gene Valentino. He finished third with 22% of the vote behind Valentino (34%) and Karen Sindel (31%).
Before his 2002 election, Murzin served as a legislative aide to Florida House Majority Leader Jerry Maygarden. After leaving office, he served as Northwest Florida Director for State Sen. Greg Evers (2013-2016). He then served as the registered agent for State Rep. Michelle Salzman’s PAC, Committee to Protect Northwest Florida, until January 2024.
Murzin currently serves as the director of First Place Partners, helping with economic development in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. His future with First Place Partners is uncertain.
- “I don’t know who I would turn the keys over to,” Murzin said. “I don’t know how to separate those things yet, but I’m here to focus on Century.”
Century’s Challenges
Century needs every bit of his focus. Florida’s Joint Legislative Auditing Committee first raised a red flag in 2017 about its finances and the town has repeatedly failed to make corrections recommended in audits.
Audits have highlighted consistent cash flow problems, debts between town funds, recurring operating deficits, and questionable use of restricted money—such as when the general fund owed the special revenue fund nearly $3 million.
In 2019, a scathing Escambia County Grand Jury report released by then State Attorney Bill Eddins exposed severe financial mismanagement in the Town of Century, painting a picture of a local government in crisis.
Launched after citizen complaints, the investigation revealed shocking failures in the town’s utility operations. Century’s natural gas system has hemorrhaged customers—dropping from 1,000 to just 500—while posting massive losses exceeding $300,000 annually. Most alarming, the town failed to bill customers for nearly 42% of the gas flowing through its system in 2018.
The financial dysfunction extended beyond utilities. The town failed to cover payroll checks or federal withholding deposits, while routine bills went unpaid. A clerk’s dispute left utility customers without bills entirely. The grand jury issued 15 recommendations, including demands for a forensic audit and state investigations into misappropriated gas tax and sales tax funds.
Last year, FloridaCommerce pulled over $15 million in grant funding from Century for key projects like a hurricane shelter, bridges, and a community center, citing the town’s “financial and fiscal solvency issues.” The grants were redirected to Escambia County. This decision was based on years of audit findings and concerns about the town’s deteriorating financial condition and solvency.
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