City Council - Regular Meeting

Welcome everyone to the city council regular session of May 4th, 2026. If you will um stand for the pledge of allegiance. is being pro uh is being produced by Cadet Command Sergeant Major Basalo and Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Carter and the ROC of CHS.

The flag of the United States of America to the republic for one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. If you'll please bow your heads with me. Lord, heavenly father, thank you for another beautiful day in our city of Lake City. And Lord, please help us at this dis make decisions that are beneficial to the citizens now and in the future of our beautiful town. In your name I pray. Amen.

Amen. Guard right forward. Thank you very much for that special presentation to the CHS JOTC. [applause]

Miss Sykes, will you please call the role? Council [clears throat] member Jernigan, present. Council member Harris, present. Young, here. Council member Carter, present. Mayor Walker, present. City Manager Rosenthal here. City Attorney Martin here. Chief Butler. Ladies and gentlemen, the Lake City Council has opened its public meeting. Since 1968, the city code has prohibited any person from making personal, impertinent, or slanderous remarks or becoming boisterous while addressing the city council. Yelling or making audible comments from the audience constitutes boisterous conduct. Such conduct will not be tolerated. There is only one approved manner of addressing the city council and that is to be recognized and then to speak from the podium. Failure to abide by the rules of decorum will result in removal from the meeting. I will now entertain an approval of the agenda

to approve. Mayor second. Thank you both. Do we have any further discussion? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Any opposed? Like sign.

All right. Agenda is approved. We're moving on to proclamations, awards, recognitions. First and foremost, uh this is not on the agenda, but I'm going to recognize the ROC and and ask them to come say a couple words before we get into these proclamations. Thank you, fellas. Good evening. Uh I'm a Lieutenant Colonel retired Austin Acres. I'm the senior Army instructor over at Columbia High School. And um we were offered an opportunity to come do the color guard this evening and we didn't want to uh miss the opportunity to introduce ourselves. I've been at JRTC at Columbia High School for three years now as a senior instructor and partner with first Trina Demer which I think several of you know and actually going to turn it over to our cadet leadership. I think it's appropriate that they speak to you all tonight and introduce themselves and just tell you a little bit about our program. [snorts] Good evening, Mayor and City Council members. I'm truly honored and humbled to stand before you all this evening. My name is Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Carter, the battalia commander for next year, and I'm proud to represent the Army JOTC program at Columbia High School here in Lake City. Our [clears throat] fighting our fighting tiger battalion has over 50 years of excellence, consistently earning honor unit with distinction and award- giving the programs ranked in the top 10% nationwide. But more important than awards in our mission, developing young people into confident, disciplined citizens with a clear plan for life after high school. Stated simply as to motivate young people to be better citizens. Our cadets are involved in a wide range of competitive and leadership teams including Raiders, drill team, archery, rifle, academic leadership, and our color guard. These programs challenge students physically, mentally, and academically, helping them grow in teamwork, resilience, and responsibility. This year, the Raiders and drill team made the state championship, as well as the archery team that goes to the North Florida championship this Friday to defend their title from last season. Beyond the school, our cadets proudly serve this community. Each year, they complete hundreds of hours community service. We maintain strong partnerships

with organizations like the American Legions and our cadetses help place veteran crosses and flags to honor those who serve. Service and respect are at the core of everything we do. Now I'll turn it over to our cadet command sergeant major Alberto Basalo. [snorts] Good evening.

My name is Cadet Command Sergeant Major Alberto Basalo with the battalian command sergeant major. for next year. This fall, we will host our 25th anniversary 911 memorial march and a flag ceremony at Columbia High School. We will be honored to have members of the city council and the mayor's office attend. We will also respectfully request support in involving our local emergency services, including fire, EMS, and police. in order to help make this event even more meaningful for our comm students and the community. Finally, as our program continues to grow, we are seeking support in a form of an enclosed trailer and replace golf cart to help transport equipment and support our teams. Any assistance, whether through funding, partnerships, or community connections would make a significant difference for our cadetses. Thank you for your time, your service to our city, and your continued support of the young people we are working to develop into the next generation of leaders. Thank you. Gentlemen and uh ma'am, it is us who are humbled and honored to be before you tonight. Thank you very much and thank you for your future service. We appreciate you guys very much. Please give them another round of applause. [applause]

Thank you very much. A special way to start the meeting. Do you want to take a photo with all of them?

Yeah. Hey, before you guys leave, um, if you guys would stay around, we're going to be doing proclamations and at one point I would like for the whole of the board to have a photo with you before or right after we finish these proclamations. Does that make sense? Thank you very much. All right. Now, we will move into our uh proclamations and recognitions and we will begin with drinking water week May 3rd through 9th of 2026. The proclamation is as follows. Drinking Water Week, May 3rd through 9th, 2026. Whereas water is our most valuable natural resource. And whereas drinking water serves a vital role in daily life, serving an essential purpose to health, hydration, and hygiene needs for the quality of life of our citizens enjoy. And whereas tap water delivers public health protection, fire protection, support for our economy, and the quality of life we enjoy. And whereas the hard work performed by the entire water sector, designing capital projects, operators, ensuring the safety and quality of drinking water, or a member of a pipe crew, maintaining the infrastructure communities rely on to transport highquality drinking water from its source to consumers taps. And whereas increased in awareness of public health has emphasized the importance of drinking water for health, hydration, and hygiene needs. And whereas we are all stewards of the water infrastructure upon which current and future generations depend. And whereas the citizens of our of our city are called upon to protect water to protect our source waters from pollution, practice water conservation, and get involved with their water by familiarizing themselves with it. Now therefore, I, no walker, mayor of the city of Lake City, do hereby proclaim May 3rd through the 9th, 2026 as drinking water week in the city of Lake City. And Mr. Osborne, if you'll come forward, we'll all get a photo with you.

is the director of our water utility. Awardw winning water before we'll go ahead and thank you to Florida and we're working on this year's Floral Association plan of the year. So we'll know about that in July. [applause] We'll just get right over A little bit of Right. Now on to our second proclamation of the evening is Municipal Clerk's Week, May 3rd through 9th, 2026. Whereas the office of the municipal clerk, a time-honored and vital part of local government, exists through the world. And whereas the office of the municipal clerk is the oldest among public servants. And whereas the office of the municipal clerk provides the professional link between the citizens, the local governing bodies, and agencies of government at other levels. And whereas municipal clerks have pledged to be ever mindful in their neutrality and

impartiality, rendering equal service to all. And whereas the municipal clerk serves as the information center on functions of local government and community. And whereas municipal clerks continually strive to improve the administration of the affairs of the office of the municipal clerk through participation in education programs, seminars, workshops, and annual meetings of their state, province, county, and international professional organizations. And whereas it is most appropriate that we recognize the accomplishment of this m office of the municipal clerk. Now therefore, I Noah Walker, mayor of the city of Lake City, Florida, do hereby recognize the week of May 3rd through the 9th, 2026 as municipal clerk's week and further extend appreciation to our municipal clerk Audrey Sykes and Deputy Clerk Michelle Cannon and all and to all municipal clerks for the vital services they perform and their exemplary dedication to the communities they represent. Thank you. [applause]

We should probably make this one easier if you want. We'll do it back here if you guys want. Michelle, come on up.

[laughter] Sorry. I'll I'll hold this here. You guys, that was easy, Mr. Mayor. Yeah. Sorry about that. Probably wasn't camera on the right and the one on the left. Perfect. Thank you very much. Congratulations. Thank you very much. [applause]

Thank you. Now, once more, can Michelle get up and speak or get up and speak on on that, too? Would you like to would you like to share a couple words? Be nice. Well, we'll just [laughter] You kind of put us on the spot. One of the biggest accomplishments that we had this year was um last uh fall I did graduate with um the Florida certified professional clerk certification. There's only um I think uh 18 or 19 of us in the entire state of Florida. So I'm quite proud of that. It took me just shy of two years to get that accomplished. So um that's probably one of the biggest accomplishments I'll say that our office had this past year. So [applause] very nice.

Thank you, Mr. Jernigan, for catching me on that. I appreciate that. All right. Um, one final proclamation on the evening and that is National Police Week May 10th through the 16th, 2026. Whereas the Congress and President of the United States have designated May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which it falls as National Police Week. And whereas the members of law enforcement agency of the city of Lake City play an essential role in safeguarding the rights and freedoms of the citizens of the city of Lake City. And whereas it is important that all citizens know and understand the duties, responsibilities, hazards, and sacrifices of their law enforcement agency. And that members of our law enforcement agency recognize their duty to serve the people by safeguarding life, property, and protecting them against violence and disorder. and by protecting the innocent against deception and the weak against oppression. And whereas the men and women of the law enforcement agency of the city of Lake City increasingly un unceasingly provide a vital public service. Now therefore, I, Noah Walker, mayor of the city of Lake City, Florida, call upon all citizens of the city of Lake City, and upon all patriotic, civic, and educational organizations to observe the week of May 10th through the 16th, 2026, as National Police Week, with appropriate ceremonies and observances in which all of our people may join in commemorating law enforcement officers, past and present, who, by their faithful and loyal devotion to their responsibilities, have rendered and dedicated service to their communities and in doing so have established for themselves an enviable and enduring reputation for preserving the rights and security for all citizens. I further call upon all citizens of the city of Lake City to observe Friday, May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day in honor of those law enforcement officers who through their courageous deeds have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their

community or have been become disabled in the performance of duty. And let us recognize and pay respect to the survivors of our fallen heroes. Thank you very much. Chief, if you'll come forward, [applause] come back here.

No, no, no. We'll do this easy. [clears throat] They came over here. All right, a few words. [clears throat] Thank you, mayor. Uh, first like the opportunity to thank the men and women of the Lake City Police Department. Uh, they do an outstanding and a tireless job and they make me look good. And I'd also like to thank the community and the city council for the support over the years of the police department and I look forward to working with the council in the future. Thank you.

Thank you, Chief. [applause] All right. Uh, now number four, Vice Mayor Young, do you want to introduce this one? I prefer I we could skip this one if we want. I'd be okay with that.

We're going to do this one. Vice um I'm sorry. Mayor Walker was presented the 2026 Home Rule Heroes Award at the Swan River League of Cities meeting in Live in April of 2026. The Florida League of Cities is proud to recognize the 2026 Home Rule Hero Award recipients, a distinguished group of local government leaders who went above and beyond during the legislative session to advocate for Florida cities. I, Vice Mayor Young, presents this award on behalf of Swany River League of Cities. And it reads for being a champion in the defense and protection of municipal home rule. The Florida League of Cities presents the 2026 home rule hero Tamale Noah Walker, city of Lake City. And this is presented on behalf of Holly D. Smith, vice mayor, city of Santael, president, Florida League of Cities Incorporated, and J. Jeanie Garner, executive director and CEO, Florida League of Cities Incorporated. And I present [applause] It's okay.

See how you video it? Yeah, [laughter] those extended cuts. [laughter] Congratulations. I think I think that uh there's a fair if not all five of us could probably uh probably deserve this award. So, thank you very much for the presentation. I think that we're all home real heroes on this on this D. So, thank you guys very much. All right. Uh that moves us from our our uh proclamations, awards, and recognitions to public participation. We didn't have anybody sign up for public participation uh this evening. So, we will move straight to the approval for the consent agenda. So, approval. Mayor, [snorts]

we have a motion and a second. Thank you both. Uh, do we have any discussion or questions, comments? Hearing none, Miss will you please call the role on the approval of the consent agenda? Mr. Turnigan, yes. Miss Harris, yes. Miss Young, yes. Mr. Carter, yes. Mayor Walker, yes. All right, that takes us to, if you're following along with your agendas, down to item number 11, uh, open public hearing on the city council ordinance number 2026-2360. Mr. Martin, I'll turn it over to you.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor, council members. I have before you ordinance number 2026 2360 on second and final reading an ordinance of the city of Lake City, Florida amending the text of the city of Lake City comprehensive plan as amended pursuant to an application CPA 2602T by the growth management department of the city of Lake City, Florida under the amendment procedures established in sections 163.3161 through 163.3248 Florida statutes as amended providing for amending the intergovernmental coordination element of the comprehensive plan by adding Objective 7.9 entitled joint planning area and interlocal service boundary agreement to the intergovernmental coordination element making findings of fact in support thereof providing severability repealing all ordinances in conflict and providing an effective date.

Thank you Mr. Martin. [clears throat] We don't have any public participation signed up for item number 11. So, we will move uh into DIS questions, comments, or I'll entertain a motion to adopt city council ordinance number 2026-2360 on final rating. Mr. Mayor, move to approve city council ordinance 2026-2360. Second. Motion a second. Thank you both. Do we have any uh final questions, comments from the council hearing? None. Miss Sykes, will you please call the role? Mr. Carter? Yes. Miss Young? Yes. Mr. Jernigan? Yes. Miss Harris? Yes. Mayor Walker? Yes. Now we'll move on to item number 12. City Council Ordinance number 2026-2361. Uh Mr. Martin, will you please take this one away?

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Council members, you have before you ordinance number 2026 2361 on second and final reading. An ordinance of the city of Lake City, Florida, amending the text of the city of Lake City comprehensive plan is amended pursuant to an application CPA 2603T by the growth management department of the city of Lake City, Florida under the amendment procedures established in sections 163.3161 through 163248 Florida statutes as amended providing for amending policy 1.1.2 two of the future land use element under mixed use by changing the minimum percentage of non-residential uses from 50 to 15. The maximum residential uses from 40 to 75, adding requirements to the open space areas, and by changing the residential density limits from 10 to 40 dwelling units based on gross acreage of the overall residential portion of the proposed mixeduse land use classification. providing I'm sorry making findings of fact in support thereof providing severability repealing all ordinances in conflict and providing an effective date.

Thank you Mr. Martin. Uh at this time I do not have anybody signed up for public participation on this item either. So we will move straight into uh council comments, questions, or I'll entertain a motion to adopt city council ordinance number 2026-2361 on final reading. Mr. Mayor, move to adopt city council ordinance 2026-2361. Second. Have a motion and a second by Vice Mayor. Thank you very much. Uh, any further questions or comments? Hearing none, Miss S, will you please call the role? Mr. Carter? Yes. Miss Young? Yes. Mr. Jernigan? Yes. Miss Harris? Yes. Mayor Walker? Yes.

All right. Now, we'll move uh into new business resolutions. Item number 13 is city council resolution number 2026-052. Um, Mr. Roses, will you lead us off with just a brief explanation on this? Yes, this is the uh SCADA system, SCADA. It's a supervisory control and data acquisition service. It allows remote control of places like the wastewater plant and other uh utility services.

Thank you, Mr. Rosenthal. I don't have anybody signed up to speak to item number 13, so we'll move directly into council questions, comments, or I'll entertain a motion to approve city council resolution number 2026-052. May I make a motion that we approve 2026-052? Second. Thank you both. Uh, do we have any further questions, comments? Hearing none, Miss Sykes, will you please call the role? Miss Young, yes. Miss Harris, yes. Mr. Jernigan, yes. Mr. Carter, yay. Mayor Walker, yes. All right. Now we are at our final item. Item number 14, discussion and possible action review of the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council Board appointment. Uh, Councilman Carter, I'll let you take that away.

Yes. [clears throat] Um, for the last year and a half or so, I've served as our representative on the North Central Florida Planning Council. Um, they meet in the evenings on Thursdays since uh, six months ago when we had our baby. Um, it's it's been very challenging to uh to make it to these meetings. And I'm just curious if anybody else would like to uh take my place serving in that capacity. It's one meeting a month. Thursday evenings, but that seems to be a very tough day specifically for us. So, it's just I've been uh I've been attending remotely the last few months. They have that option, but if someone else would I know that you had expressed interest in the past as well.

I I had um it's it's that season, I guess, in Lake City. Uh I will be having a child here in probably less than a month, so I would imagine it's probably going to be equally as hard for me to give up another another weekend. So, is there anybody anybody else that would be interested in this? Where where is this meeting being held? They meet at the Holiday Inn here in town. Uh they feed you. They have interesting presentations. Um just not feel I don't feel like I'm able to give that particular or organization my all at the moment.

I mean, and to be clear, I'm happy to continue to attend frequently it will be remote. Um so, just figured I'd bring it to the board and seeing if anybody'd like to engage in that. Like I said, it's it's a it's one Thursday a month. I think one meeting a year they meet in Gainesville, but otherwise it's all here in here in Lake City. I'll if nobody else wants to take that responsibility, I totally understand. All all my kids are up and out, you know. So, um I'll take on that responsibility. Uh if uh the board uh um would like would like for me to do that, I don't have a problem with it. Um one meeting a month uh in the six o'clock pm.

Yes. Generally actually seven starts at seven and last how long? Usually an hour and a half. Yeah, that'll be fine. Is anybody else interested? Are you interested in it? I have a lot going on. If if I'm the only person that will, I will. But how about you, Mr. Light? No, sir. I think that you're I think Mr. Jernigan, I'm I'm I would nominate you. If Mr. Carter is stepping down from his appointment. I'll nominate Councilman Jernigan to fill that appointment for us. Yes, sir. Mr. Martin, you have something? I was just going to add to that, Mr. Mayor. In addition to the appointment, it would uh probably be uh in good form to have the council uh uh offer a motion to approve your appointment.

Okay. For the record, and direct Miss Sykes to communicate the appointment to the planning council. I move to approve your appointment of Mr. Jernigan to the North Central Florida Reason Planning Council. Thank you very much for that clarification. We have a motion and a second for for that appointment. Um, do we have any further? Well, I'll open it up for public comment since this wasn't a defined item if anybody's interested. Seeing no one move to the podium. Uh, we'll close public comment on this. Do we have any further questions or comments from the dis hearing? None. Miss, will you please call the role? Mr. Carter, yes. Miss Harris, yes. Miss Young, yes. Mr. Jernigan, yes. Mayor Walker,

yes. Very, very good. So we have concluded uh our items and we will move into uh our departmental comments. Um and we will begin with you uh Mr. Rosenthal. I have nothing mayor. Thank you Mr. Rosenthal. Mr. Attorney. Uh nothing from city attorney's office. Mr. Mayor. Thank you Mr. Martin. Miss Sykes. Yeah. I just want to say thank you to the city clerk's office team. I just want them to know that their efforts uh do make a difference and that I appreciate each and every one of them. Here. I'll second that. Here. Here. All right. Um, now we'll move into comments uh by council members and we'll begin with you, Vice Mayor Young.

Okay. Um, I would um like to take this opportunity to um it is a teachers appreciation week and to shout out to all of the teachers. If you have a teacher in your family or you pass one in the grocery store or you have a child like I do in school, let's um please remember to um express our gratitude and our appreciation to them. They are very important um in the community, in the nation, everywhere. Um and that's my say. Good call. Thank you, Vice Mayor Young. All right. Um Councilman Jernigan.

Uh yes, sir. Mayor, thank you for that opportunity. Um, uh, Wind Dixie had a, uh, grand opening, uh, west of town out there and Mr. Rob, uh, but when Dixie, they had a very, very good showing out there. I had a pleasure to attend that. Got invited by that group. Also, Guana's Day. Um, I went out to Kuana's day and uh had a uh a wet time and cold time out there, but uh it appears that the the children out there was having a really really good time. Um, also uh always a shout out to the fire department and the police department here in Lake City. Uh they're very very outstanding uh uh people there. And to all of the mothers out there, um I just want to wish y'all a happy Mother's Day and God bless each and every one of you.

Thank you, Councilman Jernigan. Um Councilman Carter, thank you. Uh yeah, I would just like to say uh this year I'm I'm uh blessed and honored to be able to serve as the president for the Kuanas Club and we did have our our annual Kuanas kids day this past Saturday and um as many of you know it rained a lot. So, um, so it was it was somewhat dampened or diminished, but I just want to thank, uh, the community and everybody that came out, took part and had fun. We still had a few hundred kids throughout the day. Um, and it's a it's a great fundraiser for a good cause. So, um, yeah, just thank everybody, the team that helped put it on. It was it was it was really nice and it was very wet and cold that day. So, thank you.

Thank you, man. Thank you, Councilman Carter. Uh, Councilwoman Harris. Um, first I'd like to apologize to Audrey Dem the um clerk's team because when I thanked everybody for helping us look good, I did not say about the clerk um team and I do apologize for that. But you all help us to really look good. I appreciate that.

Um secondly, I am proud to be a part of this council simply because I think Mr. Wilson at the Lake City Reporter. He wrote a fine opinion about the council and the county and I would just like to thank him for his kind kind words. Um, I also would like to say I am proud to sit up here amongst Mr. Carter who is over the Kowanas with the kids. I saw it on the news and I thought that it was awesome. It's always good to see us representing Lake City. We can't all make the same thing, but it's always a good feeling that one of or if not all of us can make it. So, I am proud to be a part of this team. And now to the next governor.

Thank you, Councilwoman Harris. Um, I'll start my comments uh by saying may the fourth be with you. It's May 4th uh for those Star Wars fans out there. Um and and to uh shadow Councilman Jernigan's words of an early happy Mother's Day uh both to my mother and wife uh and and stepmother. Um happy Mother's Day to all three of you and to all the mothers in Lake City. Um the Wind Dixie grand opening was great. Uh I'm like Mr. Jernigan was there on Saturday morning. There were folks that were lined up there starting at 5:00 a.m. um for that that rebranding of the store. I'm glad that Lake City's been with us through a significant part of our history and and it looks like that they're invested in the future of Lake City and the growth that they know is to come. So, I appreciate them very much uh as a corporate entity for for standing with us as a city. Um I owe the community a dunk tank appearance. Uh Kuanas Kids Day 10:00 a.m. was my time to get dunked by the children. However, there was lightning in the area and it was cracking hard. So, uh you know that you can find me on July 4th. I'll be in the dunk tank for the 4th of July. You guys can all come out and dunk me. Vice Mayor Young got me a couple times last year.

We had a good time. Um and then um just to to echo words uh the proclamations that that we gave out earlier, um all of our teams are are doing really great. Uh but we do have award-winning water and water is the base of life uh for all humans and in organiza in organisms on Earth. So, I appreciate them for giving us award-winning water and appreciate all of you for coming tonight. We have a a crowd with some faces that we don't often see or or that are new here for us. So, I'm glad to see some new blood in the room. And and that's it, folks. Um, just to let you guys know, May 9th, 2026, there's a multicultural spring market festival 9:00 a.m. to 400 p.m. at Darby Pavilion, Wilson Park. That's one of our super uh uh markets. Uh, so there will be a lot of great things going on, music, etc. And then on May 16th, 2026, free shred event, 9:00 a.m. to noon at city hall. So if you have stuff that needs to be shred, important documents, um parents old documents or something like that, bring them up here, shred them, get rid of them, uh put your mind at ease, and have a great night, everybody. Thank you.