LAKE CITY - Lake City Council welcomed representatives of the Lake City Senior Citizens group, voted to support the DARE program for services, passed an ordinance establishing new voter wards and reviewed information on a one cent sales tax at the Monday, Feb. 15, meeting.
Mayor Billy R. Anderson presided at the meeting with aldermen Brenda Hutcheson, Harold Baker, Tommy Eakins, Ann Davis, Jeffrey Wisham and Jon Milligan present, along with the City Clerk Linda Simpson in attendance.
January minutes were approved and Mayor Anderson welcomed Senior Citizens Center site director Brenda Mize and 15 members of the senior citizens center.
Mayor Anderson explained briefly the Senior Citizens Center Building is furnished by the City of Lake City with utilities also being paid by the City. Mize explained the center's affiliation with St. Bernards. Mrs. Mize told the council the center must raise $1,000 per year that goes to St. Bernards, which in turn furnishes a 20 week salary for the site director, a van, and meals (average 25-30 per day).
Mrs. Mize asked the council, along with support of those in attendance, if there would be a way the center as a whole could separate from St. Bernards and become self-sufficient.
Mayor Anderson said he knew that the city of Brookland and Bay both operated its centers in this manner and suggested that he and Mrs. Mize visit the Bay Senior Citizens Center.
A motion was made to have Mayor Anderson and Mize gather more information and report back at the next meeting.
Simpson reported the fire department tax reporting could be done at a minimal fee by H&R Block. the fire department is responsible for having its own 1099's done.
The Council unanimously approved to provide $250 to the DARE program for service rendered to the city of Lake City and its residents.
An ordinance to establish new voting wards in the city of Lake City was unanimously approved by the alderman.
Simpson explained there will still be three voting wards. With the annexation, the wards were extended to make the voting population more equal in the wards. She said a map is available at city hall for residents to view.
"There is not a lot of change," Simpson said. "Most voters will remain the same."
Mayor Anderson asked the council to review the information on a one cent sales tax. It was decided to table the issue until the next meeting.