Lake City council approves building-code overhaul, hires architect for city-hall study and OKs other measures

Lake City — The Lake City Council took several formal actions at its Jan. 6 meeting, approving a first reading of a rewritten building-code ordinance, accepting a firm to perform a city-hall feasibility study, amending a county interlocal to provide more emergency home-repair funds, adopting a first amendment to the city-manager employment agreement, and appointing a member to the planning and zoning/board of adjustment/historic preservation board.

The ordinance and resolutions give the council immediate direction on permitting, city facilities planning and several administrative items. City Attorney Martin read the titles for the measures before the council took up public comment and votes.

Ordinance 2025-2301 (first reading): The council advanced an ordinance described on the agenda as "pertaining to buildings, building regulations, contracting, permitting, licensure, and insurance" and replacing older code provisions with uniform codes and an updated fee schedule. Council member Jernigan made the motion to approve the ordinance on first reading; Council member Harris seconded. The roll call, as read by Clerk Sykes, recorded affirmative votes from Jernigan, Harris, Young, Carter and Mayor Walker; the motion passed on first reading.

Resolution 2025-002: The council adopted a resolution accepting BRAINHEC Architects Inc.'s proposal to conduct a city-hall feasibility analysis and directed the city manager to present a conforming contract for council approval. The motion to adopt was made and seconded during the meeting; the resolution carried on a roll call.

Resolution 2025-003: The council approved a first amendment to the employment agreement with City Manager Donnie L. Rosenthal. During discussion members raised questions about the process for manager evaluations and how completed evaluation forms would be handled as city records. The council voted to adopt the resolution.

Resolution 2025-004 (emergency home repair interlocal amendment): The council considered a third amendment to the city's local agreement with Columbia County for the emergency home-repair program. Staff reported the program has previously received city appropriations totaling $750,000 and nevertheless has a short list of approved projects that lack funding. The council amended the resolution to increase the appropriation under consideration from $100,000 to $200,000 in order to fund the next five approved projects and then approved the resolution as amended.

Resolution 2025-005 (planning-board appointment): The council appointed Daniel Carlucci to fill an open seat on the planning and zoning/board of adjustment/historic preservation board through Oct. 31, 2028. The nominee made brief remarks about his construction and roofing experience during the meeting.

Votes at a glance — formal outcomes recorded on the agenda items above: ordinance 2025-2301 (advanced on first reading); resolution 2025-002 (adopted); resolution 2025-003 (adopted); resolution 2025-004 (amended and adopted to appropriate $200,000); resolution 2025-005 (adopted). Where the transcript lists roll-call responses, those counts are reflected in the meeting minutes; motion makers and seconders are recorded where spoken during the meeting. No item in this package extended to a final ordinance second reading at this meeting.

Ending: The council moved on after the votes to several discussion items, including city-managed community-program guidelines and an honorary street sign request.