Columbia County commissioners approve routine resolutions, budget amendment and authorize park design negotiations

The Columbia County Board of County Commissioners approved a package of routine resolutions and administrative actions at a meeting in Lake City, including adopting the county’s uniform method for collecting non‑ad valorem assessments, authorizing the manager to sign certain mitigation grants, accepting donated office equipment and directing staff to begin negotiating a design contract for phase 1 of a planned 500‑acre park.

The board opened a public hearing on Resolution 2025R‑17, the uniform method of collecting non‑ad valorem assessments, which enables the county to place special assessments — such as street lighting, road improvements, stormwater, fire protection and solid waste assessments — on the property tax bill. No members of the public spoke during the hearing; the commission approved the resolution by voice vote.

In other votes the board: approved a consent agenda of routine items; accepted a donation of computer equipment, office furniture and chairs from CareerSource North Central Florida for county use; approved a budget amendment reallocating leftover SHIP hurricane‑recovery funds to the Sweetwater Housing Project; and adopted two additional resolutions formalizing prior actions: Resolution 2025R‑19, authorizing the county manager to sign Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and other mitigation grants, and Resolution 2025R‑26, officially changing the start time of the Sept. 4, 2025 meeting to 5:30 p.m.

The commissioners also moved to begin negotiations with the firm that scored highest in a request‑for‑qualifications (RFQ) process for design of phase 1 of the county’s 500‑acre park off Lake Jeffrey Highway. County staff said the Tourist Development Council provided a $750,000 legislative appropriation for the phase‑1 design; staff received three RFQ responses and ranked North Florida Professional Services first. The motion authorized staff to open contract negotiations with the top‑ranked firm.

Board members also approved staff’s request to move a state E‑911 grant application to the fall grant cycle, after the state advised delaying the submission. The board approved that procedural change by voice vote.

The meeting included scheduling discussion for July meetings, including a July 10 disaster drill at the emergency operations center and a 1 p.m. call meeting to discuss health insurance; the board also discussed a July 24 budget meeting to set the tentative millage rate. Commissioners agreed on dates and requested the July 24 budget meeting be held during the day.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 2025R‑17 (Uniform Method of Collecting Non‑Ad Valorem Assessments): approved (public hearing opened; no public comment; approved by voice vote). - Consent agenda (routine items): approved by voice vote. - RFQ negotiation for design of phase 1 of 500‑acre park (begin negotiations with top‑ranked firm, North Florida Professional Services): approved by voice vote. Staff stated a $750,000 TDC legislative appropriation is available for design. - Move E‑911 grant application to fall cycle: approved by voice vote. - SHIP Hurricane Housing Recovery budget amendment (BA 20544): approved; leftover SHIP funds identified in county accounts to be allocated to the Sweetwater Housing Project. The board noted $103,895 had already been committed and that $743,923.50 remains available for Sweetwater; the board said this is separate from a prior $500,000 commitment to Sweetwater. - Donation from CareerSource North Central Florida (office equipment and furniture): accepted by voice vote. - Resolution 2025R‑19 (authorize county manager to sign HMGP and mitigation grants): approved by voice vote; staff said this codifies actions previously taken. - Resolution 2025R‑26 (change time of Sept. 4, 2025 meeting to 5:30 p.m.): approved by voice vote; attorneys requested the time be memorialized in a resolution to comply with public‑hearing scheduling requirements under TRIM.

All recorded approvals in the meeting were taken by voice vote; the transcript did not include roll‑call vote tallies or named vote records for these items.

Proper names mentioned during these items included Columbia County, Tourist Development Council (TDC), North Florida Professional Services, CareerSource North Central Florida, Lake City Reporter Building, Sweetwater Housing Project and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).