Live Oak council approves first reading to rename former city hall for John W. Lee

The City of Live Oak City Council approved the first reading of Ordinance 15-43 to rename the former city hall as the John W. Lee Building, voting 4-1 during a public meeting.

Supporters told the council that the person under consideration had a long record of community service and military service. An unidentified resident speaking during public comment said the naming policy should require a nominee to have “made a significant and positive contribution to the community” and said the nominee in this case met that standard. The commenter also quoted Micah 6:8: “to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before your God.”

Opponents urged the council to reconsider placing a personal name on the building. Miss Williams, a public commenter, said naming a municipal building would set a difficult precedent and warned it would “open up a can of worms.” She offered an alternative, suggesting the council consider naming Heritage Park for the individual so the recognition would be more publicly accessible.

During the motion to approve first reading, the council took a voice vote. The chair confirmed the tally as 4 in favor and 1 opposed, with Councilwoman Robinson standing during the vote. The ordinance was advanced on first reading; the transcript does not specify a mover or seconder by name, nor does it list individual roll-call votes.

Other, unrelated items raised at the end of the meeting included a staff update that decorative lights on a street segment identified as “9129” had been repaired and that the Florida Department of Transportation had not yet acted on a reported street hole and a pending flood-mitigation grant application. A speaker also confirmed that city-limit signs were in place at locations described during public comment.

The ordinance is at first reading only; the transcript does not specify a date for a second reading or final adoption.