Commission Meeting Minutes

Draft Minutes of the June 20, 2022, 6 p.m. Commission Meeting

The regular meeting of the Lady Lake Town Commission was held in the Commission Chambers at Lady Lake Town Hall, 409 Fennell Blvd., Lady Lake, Florida, with Mayor Jim Rietz presiding. The meeting convened at 6:30 p.m.

Call to Order

Invocation

Rev. Ron Hartley – Lady Lake Assembly of God

Pledge of Allegiance

Roll Call

Commissioner (Ward) Present
Hannan (Four) YES
Kussard (One) YES
Holden (Two) YES
Freeman (Three) YES
Rietz (Five) YES

STAFF PRESENT

Sasha Garcia, Town Attorney; Pam Winegardner, Finance Director; Wendy Then, Senior Planner; C.T. Eagle, Public Works Director; Mike Burske, Parks & Recreation Director; Deputy Chief Jason Brough and Lt. Nelson Vargas, Lady Lake Police Department; Nancy Wilson, Town Clerk

A. CONSENT

  1. Minutes — June 6, 2022 — Commission Meeting

Commissioner Hannan made a motion to approve the minutes from the June 6, 2022, meeting; Commissioner Holden seconded. Motion carried 5-0.

B. NEW BUSINESS

2. Consideration of Approval to Name the New Park on Dixie Highway After Lady Lake Resident Atticus Lee "Snooky" Blanton who Perished on the U.S.S. Arizona on December 7, 1941 (Mike Burske)

From Mr. Burske’s report: On December 7, 1941, shortly after 8:00 a.m., 10 Japanese Nakajima B5N2 “Kate” torpedo bombers attacked the USS Arizona. From an altitude of 10,000 feet, four bombs were dropped on the ship.  The Japanese plane flown by Mitsuo Fuchida and the bomb dropped by his bombardier Nobru Kanai killed 1,177 sailors one of whom was Atticus Lee “Snooky” Blanton of Lady Lake.  Since that day, Snooky has never come home and remains on the U.S.S. Arizona. His mother died in 1972 and before her death, she arranged to have his Purple Heart embedded in the mausoleum at the Lady Lake Cemetery where she is interred. The sign for the park would display his full name but the park would be known as Snooky Park.

Commissioner Kussard stated that she was not in favor of naming the park Snooky Park until she read the agenda material and conducted her own research. She said that just before Atticus Blanton’s 21st birthday, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. She and her husband visited the Pearl Harbor Memorial, and it was a very emotional experience reading all the names of those who will be forever buried there.  This Lady Lake resident’s life was cut short by serving our country and preserving our freedoms. She suggested naming the park, Blanton Park.

Commissioner Holden also liked the name, Blanton Park.

Public Works Director Mike Burske said he was trying to find a name that no other park was named which is why he chose Snooky.

Commissioner Freeman said Snooky Park would be a catchy name.

Mayor Rietz also liked the name Snooky Park if there is a plaque erected that explains who he was.

Commissioner Freeman made a motion to approve naming the new park on Dixie Highway, Snooky Park after Lady Lake Resident Atticus Blanton; Commissioner Hannan seconded. Motion carried 5-0.

Commissioner (Ward) Present
Hannan (Four) NO
Kussard (One) YES
Holden (Two) YES
Freeman (Three) YES
Rietz (Five) NO

Motion carried by a 3-2 vote with Commissioner Hannan and Mayor Rietz casting the dissenting votes.

C. TOWN ATTORNEY'S REPORT

10. Ordinance 2022-02 — Second and Final Reading — An Ordinance of the Town Commission of the Town of Lady Lake, Florida; Repealing Chapter 8, Article II of the Code of Ordinances Pertaining to Local Business Tax and Business Tax Receipts; Repealing Conflicting Ordinances; Providing for Severability; and Providing an Effective Date. (Nancy Wilson)

Town Clerk Wilson said that nothing has changed since the previous reading. This ordinance will change wording related to the discontinuation of local business tax collection in the town’s Code of Ordinances.

Commissioner Freeman made a motion to adopt Ordinance 2022-02 as presented; Commissioner Hannan seconded.  Motion carried 5-0.

Commissioner (Ward) Present
Hannan (Four) YES
Kussard (One) YES
Holden (Two) YES
Freeman (Three) YES
Rietz (Five) YES

Motion carried 5-0

11. Ordinance 2022-03 – First Reading - An Ordinance of the Town Commission of the Town of Lady Lake, Florida; Amending the Land Development Regulations, Chapter 2, Section 2-2 Definitions; Deleting Chapter 9, Section 9-3b), Section 9-8 C)1, and Section 9-10 G)2 to Eliminate References to Business Tax Receipts; Repealing Conflicting Ordinances; Providing for Severability; and Providing an Effective Date. (Nancy Wilson)

Town Clerk Wilson said that nothing has changed since the previous reading. This ordinance will change wording related to the discontinuation of local business tax collection in the town’s Land Development Regulations.

Commissioner Holden made a motion to adopt Ordinance 2022-03 as presented; Commissioner Kussard seconded.  Motion carried 5-0. 

Commissioner (Ward) Present
Hannan (Four) YES
Kussard (One) YES
Holden (Two) YES
Freeman (Three) YES
Rietz (Five) YES

Motion carried 5-0

TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT

Finance Director Winegardner announced that she met with the auditor and the audit for this year will be wrapped up on Thursday.

MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER'S REPORT

Mayor Rietz announced that Town Clerk Wilson had completed her probationary period.

The Mayor also talked about the newest member of our police force, K9 Officer Fast. He is a 16-month-old Golden Retriever trained for drug sniffing and silver tracking.  He is currently being trained by his K9 Handler, Ryan O’Neal.

The Mayor asked about an issue at Water Oak regarding a report that was to be delivered during a three month time frame. Senior Planner Then said that staff received a report from Water oak about a month ago that was given to the town’s fire inspector. Growth Management Director Carroll will be bringing the matter before the Commission and the project should be wrapped up by the end of the year.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

No public comments

Adjourn

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:43 p.m.

 

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Nancy Wilson, Town Clerk

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Jim Rietz, Mayor