City, county agreement reaches 12th hour

Published 1:00 pm Friday, February 24, 2017

LIVE OAK — The City of Live Oak City Council President Keith Mixon said to the Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday that he fully expects the city to approve an interlocal agreement for the reconstruction of 72nd Trace provided that both attorneys can agree.

“We will work with you,” Mixon said to the county commissioners. “We are prepared to do that next Tuesday night. My consensus, being president, is that we are going to see that happen.”

Mixon joked that the council might surprise him and see things differently at the last second, but said he was confident that would not happen.

With that said, the county approved the interlocal agreement with the city. The city has scheduled a special called meeting for Tuesday specifically to discuss and potentially approve the interlocal agreement, after which reconstruction can begin.

Last week Suwannee County administrator, Randy Harris and chairman Ricky Gamble spoke at a City of Live Oak meeting to discuss an interlocal agreement for the reconstruction of 72nd Trace as an extension of the perimeter road project.

At that meeting, the city requested for more time to consider the matter and agreed to meet again to settle the agreement.

72nd Trace is located near Lowe’s adjacent to North U.S. Highway 129. It was never a part of the perimeter road project that began last year and is owned by the city.

Harris said the road was failing due to improper construction. He said the county had left over Florida Department of Transportation funding for perimeter road that could be used to help pay for reconstructing 72nd Trace.

The difference between the cost of fixing the road and leftover funding is $43,000. That money would be paid to the county from the city after construction is completed, according to the interlocal agreement.

An agreement has been volleyed back and forth from the city and county since September last year, Harris said.

“We are now in the 12th hour where a decision has to be made,” Harris said. “Otherwise, our contractor will be finished. In my opinion, everyone benefits if we can come to an agreement.”