MINUTES OF special MEETING OF BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

 tuesday – february 13, 1968

The Board of County Commissioners met in special session in the Commissioners’ Room in the Courthouse, Tavares, Florida, on Tuesday, February 13, 1968, at 9:00 o’clock A.M. for the purpose of receiving primary and secondary road requests for the period July 1, 1968 through June 30, 1969, and any other matter which might be brought before the Board.

The meeting was called to order by the Chairman with the following members present:  Commissioner H. A. Babb, Chairman; Commissioners Theus, Cowart and Dykes.  Others present were Clerk Owens, County Attorney C. E. Duncan, County Engineer Gordon Hays, Jr., and Deputy Clerk Norma H. Coven.

The invocation was given by Mr. Hays.

Roads – state

The Chairman announced the requests will be heard in accordance with the schedule prepared by the Clerk, whereupon, representatives of the municipalities presented the following requests:

MOUNT DORA:        1. Four-lane SR 46 West from SR 500 to Seminole County Line.

2. Four-lane SR 19 from the Golden Triangle Shopping Center to interchange South of Eustis.

3. Widen Highland St. from Fifth Ave. in Mount Dora to South city limits.

4. Resurface Old SR 500 from West city limits to SR 19-A and on to Tavares.

5. Acquire additional right of way and surface Eudora Road.

6. Grade, pave and construct a 24’ secondary road from Liberty St. southerly to Palm Island.

7. Widen and improve Old Eustis Road from Donnelly St. (SR S-44-B) West to Morningside Rd.

8. Grade, pace and construct 11th Ave. East from Unser to SR 500.

EUSTIS:                     1. Widen SR 44 (Orange Ave.) to 44 feet from East city limits to SR 19 (Bay St.)

                                    2. Four-lane SR 19 North to Umatilla.

                                    3. Expand intersection of SR19 and SR 500 to full cloverleaf.

                                    4. Four-lane SR 44 West to new Fairgrounds.

                                    5. Four-lane SR19-S from Eustis interchange to Old 500 at Shopping Center.

                                    6. Four-lane SR 19 (Bay St.) from Herrick Ave. North to city limits.

                                    7. Grade, pave and construct Kurt St. from SR 19-A North across SR 500 to Lakeview Ave. and East to SR 19 (Bay St.).

                                    8. Designate Grove St. as a secondary road and widen and rebuild from Herrick Ave. South to SR 19.

                                    9. Designate Lakeview Ave. as a secondary road from SR 19 East to E. Crooked Lake Drive to SR 500.

                                    10. Install automatic signals at the ACL RR crossings on Lakeshore Drive and Woodward Ave.

                                    11. Install pedestrian overpass near the Taylor St. school crossing on SR 19 (Bay St.).

                                    12. Widen and resurface Bates Ave. from Grove St. to Bay St.

 

UMATILLA:              1. Four-lane SR 19 from South city limits to North city limits of Eustis.

                        2. Four-lane SR 19 from SR 450 North to SR 42.

 

LEESBURG:              1. Construct north-south traffic artery from Dixie Ave. North to connect with North Boulevard.

                        2. Widen 14th St. (SR 25) from Sunshine Ave. to Dixie Ave.

3. Construct deceleration and acceleration lane on SR 25 at Palm Plaza Shopping Center.

                        4. Widen and improve intersection of SR 25 and SR 44 (14th and Main).

5. Widen and resurface SR 44 (East Main St.) from Lake St. East to SR 500.

On recommendation of Commr. Theus and the Board members concurring, the Engineer was instructed to work with the City of Leesburg and the State Road department to prepare East Main Street for the improvements requested.

CLERMONT:             1. Four-lane SR 27 from Howey exit South to Lake County line.

MINNEOLA:             2. Four-lane SR 50 from East County line to Mascotte.

FRUITLAND PARK:            Clerk Owens presented letter from the Mayor complaining that the County does not assist with improvements to the town streets.  Attorney Duncan advised the Attorney General has ruled that road work within the cities is outside the jurisdiction of the County because the cities have the power of taxation and the duty of maintaining the streets.  This does not mean the County cannot help with maintenance on thru roads through the cities.  Mr. Duncan further advised Lake County was very much interested in trying to help the smaller towns because of lack of revenue.

FRUITLAND PARK:            We prepared a contract between the County and the cities and asked the Attorney General’s opinion on same, and he advised that no general tax funds could be used to improve city streets.  The County does not wish to go into competition with private industry, mainly the road construction companies.  The Engineer was instructed to work with the Town of Fruitland Park relative to engineering problems.

MASCOTTE &

GROVELAND:         1. Four-lane SR 50 from Groveland through Mascotte.

 

HOWEY:                    1. Widen and resurface Cypress Ave. from SR 19 West to DuPont Circle South to Central Ave.

 

Commr. Dykes stated the best way to improve the above described road is to make it a county road and resurface the road from Road & bridge funds.  This will be considered at the next meeting with the County Engineer to consider county road work.

This concluded the road requests.

MACHINERY & Equipment

Clerk Owens presented request from the Clermont High School to use two voting machines for the Student Body election to be held April 5, 1968.  Commr. Dykes moved the request be granted with the provision the school will pay the transportation costs and the Board waived the rental fee.  Motion was seconded by Commr. Cowart and carried.

County employees

Resignation of William N. Nixon, Asst. County Agent, effective March 31, 1968 was accepted on motion of Commr. Dykes, seconded by Commr. Theus and carried.

State road department

The Clerk submitted memorandum and resolution from the State Association of County Commissioners regarding the installation of culverts by the State Road Department, advising that the Department may rescind the present policy.  Attorney Duncan advised he talked with the Attorney for the Department and the only change to the policy being made by the State Road Department is that no new culvert or driveways entrances will be constructed during road construction.  No action was taken by the Board.

Right of way – roads

Attorney Duncan was instructed to check with the abstract company relative to the title search on the railroad right of way from Umatilla to Altoona.

There being no further business to bring before the Board, the meeting recessed at 12:00 o’clock noon until 9:00 o’clock A.M. February 15, 1968.

 

___________________________________                          ______________________________

CLERK                                                                                   CHAIRMAN