A special MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
November 22, 2022
The Lake County Board of County Commissioners met in a special Investiture ceremony on Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at 9:00 a.m., at the Lake County Historic Courthouse, Tavares, Florida. Commissioners present at the meeting were: Sean Parks, Chairman; Kirby Smith, Vice Chairman; Leslie Campione; and Josh Blake. Others present were: Jennifer Barker, County Manager; Melanie Marsh, County Attorney; Niki Booth, Executive Office Manager, County Manager’s Office; Mary Burns, Accounting Director; and Josh Pearson, Deputy Clerk.
INVOCATION and pledge
Commr. Smith welcomed everyone to the Investiture.
Pastor Tony McCoy, with Hope International Church in the City of Groveland, gave the Invocation, and Mr. George Cochran, with the Office of Fire Rescue, led the Pledge of Allegiance.
INVESTITURE
Sheriff Peyton Grinnell administered the oath of office to Commissioner Parks on his reelection as Commissioner to District 2.
Commr. Parks said that there was immense opportunity and that he had never felt better about the county. He stated that they came far in the past few years, and he thanked everyone. He commented that it was a blessing to serve, and he opined that Lake County was the best place to live in the best state in the country. He indicated that he was excited about serving and helping lead Lake County through promising times, noting that there could be some challenges as well; furthermore, he relayed that he would give his best effort each day in this job and in his daily prayers for the community. He thanked his family and friends who helped him be there in this position, and he also thanked his fellow Commissioners and the Constitutional Officers. He opined that their county was second to none because of the Commissioners and the Constitutional Officers, along with everyone in attendance who served them. He thanked his wife, and he concluded by reading a personal oath that he had written the night before he was first sworn in to office in 2010.
Sheriff Grinnell then administered the oath of office to Commissioner Campione on her reelection as Commissioner to District 4.
Commr. Campione stated that she was appreciative for a chance to serve another term. She thanked her family, and she relayed information about her family’s history in Lake County. She expressed her memories of growing up in Lake County, noting that she was excited when the first large stores and restaurants came to the county. She remarked that many challenges they faced currently were about new things coming to Lake County and the changes in the county. She wondered how they could keep one foot back in time with the things that made Lake County great, but also embrace the change and the important things that could happen in a way that preserved and protected the things that made the county special, and at the same time embrace and develop in ways that they could be proud of. She commented that her values had been the same since the first time she ran for office, and said that she wanted to try to help be part of the solution to the items that they could do better. She recalled that the County had been focused on economic development when she first ran for office, and said that this continued to be a significant issue for her. She also mentioned that homelessness was a significant issue, and she opined that they had done a great job meeting the need of the animal shelter, along with public safety and being able to address their basic needs. She felt that the issues of water quality, land conservation and finding the right way to grow were a critical part of where the county was currently, and she opined that they should still pursue high wage and high quality jobs in the county, in addition to great education opportunities. She also opined that they needed greater focus and diligence when it came to protecting their lakes and improving their water quality, noting that this would be a large focus for her and the Board of County Commissioners (BCC). She mentioned her friend Mr. Ray Bryant, who had passed away after she first started campaigning, and said that she wanted to appreciate all that he did as a public servant; additionally, she noted that he had been involved in the community and that he was missed. She thanked her friends and supporters, noting that it was a great honor to be in this position and to serve Lake County. She wished everyone a great Thanksgiving.
Commr. Smith commented that they were lucky to have such a good BCC, and he said that he was proud to be on it. He also mentioned that they had a marble statue of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, which would be on display and was a direct replica of a statue in Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C. He thanked everyone for attending, and he invited them to stay for refreshments.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to be brought to the attention of the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 9:23 a.m.
_________________________________
SEAN PARKS, chairman
ATTEST:
________________________________
GARY J COONEY, CLERK