BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Monitor Editor
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS— The Keystone Heights City Council tabled an interlocal agreement with the Clay County School Board that would have allowed the school to erect barriers across Southwest Pecan Street during school drop off and pick up hours.
The barriers would have blocked traffic from entering Pecan between Southwest Highland Avenue and Orchid Avenue.
During the council’s Oct. 4 meeting, the school’s principal, Beth Turbeville told council members that the section of Pecan Street under discussion has been reserved for bus pick up and drop off. However, people in cars continue to use the road.
“From the beginning of the year, we’ve had cones, we’ve had barriers set up and cars will literally blow right past,” Turbeville told council members. “We’ve had near accidents that have been very scary, especially since we have students crossing that street even though we are there with them.”
Council member Tony Brown led the criticism of the proposal, saying he preferred to try improved signage and intensified law enforcement before closing the road to the public during school hours.
Vice Mayor Steve Hart added that if a distracted driver hit the barriers, the city might wind up as a defendant in a lawsuit.
Residents living near the school have argued against the barriers, telling council members the proposal would impede access to their homes and increase traffic and unauthorized street parking on Breezway Drive and Southwest Cardinal Drive.
In other news from the Dec. 6 meeting of the city council:
Waste Management assignment approved
The council approved a contract assignment for its commercial trash collection, accepting services from Waste Management instead of the original party to the agreement: Advanced Disposal.
Waste Management acquired Advanced Disposal in 2020, however the city’s original agreement with Advanced Disposal had no provisions for an assignment to any subsequent entity.
The assignment also includes an updated fee schedule businesses will pay to Waste Management for trash pickup.
During the council’s Nov. 1 meeting, several Keystone Heights business owners complained about a 300% increase in rates.
Waste Management has an exclusive contract for commercial trash collection within the city. The contract ends next year, and council members have indicated they will seek competitive bids at that time.
Vice Mayor Steve Hart said that if the city refused to agree to the assignment, Waste Management could stop picking up commercial accounts, creating a public health hazard.
The council also discussed an idea pitched by Hart during the November meeting. Hart noted that the city’s administrative fee, collected by Waste Management and remitted to the city, recently increased from 5% to 11%. He recommended the city collect the 11%, keep 5% and refund the difference to Keystone Heights businesses, lessening the impact of the garbage hauler’s rate hike.
Alcohol consumption at pavilion reconsidered
The council agreed to revisit allowing the consumption of alcoholic beverages at its beach pavilion.
Tony Brown, who has opposed allowing drinks at the city-owned property in the past, told council members he has changed his position.
Brown added that the pavilion is losing out on rentals for private and corporate parties, wedding receptions and other events because of the alcohol prohibition. He also said some Lake Region organizations are booking events out of town instead of renting the pavilion due to the city’s policy.
“I personally don’t want to drive to Gainesville for an organizational Christmas party,” he said. “A lot of people like to have their wine, their beer, and I would like to re-address that.”
Added to planning and zoning committee
The council appointed Dylan Bennett to its planning and zoning committee.
Bennet stated in his application that he is 35 years old and has a background in history, construction and the legal profession.
He was a certified paralegal for six years with a national law firm and is now a state certified specialty contractor and owns a screen enclosure business.
