Monitor Editor
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS— The Lake Region Prosperity Council held its first meeting on Thursday, Jan. 27 at Cedar River Seafood.
The council is part of the Clay County Chamber of Commerce. Clay Chamber board member and Capital City Bank Bradford-Clay President Patricia Evans said the council resulted from the chamber realizing it needed to focus more on the southern part of the county.
“We are going to work with, partner and coordinate with other organizations that are already here doing amazing things in the county,” she said, “such as Answers, Embrace, the Keystone-Lake Region Business Association and Lake Area Ministries.”
Evans said that the chamber can add resources and advocacy to the area.
“We can make our local businesses stronger,” she said, “and ready for the growth that we know is coming to Keystone Heights.”
Evans said the council will meet monthly at 6 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of every month with the exception of February, in order not to conflict with Answers Resource Facility’s annual banquet.
“We want everybody to show up at the Answers Banquet and support that organization,” Evans said, adding that in February, the council will move its meeting to the fourth Tuesday.
Evans said there is no membership fee to join the council.
“We do ask that you become a member of the Clay County Chamber of Commerce,” she added.
Evans said she joined the chamber five years ago.
“The first year I just kind of sat back and watched,” she said. “Once I saw the benefits, I became more involved and attended all the councils.”
Evans added that when the chamber asked her to join its board, she agreed on the condition that the organization focus more on Green Cove Springs and Keystone Heights, areas she saw as underserved by the group.
Evans said work on the Lake Region Prosperity Council has been ongoing for several years, but has been delayed, in part, due to COVID.”
Another organizer of the council, Keystone Heights City Manager Lynn Rutkowski gave the crowd a preview of future improvements to South Lawrence Boulevard.
Scott Kornegay, executive director of the Lake Region Development Corporation, which is sponsoring the council, debuted a new video highlighting the development corporation’s mission and accomplishments.
