BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Telegraph Staff Writer
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS— City Manager Lynn Rutkowski said the Popeyes chicken restaurant, now under construction on Green Way between Dollar General and Walgreens, could open as soon as the end of August.
The manager made the comment as part of her report to the city council from the municipality’s zoning and planning committee.
“The only thing that I have to report from planning and zoning is that Popeye’s Chicken is looking at— and this is not set in stone— but they’re looking at the end of August for a grand opening,” Rutowski told the council.
In other news from the July 10 city council meeting:
Kayak fishing tournament approved
The March 16, 2024, event will occur at Keystone Beach Park from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In its application, event organizer Lake Region Kiwanis said the tournament will raise funds for its local children’s programs.
“Kayakers will check in, launch, and return to Keystone Beach,” the group said. “Food will be prepared on the beach as well as the award ceremony. The anticipated participation is 40 kayakers and 20 Kiwanians.”
Council members Bobby Brown and Tony Brown told Kiwanian Todd Beals that the group must have fire-Rescue personnel on hand with radios, in addition to deputy sheriffs.
Cemetery revenue exceeds budget
The council approved a budget amendment that increased the budgeted revenue for the municipally-owned cemetery by over 60%.
Lot sales, cell phone tower rent revenues, and burial permits were budgeted at just under $32,000 before the 2022-2023 fiscal year. However, the facility’s actual revenues have exceeded $51,000 year-to-date.
The council’s budget amendment also increased the cemetery’s expenses by an equal amount, including an increase of $12,548 for capital improvements and $4,000 for labor.
The budget amendment also raised planned revenues for the city’s community redevelopment agency by $110,000 because of greater than-anticipated tax receipts.
Keystone’s ad valorem property taxes are running $15,498 above the budget.
Maximum millage same as last year’s rate
The council approved a maximum millage rate for the 2023-2024 budget year of 4.2901 mills, the same rate it has been for several years.
Throughout the budget process, which ends on Sept. 30, the council may lower the proposed millage rate but cannot increase it.
Potential tenants looking at airport
Airport board chair David Kirkland told the council that two potential tenants have recently toured the facility.
He said he and Clay County Economic Development Corporation President Crawford Powell met with one prospective tenant for a half-acre ground lease.
“Details are being finalized, and we’ve got estimates from Clay Electric to extend three-phase electrical power to these sites,” he said.
Kirkland added that a second potential tenant is proposing to build and lease T-hangars within the airport.
That proposal drew concerns from Vice Mayor Chris Thompson and Council Member Tony Brown. The pair noted that the airport now leases hangar space to aircraft owners and said that allowing a tenant to build and lease its own hangars would enable the tenant to compete with the airport.
Kirkland responded that now, demand exceeds supply for hangar space and that the airport relies on Federal Aviation Administration and Florida Department of Transportation grants to construct additional hangars.
“Our next set of T-hangers that are in our FDOT five-year plan is in 2025, and we have a waiting list right now of people that are looking to find a hangar for their airplanes,” he said.
Kirkland added that as negotiations with the potential tenant continue, the airport could insist on contract language preventing the T-hangar competitor from underpricing the airport.
Kirkland also said he has discussed with a Florida Power and Light official about the utility building a solar farm on 400-plus acres within the airport.
“In the past, the FAA had frowned on solar energy centers placed in an airport because the panels were reflective and could create glare,” he said. “The new panels now have a non-glare-type surface, so it’s not an issue.”
Kirkland also reported that the airport’s taxiway rehabilitation project is complete, and the facility’s runway lighting project is ongoing.
Praise for Our Country Day
Council members praised Rutkowski and her staff for producing Our Country Day events on July 4.
In prior years, the events, except the parade, which Lake Region Kiwanis organizes, were managed by an independent committee. This is the first year the city ran the events.
“You guys did a jam-up, good job, and I haven’t heard anything but good. The fireworks were great,” Tony Brown told the city manager, drawing applause from the audience.
“The police, the organization, just everything I thought was very smooth,” added Bobby Brown. “I just think we’ve got a really good priceless little gem here, and people that I talked to came as far away as Starke and different places around— they said they would be here next year.”
Thompson said she, too, was extremely impressed with the event. The vice mayor then read a letter from Mayor Nina Rodenroth, who, along with Councilman Steve Hart, was not at the July 10 council meeting.
“I want to extend my most gracious appreciation to our City Manager, Lynn Rutkowski, and her incredible A-team for creating and delivering the best Keystone Heights Our Country Day celebration we could ever hope for,” said Thompson reading from the mayor’s letter. “No doubt there were endless hours with numerous details, communications, and most importantly, their A-team efforts to make our memorable holiday a reality.”
