By Marc Crail
District 4 Mount Dora City Council Representative

Our January 19th City Council meeting was relatively brief, about 2 hours long. We will also have Work Session from 10:00-4:00 on Thursday 1/21. I've selected several items from our discussions and agenda to tell you about. Please remember that I'm not representing Mount Dora City Council when reporting to you. I'm just doing so as an individual.

We heard a report on on the ongoing COVID-19 immunizations that are being provided at St. Patrick Church. First, some background information; we approached the Lake County Health Department about hosting a vaccine location locally so our residents wouldn't need to drive to Clermont or Leesburg. Our St. Patrick location is a cooperative effort. The church has volunteered their campus which is great. Eustis, Tavares and Mount Dora each have provided police to help manage traffic. Mount Dora has had our fire/paramedics there each day along with a contingent of volunteers. We were open Monday-Thursday last week and Tuesday-Thursday this week. Immunizations begin at 11:00 but plan to arrive by 7:30 or so in order to get in line.

Each day so far we have had 600 doses of Pfizer vaccine allotted to us but by careful conservation of precious vials we have managed to stretch those 600 to about squeeze out between 650- 709 doses per day.  Last week we gave about 2,700 shots and today we gave another 709 shots bringing our total immunizations to well over 3,300. That's a good start. More options and more locations are sorely needed as are more doses of vaccine.

We are hopeful that we will be able to continue this St. Patrick program and possibly even expand our efforts to provide service to even more people by providing shots at underserved locations that may include churches, apartment complexes, condos and other residential developments. None of this is not set in stone yet but we are hopeful we can continue to expand our efforts through cooperation with our partners.

We approved 2 Resolutions today that will authorize engineering and design services for important park projects. One project will be renovations to Cauley Lot & Lilly Parks and another to do the create a brand new park/playground in cooperation with Lake County Schools on the campus of Triangle Elementary School.

Lakes of Mount Dora neighborhood residents will be seeing another Traffic Signal Warrant Study take place in February at the intersection of S.R. 44 and Lakes of Mount Dora Blvd. We can expect the results of that study by the end of March. Depending on the traffic count numbers a traffic light there might be recommended. I'll keep you posted about the results but the good news is that the City requested this study meaning that residents' concerns have been noted. We are also looking into other options for safer ingress/egress to the neighborhood including a request for the State to reduce the speed limit on S.R. 44.

The rollout of our new version of recycling is due to begin in early February. Residential Waste Management customers will be able to use both their yellow top (recycling) cans and their green top (garbage) cans for any kind of waste materials. Your pickup day will not change and you will get more information with you next "water" bill. One truck will come by your house on trash day rather than three. All trash will be incinerated to produce electricity.

Yesterday was Dr. Martin Luther King Day. I've shared quotes by Rev. King with you before but today I'd like to give you a quote about Dr. King provided by Bob Woodson. "We honor King not for his victories that are incomplete. We honor him for his vision and his sacrificial commitment to that vision. He saw what we might be capable of as an individual and as a nation. He held it high so we could all see."

Thanks for your interest in our wonderful City.

By Marc Crail
District 4 Mount Dora City Council Representative

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, this month, click here.  Discover the area's online event calendar here. Also download the area's free mobile app.  ​

A new drive-through COVID-19 vaccination site will be open January 12  through 14 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church located half a mile south of the City of Mount Dora.  The free vaccines are available to people 65 years old and older, as well as to  front line workers on a first-come, first-served basis.  There is no residency requirement and no appointments are currently available.  Appointments are expected to be available for the second dose.

DOH-Lake is anticipating to have approximately 550 to 750 doses available each day at the Mount Dora area site and will administer vaccines while supplies last for each day.  The site will be open this week at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and will remain open until the vaccine supply for that day is administered.

The church campus is large enough to hold the number of vehicles for the amount of vaccines available and then the entrance will be closed.  A one to two-and-a-half hour wait in a line should be expected.  Face masks are required to be worn in cars.  

St. Patrick’s Church is located at 6803 Old U.S. Highway 441 in Orange County.  Further scheduling will be listed on Lake.FloridaHealth.gov and MountDoraBuzz.com .

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, this month, click here.  Discover the area's online event calendar here. Also download the area's free mobile app.  ​