MOUNT DORA BUZZ
  • Home
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Business & Real Estate
    • Outdoor Life
    • Real Estate Buzz
    • Government & Education
    • Kindness Matters
    • Profiles
    • Newsworthy
    • What's Hot...
    • Development Buzz
    • Who Knew?
    • Buzz Polls
  • Calendar
  • Festivals & Events
    • Annual Festivals
    • Monthly Events
    • Local Holiday Events Guide
    • Fall Festivals & Halloween Events
    • Best Local Pumpkin Patches
  • Best of Mount Dora
  • Dining
  • Things to Do
  • Live Music
  • Parking
  • Photos
    • City Scenes
    • Colorful Cottages of Mount Dora
    • Gilbert Park
    • Holiday Lights
    • Doors of Mount Dora
    • Views from Above
    • Palm Island Boardwalk
    • July 4th Americana
    • Vintage Photos
    • Donnelly House
    • Sydonie Mansion
    • The Howey Mansion
  • History
  • Mobile App
  • Contact
    • News Desk
    • Advertising Inquiries
    • Writing Services & Content Marketing
    • Design Services
    • Social Media Services
    • Suggest a Restaurant Visit
    • Submit Pic of the Day
  • Subscribe

Government & Education

Mount Dora City Council update:  November 16, meeting

11/16/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Marc Crail
District 4 City Council Representative


There was a large crown on hand in the Mount Dora Community Building for the November 16th City Council meeting. I've been through this changing of the guard a few times now and it still stirs my emotions to be sworn in along with the others who will make up our City Council. Many thanks go out to Mayor Cathy Hoechst, Harman Massey and Pam Burtnett who served our city and our citizens so well and so faithfully. Our new additions are Mayor Crissy Stile, and council members Nate Walker and John Cataldo. Their friends, relatives and supporters welcomed them as did the rest of your city council members. This was also the first meeting for our brand new City Manager, Patrick Comiskey who along with his family has arrived from Cambridge, Maryland only last weekend. New energy and ideas are always important as we move forward.

There is something uniquely American in a peaceful and respectful transition of government leaders. There were Boy Scouts in the audience learning about how our government works. I was reminded of a quote by Thomas Jefferson who wrote; "We do not have a government by the majority. We have government by the majority of those who participate." Thanks to everyone who participated in this democratic process and voted in the recent election.

As usual, I've selected several items from our agenda to tell you about today. I'm reporting as one individual, not on behalf of City Council as a whole.

All of your elected officials are obligated to study and follow the Florida Sunshine Law and Public Records laws. Our City Attorney provided us with a condensed synopsis of those requirements. Florida elected officials must take four hours of training every year to stay current on these subjects.

We voted 7-0 to make an application for a potential $550,000 African-American Cultural and Historical Grant that would require a $50,000 match from Mount Dora. If we get the grant, it will be used to help fund the major upgrades and renovations at Cauley Lott Park and to educate the public who visit there regarding the contributions of African-American residents and history in Mount Dora.

We also approved a series of measures all related in one way or another to the future construction of a mixed use Town Center style development  (442 apartments and commercial space) to be located between Round Lake Rd., Niles Rd. and SR 46. There will be many other steps involved as this concept moves forward. Questions were raised about the capacity of the city to provide water, sewer, reclaimed water, etc. for this project. We have the capacity to do that. This development will include connector roads and trails that will help ease and disperse traffic flow in the area.

To help several of our Council Members who have "day jobs" and to boost community member attendance at our Council meetings, beginning in January our meetings will begin at 6:00.

Since I snuck my quote for the day in earlier, I'll just close by saying how much I appreciate the opportunity to serve our wonderful community. Thanks for your ongoing interest in your city's government and please stay informed and involved.

By Marc Crail
District 4 City Council Representative

For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here and follow Mount Dora Buzz on Facebook.  For local things to do, click here and for the area's free mobile app, click here. ​​​
Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Mount Dora City Council update:  November 2 meeting

11/2/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Marc Crail
Mount Dora City Council, District 4 Representative


Our November 2 (Election Day) City Council meeting was held at 1:30 p.m. instead of 5:30 because some council members and city staff serve on the Lake County Canvassing Board and need to be at the Supervisor of Elections' office by 5:00. The agenda was fairly brief. I've picked out some agenda items and discussion items to tell you about hoping that you find them to be of interest. As always, I report to you from only my own perspective and not on behalf of City Council.

We heard a report from our fire chief who recognized the accomplishments of 3 firefighters who recently completed their 1,100 hour of Paramedic training along with nearly 500 additional hours of hospital study in order to become Paramedics. That is nearly as many hours as a full time worker puts in in a year! We also learned a bit about an ultra sound study that our MDFD participated in and saw a "Lucas Device" that our fire fighters use to provide an electronic version of CPR. We are lucky to have these talented and hard working public servants to help keep us safe.

Speaking of public servants, we recognized Pam Burtnett and Harman Massey for their service as out-going members of Mount Dora City Council. We will miss them but we look forward to welcoming new members at our 11/16 meeting. Today is election day and I'd like to thank all of the candidates who have stepped up to the plate and run for public office. Later this evening we will know the results of our contested mayor's race and District 1 city council race.

I've gotten a couple of questions recently about the schedule for this year's holiday events in the downtown area. Our events coordinator, Chris Carson used the word "evolve" to help explain some changes that we will see during the upcoming holiday season. He explained that in 2019 due to loads of publicity on TV, radio stations and electronic media our "Light Up Mount Dora" event that was held on the Saturday evening following Thanksgiving resulted in huge crowds, parking problems and even safety concerns. Last year, because of COVID concerns, we were forced to postpone  or cancel several popular holiday events.

This year we will be trying to find a "happy medium" and spread the holiday events across more days to benefit our downtown merchants and alleviate the worst of the traffic and parking snarls. Chris mentioned the planners hope to reclaim the local, home town, family feel.

Rather than have tens of thousands of visitors from all over central Florida flood into Mount Dora for "Light Up" that is co-sponsored by The Mount Dora Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Leasing who provides the Christmas Tree and the City, they have cooperatively decided to make some changes.

Mount Dora residents will receive a day or two of advanced notice about when the Christmas lights will be lit up. That will probably be a few days before Thanksgiving, likely on a week night so that our guests in town for Thanksgiving can see the display without an onslaught of out of town traffic.

The "Christmas Walk" is being rebranded and could have a new name, but it will be held on Friday evening December 3rd. We'll all look forward to shopping, hearing carolers, sipping hot chocolate and getting into the Christmas spirit after last year's pandemic. The Chamber of Commerce representative expressed her support for spreading out the events this year.

The Main Street Leasing tree is being put up now and we should be seeing the dancing lights a bit earlier this year.

The City sponsored "Snow in the Park" event is scheduled for Saturday December 11th. The " New Year's Eve" celebration and fireworks display are a go but I don't have the exact times for you today.

I was taking notes as fast as I could but I'm sure I've missed something but rest assured that the holiday celebrations that we all enjoy will continue to evolve and hopefully be better than ever.

My quote of the day comes from Jonathon Safran Foer, an American author. "Being attentive to the needs of others might not be the point of life, but it is the work of life."

By Marc Crail
Mount Dora City Council, District 4 Representative


​For more news and events in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here and follow Mount Dora Buzz on Facebook.  For local things to do, click here and for the area's free mobile app, click here. ​​​
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

    Archives

    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Terms of Use
Copyright Mount Dora Buzz 2025
​All rights reserved.



  • Home
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Business & Real Estate
    • Outdoor Life
    • Real Estate Buzz
    • Government & Education
    • Kindness Matters
    • Profiles
    • Newsworthy
    • What's Hot...
    • Development Buzz
    • Who Knew?
    • Buzz Polls
  • Calendar
  • Festivals & Events
    • Annual Festivals
    • Monthly Events
    • Local Holiday Events Guide
    • Fall Festivals & Halloween Events
    • Best Local Pumpkin Patches
  • Best of Mount Dora
  • Dining
  • Things to Do
  • Live Music
  • Parking
  • Photos
    • City Scenes
    • Colorful Cottages of Mount Dora
    • Gilbert Park
    • Holiday Lights
    • Doors of Mount Dora
    • Views from Above
    • Palm Island Boardwalk
    • July 4th Americana
    • Vintage Photos
    • Donnelly House
    • Sydonie Mansion
    • The Howey Mansion
  • History
  • Mobile App
  • Contact
    • News Desk
    • Advertising Inquiries
    • Writing Services & Content Marketing
    • Design Services
    • Social Media Services
    • Suggest a Restaurant Visit
    • Submit Pic of the Day
  • Subscribe