555 S. LAWRENCE BLVD. KEYSTONE HEIGHTS, FL 32656

Anyone wishing to address the CIty Council, regarding any topic on this evening's agenda, is requested to complete a card and return to the City Manager.  Speakers are respectfully required to limit their comments to (3) three minutes.

The City Council prohibits the use of cell phones and pagers that emit an audible sound during all meetings, with the exception of Law Enforcement, Fire and Rescue or Healthcare providers on call.  Persons in violation will be asked to leave the meeting.

Mayor Nina Rodenroth called the meeting to order at 6:08 pm.

Deputy City Manager led the meeting in an invocation.

Vice Mayor Dave Welch led the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance.

City Manager James Booth called the roll.

City Councilman Ryan Knight-present

Vice Mayor Dave Welch-present

City Councilman Dan Lewandowski-present

Mayor Nina Rodenroth-present

City Councilman Brandon Ludwig-present

City Attorney Rich Komando-present

City Manager’s Report (July 13th , 2026)

4th of July- amazing work by Jordan Cooper Foundation with the Freedom 5K run/walk, Lake Region Kiwanis with the parade, Pangborn Ice Cream for the banana split eating contest, Faith Fueled Nutrition hydration station, Councilman Lewandowski and his son’s Volleyball tournament, and the Heritage Commission’s pie baking contest…..Just a great community effort, and we could not do this without our volunteers, businesses, and non-profit organizations.

I want to thank our dedicated staff, led by Mrs. Drew Bell, for the part they played in synchronization, logistics, traffic management, vendor fair/ food truck event setup and operation, and the fireworks show (and ticket sales), as well as the less glamorous bathroom cleaning and trash pickup. Absolutely amazing work by the entire team!

Public Works (Garret Cox and Team)

- Repairs to the 15 Passenger Van, Fuel Injector/ O2 sensor issues. Appreciate Jim Bratada over at Riviere Tire for helping us get it diagnosed and repaired the same day for inmate team member transportation.

- Coordinated the successful removal of a 10-foot nuisance alligator from the Keystone Beach area.

-Overhaul maintenance of our sewer lift station at Keystone Beach.

- Excess and scrap metal reduction at our facility off Sunrise Blvd.

-Mowing, Mowing, Mowing…and a little more mowing.

Code Enforcement (Ms. Debbie Mullis)

-Repair and removal of a years-old blighted accident scene east of Commercial Circle on SR100. AT&T telecommunications node on the ground for years repaired after months of coordination!

Cemetery (Mr. Matt Cole)

- (Ms. Debbie Mullis as well) Great work establishing and operating our Columbarium for cremated remains we have sold for niches in the last month. Extending the usable life of the cemetery and providing a better spread of price options for our customers.

City Hall / Front Desk (Wendy Harris, Teresa Kilgor, Mia Rivera )

-Mrs. Wendy Harris - City Minutes have all been digitally scanned; we are reviewing the files. (Wendy)

Events (Drew Bell):

- Completed two Summer Concerts. Both were rained out and shifted into the pavilion. Last concert is on Friday, August 7th at 6 PM with “End of Summer Blues”

Projects (Beau Wright)

- Geneva Jungle- Leathers and Associates Site Inspection- brief tonight.

- Coordinated NIDY’s repair of a vandalized court surface.

-Fireworks Contract- if you liked them, thanks, Beau….If you did not like them, blame me!

-City Hall HVAC ITB.

- Coordinated the soft wash of paint and bike tire skid marks off our tennis courts.

- Secured a $5,000 safety grant from our insurance company.

- Beau, Ms. Janis Fleet, and the Planning and Zoning Board completed their work on the Comprehensive Plan and the $60,000 planning grant we received to facilitate the process.

Fiscal -Tiffany Coleman

Tiffany led us to a clean Fiscal Year 24/25 audit with no findings or recommendations for corrections; she also managed to close out all previous audit findings from previous years!

-We continue to perform better than expected w/ income ahead of expenses.

-$475,000 in grants/ Legislative Appropriations secured this year, additional $1.6M requested.

Now let’s shift to a tougher, less celebratory message.

Vandalism, laziness, and negligence!

I want to start with this…the parks are here for the public to enjoy. We want everyone to come, use, and enjoy them….but we also want everyone to take care of them as if they owned them, because every resident within the city limits of Keystone Heights does own these parks!

- Dog Park water fountain, Bathrooms, and electrical outlet vandalism. There is a lady intentionally damaging the park infrastructure. We have given CCSO video, but it was not enough to act on.

- Split fence rails collapsed by an adult male using them for a balance beam. He told me, “You should put up a sign if you do not want me to do it. ”

- Basketball and Tennis Court Bike and e-bike tire skid marks. There is a sign.

- “Girls rule!” scratched into 1-week-old tennis courts by a kid with a rock while her parents were nearby.

- A cute little cat drawn in permanent marker on nearly every picnic table in Keystone Beach.

- Tennis Court surface and pavilion deck burned through by an e-bike burnout. We found video of the event and filed charges through CCSO.

- ATVs and motorcycles driving through out parks. I was told by an adult doing it that “you should put up a sign if you do not want us doing it.”

- Damage to our pavilion deck railing and Geneva Jungle fence pickets by someone kicking them out.

- Littering everywhere! Parent… Capri Suns and their straw wrappers are the number one item found in the Geneva Jungle.

Mr. Todd Beals spoke to the council.  He wanted to thank the staff for assisting with the Kiwanis Parade. 

He would like to see the pavilion fees be the same for commercial customers as for residents.  He stated the rates should be the same, as the commercial customers are paying just as much or more in property taxes as the residents

Councilman Dan Lewandowski said we do not want the pavilion being used for businesses' employee training sessions.

Councilman Brandon Ludwig motioned to approve the rate change for Commercial taxpayers.

Councilman Ryan Knight made a second.

Vote 5-0; motion passed.

Note:  These will be approved on a case-by-case basis by the City Manager until the next schedule of fees is approved.

Jenn Samsell addressed the City Council with an update on the 4th of July.  She wanted to thank everyone involved for a great job. She also wanted to report the Heritage Commission Pie Baking Contest was bigger than ever. 

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Councilman Brandon Ludwig made a motion to approve the consent agenda.

Councilman Ryan Knight made a second.

The vote was 5-0, motion was approved.

There is one change on the agenda to be amended.  (completed by WLH on 7/14/2026).

Councilman Brandon Ludwig moved to approve the consent agenda.

Councilman Ryan Knight made a second.

Vote 5-0, motion approved.

Councilman Brandon Ludwig made a motion to approve the consent agenda.

Councilman Ryan Knight made a second.

The vote was 5-0, motion was approved.

The Waste Management signed Agreement was emailed to Mr. Greg Huntington on 7/14/2026.

Waste Management emailed the completed signed agreement on 7/15/26. (a copy is included on this agenda)

Councilman Brandon Ludwig moved to approve the consent agenda.

Councilman Ryan Knight made a second.

The vote was 5-0, motion was approved.

The Interlocal Agreement between Clay County and City of Keystone Heights was emailed to County Manager Howard Wannamaker on 7/14/2026

Councilman Ryan Knight moved to approve the Mayor to sign the letter of approval to the North Florida Economic Development Partnership (NFEDP).

Councilman Dan Lewandowski made a second to approve.

The vote was 5-0; the motion was approved.

Signed letter and motion approval sent to Amber Shepherd on 7/14/26.

copy of letter added to the record.

Councilman Brandon Ludwig moved to approve the consent agenda.

Councilman Ryan Knight made a second.

Vote 5-0, motion approved.

 Left a message for Genell Mobley advising that the alcohol request for the pavilion rental was approved. 7/14/2026.

Councilman Brandon Ludwig moved to approve the consent agenda.

Councilman Ryan Knight made a second.

Vote 5-0, motion approved.

I spoke with Mr. Williams, notifying him of the city council's approval for alcohol use in the pavilion. wlh

Councilman Brandon Ludwig moved to approve the consent agenda.

Councilman Ryan Knight made a second.

Vote 5-0, motion approved.

A message was left for Ms. Jones informing her that the alcohol request for the pavilion rental was approved.WLH 7/14/26

Dr. John Zieser stated the comprehensive plan had been submitted. He would like the city council to consider challenge coins for the Planning and Zoning Board.  They have worked very hard on the comprehensive plan.

Brad with Powell and Jones CPA was on the phone to report the audit status.  He said the audit was clean.  All previous and current issues have been cleaned up.

Leathers and Associates Geneva Jungle Assessment- We received the Geneva Jungle Assessment from L&A this week. We have not conducted a detailed review of the attached 96-page report but here is an executive summary: The playground should be expected to last around 20 years with proper maintenance. The playground is currently 29 years old. The original materials used in the playground were Pressure Treated wood posts and Pressure Treated wood framing with Composite decking. The original wood was treated with CCA* which is no longer allowed on playgrounds. Most of the main support posts are in fair condition. The framing is also in reasonable condition for its age. Some of the equipment has some form of maintenance or safety non-compliance concerns. The playground has lasted 4 more years than projected. Proposed Courses of Action:

1. A minor renovation (7+ year lifespan) as described above includes L&A fees (design, project management, and construction consultation) and all materials are estimated at around $66,000. It’s anticipated that the work can be completed in five days using the community build model. $9,400/year of usable life.
2. A major renovation (10+ year lifespan) as described above includes L&A fees (design, project management, and construction consultation) and all materials are estimated to cost around $193,000. It’s anticipated that the work can be completed in five days using the community build model. $19,300/year of usable life.
3. Today’s playgrounds are expected to last for at least 30 years with minimal maintenance needs. A custom-designed community-built replacement estimate is around $365,000 for a playground with a similar square footage to the existing playground, approximately 9,141 sf. This cost estimate is based on utilizing a community-build model. It’s anticipated that the work can be completed in six days. $12,100/year of usable life.

* Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) is a wood preservative containing compounds of chromium, copper, and arsenic, in various proportions. It is used to impregnate timber and other wood products, especially those intended for outdoor use, to protect them from attack by microbes and insects.

Councilman Brandon Ludwig would like to see ADA added to the program and grant submissions.

The City Council agreed to add this to the CRA Plan at the August 3rd CRA board meeting.  The City Manager will prepare a FRDAP grant request if it meets criteria.

Truth in Millage is a state requirement.  We have to send in our maximum millage rate by Aug 4, 2026.

1st Budget reading will be on September 14 at 6:00 pm.

2nd budget reading will be on September 21 at 6:00 pm

Councilman Brandon Ludwig moved to hold the 1st meeting on September 14, 2026, at 6 pm.

Councilman Ryan Knight made the second.

Vote 5-0, motion approved.

Councilman Dan Lewandowski moved to set the max millage rate at 3.7902

Vice Mayor Dave Welch made the second.

Vote 5-0, motion approved.

Budget Item Submission Form

Link to Draft Fiscal Year 26/27 General Fund Budget

Item Name:

Marking Assessment and Painting Project

Proposed Fund (General, Infrastructure, CRA, or Cemetery):

Infrastructure

Concept / Description:

Current Situation: Many of our streets street markings (white parking lines, yellow double lines, speed bumps, stop sign lines, crosswalks, etc.) have faded after years of heavy traffic.

Proposal: Assess and repaint faded street markings on all city-maintained streets and thoroughfares. Prioritization would be the most heavily trafficked streets (Nightingale, Orchid, Lakeview, Pecan) with side streets to follow. Secondary benefit would be an improved appearance of street aesthetics.

Location (if applicable):

Citywide

Users:

City residents

Supports Strategic Plan? Priority/Goal/ Objective Number:

Link to Strategic Plan (Listed on pages 10 and 11

Meets Goal 2 of Strategic Plan

Frequency:

Once

Grant Opportunities:

N/A

Costs- Consider Grant Cycle, Study, Planning, Contracting, Execution, Operations, and Maintenance.

Cost for Upcoming Fiscal Year: $25,000

Cost for future Fiscal Year(s) (operations/ maintenance):

Can be discussed by Council

Name of Submitter: Councilman Brandon Ludwig

City Manager, Jamie Booth explained this is on the routine maintenance and will be addressed. 

Budget Item Submission Form

Link to Draft Fiscal Year 26/27 General Fund Budget

Item Name:

Nightingale-Sunrise Corridor Accessibility Project

Proposed Fund (General, Infrastructure, CRA, or Cemetery):

Infrastructure Fund

Concept / Description:

Sidewalk connecting Keystone Heights city limits with Keystone Village Shopping Center.

Current situation: From the intersection of Orchid Ave & Pecan Street, the quickest fully-paved accessible way for pedestrians in central city neighborhoods to access our local shopping center is approximately 1.15 miles through Orchid, Nightingale, and Citrus Streets, then west along Walker Drive. Additionally, there is no current sidewalk infrastructure connecting our neighborhoods to Sunrise Park which plays host to a dog park and other sports facilities.

Proposal: Construction of a sidewalk utilizing city right-of-way along the Nightingale and Sunrise corridor, which would reduce the distance for pedestrian traffic to access our shopping center to just under a mile, create a handicap accessible path, and connect Sunrise Park and the upcoming Sunrise Estates PUD to city road infrastructure.

Location (if applicable):

Along east side of Nightingale Street on city right-of-way and east side of Sunrise Boulevard to end of city limits.

Users:

Local residents and high school students

Supports Strategic Plan? Priority/Goal/ Objective Number:

Link to Strategic Plan (Listed on pages 10 and 11

Meets Goal 2 of Strategic Plan and Council’s indicated direction earlier this year to prioritize accessibility along the Nightingale and Sunrise corridors.

Frequency:

Once

Grant Opportunities:

Possible through various grant avenue opportunities for accessibility, safer streets, etc.

Costs- Consider Grant Cycle, Study, Planning, Contracting, Execution, Operations, and Maintenance.

Cost for Upcoming Fiscal Year: Estimated maximum project cost to be $100,000. However, this could significantly decrease depending on construction materials, or if Council chose to phase into a two or three-year project. Additionally, grant funding could further offset this cost.

Cost for future Fiscal Year(s) (operations/ maintenance):

See above

Name of Submitter: Councilman Brandon Ludwig

City Manager, Jamie Booth explained we are working with Clay County Public Works.  We are hopeful we are going to be able to utilize their engineering, and save funds.

Councilman Ryan Knight moved to approve the city becoming a member of the NEEDP.

Councilman Dan Lewandowski made a second.

Vote 5-0; motion approved.

Beau Wright, Deputy City Manager, explained that the lowest bidder for the HVAC replacements was Air Innovation at $30,750.00.

Councilman Dan Lewandowski motioned to approve awarding a contract to Air Innovations.

Vice Mayor Dave Welch seconded the motion.

The vote was 5-0 in favor

City Attorney, Rich Komando did not have any comments.

Councilman Ryan Knight spoke about a non-profit, Waste Not, Want Not.  It was explained that they work closely with Lake Area Ministries.  He is going to work on that.

Councilman Dan Lewandowski wanted the flags flown at half-staff in honor of Senator Lyndsay Graham.  They were already being flown that way. He also wanted to thank Drew Bell for doing a great job on July 4th.

He is in favor of cameras to try and address the vandalism problems.

Vice Mayor Dave Welch would like the red light at SR 100 and SR 21 addressed and speed limits in downtown reduced from 30 mph to 25 mph.

Jamie Booth, City Manager, explained that DOT is responsible for speed limits, etc.

Councilman Brandon Ludwig wanted to thank the staff for doing a great job.

Mayor Nina Rodenroth was very pleased with the July 4th activities. She had visitors from outside of Keystone Heights, and they were very pleased.

The 5K race had 582 participants for the race.  This was an 82 % increase from when it began in 2020.

She also wanted to thank Clay and Jax Tourism for making a beautiful video about our city.

She would also like to update the city's strategic plan after the November vote on property tax reform.

Mayor Nina Rodenroth adjourned the meeting at 8:59 pm.