The Newscaster/Nature Coast News
PAGE 11 - October 13, 2010
Lilly Rooks Is Running For
Editorial - Opinion - Commentary
Re-Election in Dist. 4
From Yankeetown Town Hall
Lilly Rooks will be the first to tell you that she welcomes the
challenges she faces every day serving as the “Voice” for the people of
A Guest Commentary by Yankeetown Mayor Dawn Clary
Levy County. Her job as a County Commissioner involve long hours,
New Water Rates - The Town Council adopted a new water rate schedule at the
frequent telephone calls, and many meetings.
October regular meeting. The change came after a review of the water department’s budget
Rooks makes herself available to the people. She appreciates
at recent budget hearings. The problem in Yankeetown is that we have so many seasonal
your phone calls, your ideas, and your opinions. Rooks is grateful for
people and absentee owners. When people have their water turned off for quite a while, the
the warm reception she has received as you have welcomed her into your
full cost of the water system is then paid by only the people that are here. The people here,
homes. Your input has guided her in making the right decisions for our
pay for their own usage as well as ALL the maintenance costs and operational costs for the
county.
water system, so that the plant will be available for those seasonal people when they come
Rooks and her family are longtime residents of Levy County,
back. While you may say that this sounds fair because you shouldn’t have to pay for some-
she has a personal vested interest in the quality of life enjoyed by its residents. Her track
thing that you don’t use, it really isn’t fair. Why? Because those people who are gone, fully
record shows that she tirelessly works for ways to provide needed County services without
expect to have water available when they come back to town, so we have to keep the plant
increasing costs and continually strives to establish the fiscal stability of the County’s fi-
maintained and many costs can not be ratioed. There are many fixed costs that apply year
nances.
round. We can’t put Paul, our water guy, on a shelf for 5 months
Rooks has earned the reputation of being the “get er done” commissioner, by
The solution to this problem is a “Service Availability Fee” which will apply to
applying a combination of reason and commitment. Her knowledge and understanding of
everyone that has a water meter, whether that meter is turned on or not. This spreads the cost
government has provided her with the resources to assist Levy County residents with the
over more people so that everyone contributes to the water system. This is the approach that
issues that concern them most.
Yankeetown has taken. The new system is fairer, as one person put it in the meeting, you still
Rooks stepped forward to face the Gulf Oil Spill disaster. She got the attention of
have to pay your house mortgage even if you are gone on vacation.
the state and federal agencies when she announced she wanted protections for 52 miles of
The good news is that this change will keep water rates lower because everyone is
Levy County’s coastline. She aggressively pursued this endeavor. Since April 20th, Rooks
paying their fair share. The Service Availability Fee has essentially replaced the base rate.
has had her finger on the pulse of what is happening in the Gulf of Mexico. She has spent
Residential water usage will then be billed at $9.07 per thousand gallons and commercial
her days meeting with Coast Guard and other government officials, participating in confer-
usage will be billed at $11 per thousand gallons.
ence calls, and meeting with residents and business owners who would be most directly
The Florida Rural Water Association supports this approach and we have their po-
impacted.
sition paper if you would like to read it. Our expert on this issue is Councilman Norm Shan-
Recently Rooks was re-appointed as President of the Small County Coalition. The
nahan. If you have any questions, you may wish to direct them to him. You can also pick
Coalition is comprised of 35 counties. The Small County Coalition works to ensure that
up a copy of the resolution at the hall which concisely gives the new rates. Good Night and
small counties are represented in Tallahassee, working to better meet the challenges facing
Good Luck, Dawn Marie Clary, Mayor of Yankeetown
Florida’s smaller counties. Rooks also serves on the Board of Directors for the Florida As-
sociation of Counties. This association represents all 67 counties in the State of Florida.
On June 30, 2010, the President of the Florida Association of Counties recognized
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eight (8) County Commissioners from around the state. Lilly Rooks was one of the eight
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(8) commissioners to be recognized and presented with the Presidential Advocacy Award
for her hard work. This was her third recognition. She has attained County Commissioner
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Through all her responsibilities, she has remained committed to stay current on
the legislative issues which could impact your families and their way of life. There are no
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Levy Schools Foundation Beast Feast
Financing Available • 12 Months Same as Cash • FREE Water Analysis
The Levy County Schools Foundation will be hosting its 1st Annual Beast Feast
Saturday, October 23 at the Black Prong Equestrian Center, SE County Road 337, in
R&M
Bronson. Dinner will be served at 5:30 pm. Some of the foods being served may include
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS
venison, gator tail, mullet, sausage, clams, swamp cabbage, boiled corn, grits, baked beans,
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and desserts. Tickets are $25 per person and are available at all Capital City Bank, Drum-
Complete Auto Repairs
mond Community Bank, and Perkins State Bank branches. For more information contact
the Levy County Schools Foundation at 352-486-3408.
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Crystal River, BP, U.S. Highway 19 & N.E. 3rd Avenue, Crystal River, Wa l g r e e n s , 3 1 0
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N.E. U.S. Highway 19, Crystal River, Kwik King, 9709 Fort Island Trail, Crystal River,
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Funky Grove, 1111 S.E. 5th Street, Crystal River, Kwik Save, 8011 W. Miss Maggie Drive,
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Homosassa, Little General Market, 4611 W. Cardinal Street, Homosassa, Kangaroo Ex-
press, 6241 W. Cardinal Street, Homosassa, Quik Save, 5366 S. Suncoast Blvd., Homosassa
Sunoco, 6971 W. Gulf to Lake Highway, Crystal River, Dollar General, 6798 W. Gulf to
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Lake Highway, Crystal River, Bob’s Liquor 3, 6601 W. Gulf to Lake Highway, Crystal River
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BP, 6296 Gulf to Lake Highway, Lecanto, Citgo, 5980 Gulf to Lake Highway, Lecanto
Kwik King, 3761 Gulf to Lake Highway, Lecanto, Shell, 2025 CR 486, Lecanto
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