CHIEFLAND Thursday, June 20, 2019 Proudly servingITIZEN Chiefland and Levy County for 68 years 2C sections, 20 pages Volume 68, Number 15 www.chieflandcitizen.com Chiefland, FL 32644 $.75 Bronson Bidders outnumber properties in BPR gets Levy land auction that yields $131,235 reprieve, SUZETTE COOK pleased with the turnout we Reporter had.” It won’t be until January Some bidders were at the earliest before anoth- but future looking for a new place to er auction might happen, live or land to farm, oth- Haines said. “We are only ers needed a spot to park required to have one auc- equipment trailers on, and tion a year when we have in doubt one person needed a lot to properties,” she added. build a spec home on. In November, more prop- DEBORAH GOAD Many reasons brought a erties will be escheated (re- Correspondent crowd of about 75 people vert back to County owner- to the Levy County Court- ship) and lead to a potential After a two-hour house on June 17 for the auction in early 2020. workshop on the future first escheated property Bidders came prepared of Bronson Parks and auction held since 2015. with printouts of the 43 Recreation, the Town Legal Assistant Susan properties going on the of Bronson on June 17 P. Haines served as the block. Haines began the agreed to allow until auctioneer, and was very event by reading the proce- June 29 for BPR propo- happy with the outcome. dures and policies for the nents to produce five “I thought it went very SUZETTE COOK/Citizen volunteers to sustain the well,” she said. “I was very See LAND Page A2 Bidders sit patientlly at a packed Levy County land auction at the department and its role Courthouse. in youth sports. A somewhat conten- tious workshop between Bronson residents and the Town Council led to a provisional agreement. The workshop centered around the town step- ping away from the sports complex and going to an all-volunteer See BPR Page A3 CAAA football, cheer sign-ups The Chiefland Area Athletic Association (CAAA) is currently hold- ing sign-ups every Satur- day for football, cheer- leading and flag football in the fall. The sign-ups take place at Strickland Park in the Board Room, located at the back of the concession building. The remaining registra- tion dates are June 29, July 6 and July 20. The times are always 9 a.m. to noon. The fees are $75 for football and cheer, for ages 5 to 12, and $60 for flag football, which is DEBORAH GOAD/Citizen for ages 4 to 6. D&D Dance Studio in Chiefland held its 14th Annual Spring Dance Revue in style on June 7 and June 8. Dancers If you’re signing up a performing “Locomotion” are pictured in no particular order: Marley Walker, Brielle Coates, Brylee Coates, Maple Hill and child for football or flag Amelia Jerrels. See more coverage on page A10. football, please bring a copy of the child’s birth certificate and a current photo. For more information, contact Lee Bell at 352- Chiefland grows School Board Chair: 210-2617 or David Wil- liams at 352-210-3307. CHIEFLAND list of golf cart No more interruptions CITIZEN 624 W. Park Ave Etheridge tightens the reins on disruptive Chiefland, Fl 32626 friendly streets Phone: 352-493-4796 behavior from meeting guests SUZETTE COOK Lyons made a request in Reporter writing asking the City to FROM STAff REPORTS the Board to not respond to the allow golf cart traffic on questions and said, “This is a Chiefland City Commis- NE 4th Street, Bay Street An audience member went to public comment period. Some- sioners voted to amend AKA NE 9th Terrace, NE the podium at the June 11 Levy times members of the public an ordinance to expand 8th Street, Willow Street County School Board meeting or the media can be directed to the list of streets that AKA NE 10th Terrace and and stated that she had three individuals within the district golf carts are allowed to NE 11th Drive. questions about a recent hiring who can look into a question and travel on. At the June 10 commis- process. get back to them. But the Board On May 30, Strawberry After the first question, Attor- See CARTS Page A3 Ad#:000VXFTFields RV park Date:04/03/19 owner Hal Day:WED Size:5X3 Cust:80827 Salesperson:792ney David LastM. Delaney Edited By:CDECKELMANN advised Pub:SPECIALSee SERVICES SBLC Page Tag A3 Line:METAL ROOF FRONT PAGE Color Info:4COLOR 000VXFT - Page 1 - Composite 000VXFT 2A Chiefland Citizen Thursday, June 20, 2019 COUNTY PROPERTY AUCTION All photos by SUZETTE COOK/Citizen On left, Legal Assistant Susan P. Haines served as the auctioneer at a Levy County property auction on June 17. On right, a bidder signals Haines at the auction, which became standing room only with eager bidders. Below, a winning bidder pays for a property. Each property certificate, parcel minimum opening bid was number and description was $35,887.50, but that quickly rose read to the bidders, and open- to $36,000, then in a matter of LAND ing minimum bids established minutes, bidders went back and continued from Page A1 as a percentage of properties’ forth “37, 38, 39, 40, 41,” then assessed values kicked of the “$41,500, 42, 43, $43,500,” and bidding process. it kept climbing until Haines said, auction. “Cash or certified Properties from all parts of “going once, going twice, sold for funds payable by 4 p.m. on sale Levy County from Fanning $49,100.” day,” she told the bidders, many Springs to Morriston were auc- Several parcels sold for the of whom were standing along the tioned. minimum bid of $200, and one walls of the room or sitting on the Bidders were in control of the parcel had about 8 bidders going floor in the aisles. bid increments often increasing back and forth. One therapy dog and a baby by $25, $50 or $1,000 more per Parcel No. 07622-032-00 at rounded out the crowd filled with bid. One pair of dueling bidders 8111 NW 167 Pl in Fanning contractors, farmers, residents, raised it by one dollar increments Springs is a .7 acre plot with a retirees, and investors looking for and laughed about it. zero value mobile home on it. It’s a deal. The property that drew the location with two miles of Fan- Haines had two properties with highest bid was a 20-acre par- ning Springs State Park and easy sealed bids, but those were both cel located in Morriston that access to US Highway 19 might outbid by people in the room. was assessed for $81,561. The have been the draw for multiple SUZETTE COOK/Citizen buyers. Prospective bidders examine the 33 properties availa- The property had an opening ble. bid of $500 but ended up bring- ing $3,010. It is currently as- sessed at $4,840 by the County. auction, Haines said to the remaining bidders, The convenience of Parcel No. “Thank you all very much for coming, the Coun- 10013-000-00, near Bronson ty really appreciates it.” Schools and just a few lots down Future auctions will be advertised in this from the Levy School District’s newspaper and on the County’s website. In a bus barn, earned the property recent County Commission meeting, Haines said a winning bid of $13,500. This the notice of the sale reported in The Chiefland homestead is just over an acre, Citizen garnered a lot of phone calls even before has a large mobile home on it, a the required ads were placed. basketball court and a deck for Some bidders attending the event said they a pool, all in need of some TLC. saw the article or already scan the County The assessed value is listed at website for auction notices. Others said friends $44,881. shared the story on social media and the word At the completion of the spread quickly. CHIEFLAND Stay Cool and $ave Money 1306 N. Young Blvd. across from McDonald’s 100% Financing Available $ 352-493-4BBQ or Rent to Own. WILLISTON 143 East Noble Ave. across from Capital City Bank Commercial & Residential and Fries on Facebook: We Service All Brands 6Bubbaques-BBQ 352-528-4BBQ All You Can Eat Sales • Repair • Installation Salad Bar Available! WILLISTON LOCATION ONLY. Now Offering Duct Black ® Air & Electric Cleaning and Sanitizing 90847 “Cooling Florida since 1992” Call Today! White ® bubbaquesbbq.com EC13001855 CAC057426 352-493-4888 Thursday, June 20, 2019 Chiefland Citizen 3A Cowart to serve as legislative representative SUZETTE COOK the alternate for the 2019-2020 school Citizen year. “It’s an opportunity to be involved Superintendentof Levy County when legislation comes down to share Schools Jeffrey Edison announced at how it will impact Levy County,” Cow- the June 11 School Board meeting that, art said. “It’s that time of year when the Board “I understand how important names a legislative representative.” relationships are so we’ve been able Board Member Paige Brookins nom- to have very good relationships with inated Board Member Chris Cowart to Rep. Stone, Senator Bradley.” serve as the Florida School Boards As- Cowart has served in this capacity sociation (FSBA) liaison and for School in the past and said he is ready to give Board Chair Brad Etheridge to serve as it another year. Levy County School Board member Chris Cowart at the June 11 meeting. SUZETTE COOK/Citizen continuedCARTS from Page A1 sion meeting, the streets were approved by all Commissioners except RV Park Manager and Commissioner Tim West who abstained from the vote to avoid a conflict of interest.