A3 All Local News... NEW or CURRENT SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR $ CALL: 386-752-1293 WEEKS ONLY EMAIL: [email protected] 13 13 (Must be paid in advance. No refunds. Expires May 1, 2020) PRINT AND DIGITAL WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM CHARTER REVIEW Furloughs spur septic tank pump-outs CRC chief One business that’s still flush tries to fire attorney, who says he can’t Only full board can make that decision, says Joel Foreman. By CARL MCKINNEY [email protected] The in-house attorney for the county’s Charter Review Commission, sidelined earlier this year in favor of outside counsel, says he’s been fully relieved of his duties as a result of a decision made without proper authorization. The CRC chairman, Robert Lane, disput- ed the notion that the board had fired its lead attorney, Joel Foreman. When presented with a memo from Foreman Foreman indicating otherwise, Lane declined to explain the apparent contradiction. Photos by CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter Foreman is the elected attorney serving the county’s general legislative body, the Board of County Commissioners, which More time at ABOVE: Charles Peloni, empanels the CRC once every eight years owner of Peloni’s Pumping to draft recommendations for updating and Portable Toilets, pic- the county charter. By default, Foreman home means tured on the right operating was the CRC’s chief legal counsel, but the heavy machinery, installs charter board opted early in the process toilets getting a new septic tank with his to supplement him with another attorney, employee and stepson, Lynn Hoshihara of the Tallahassee law Joseph Creeley, pictured on firm Nabors Giblin & Nickerson. a workout the left. Peloni says business has slowed down in some CRC continued on 2A By CARL MCKINNEY aspects but picked up in [email protected] others during the pandemic, While small businesses every- resulting in revenue staying where are struggling, one service is steady. LEFT: Creeley digs still flush with customers. and sets material on the job Deal struck More people are staying at home, site, where a new home is and that means more people are being built. Peloni says the on small biz using their own toilets rather than demand for new installations the facilities at work or school. hasn’t gone up, but there’s Charles Peloni, owner of Peloni’s been a large influx in people assistance Pumping and Portable Toilets, said needing their existing sys- that while certain aspects of his busi- Associated Press tems pumped. FLUSH continued on 2A WASHINGTON — Congress and President Donald Trump reached agreement Tuesday on a nearly $500 billion coronavirus relief bill that would replenish a small business rescue pro- Money sought from former Carr group gram and provide new funds for hospi- Judge asked to take $1.5M for of compensation paid or promised” to the tals and a virus testing victims of domestic violence. coalition’s officers, “in particular to Ms. program. Carr.” The Senate is poised Staff/wire report Carr reportedly received $7.5 million to quickly pass it in a TALLAHASSEE — A court-appointed in compensation over a three-year period late afternoon session. receiver is asking a judge to force a foun- as president and CEO of the coalition. It next goes to the dation behind an embattled domestic-vi- Carr and the agency were the subject of investigations by the governor’s office House. olence agency to turn over more than and the Florida House when Moody’s Senate Majority $1.5 million to support victims’ services McConnell office filed the lawsuit in early March. Leader Mitch throughout the state. The lawsuit, which also alleges the coa- Jacksonville lawyer Mark Healy, McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate lition and Carr tried to cover up her com- Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, appointed as receiver of the Florida pensation, asks the court to order Carr to were among the few senators in the Coalition Against Domestic Violence and repay the allegedly exorbitant executive chamber amid stay-home orders that the foundation that backs the nonprofit AP PHOTO compensation. have shuttered Washington, and the agency, also wants the court to impose In this 2004 photo, Tiffany Carr, exec- In a motion filed Friday, Healy asked nation. an “equitable lien” and an injunction to utive director of Florida Coalition the court to issue an order requiring the Two conservative Republicans, Sen. block the foundation’s funds from being Against Domestic Violence, is seen foundation to turn over the money meant Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Sen. Rand Paul, spent. with Gov. Jeb Bush, background right. for the coalition, a longtime administrative R-Ky., voiced opposition, but they did The request came in a lawsuit filed by pass-through for state and federal grants Attorney General Ashley Moody accus- not halt passage. for Florida’s domestic-violence shelters. ing Tiffany Carr, the coalition’s former dation, of using paid time off “to conceal DEAL continued on 10A CEO and the sole member of the foun- the excessive and extravagant amounts CARR continued on 3A Vol. 145, No. 289 Obituaries . 2A CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER (386) 752-1293 Health . 3A SUBSCRIBE TO Opinion . 4A THE REPORTER: 84 64 Classifieds . 6A Voice: 755-5445 Fax: 752-9400 Mostly sunny, 2A Advice & Comics . 7A 2A WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER DESPITE VIRUS QUICK HITS Scripture of the Day Septic biz still plenty flush “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them business is having to adapt out of my hand.” — John 10:28 (KJV) FLUSH with the times, Peloni said. Continued From 1A One of his five employ- ees, an office worker, had ness are down, he’s getting to be laid off. Thought for Today “I’m hoping I can bring more calls than ever from Happiness is a virtue, not its reward. people who need their sep- her back soon,” he said. tic tanks pumped. Another septic tank — Baruch Spinoza, 1632-1677, Dutch author “I’m having to turn peo- businessman, Rocky Ford, (“Principles of Cartestian Philospohy”) ple away for pump-outs,” said his company, A&B Peloni said. Construction, has gone Overall, Peloni’s busi- from doing 10 to 15 pump ness is taking in about outs per week to about Winning Lottery Numbers the same revenue it did 20 or 25. But most of his Pick 3: (Monday p.m.) 0-9-3 pre-pandemic, he said. money comes from new Pick 4: (Monday p.m.) 8-5-6-5 In addition to installing construction and repairs, Fantasy 5: (Monday) 3-4-16-35-36 and maintaining septic said Ford, who also serves tanks, his company rents as a Columbia County com- out portable toilets for missioner. See an error? CARL MCKINNEY/Lake City Reporter The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news events. With fewer birth- Charles Peloni, owner of Peloni’s Pumping and “There’s really not a whole lot of money in items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, day bashes and cookouts Portable Toilets, is seen at a job site Tuesday. to drive demand, that cash pump outs,” he said. please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will stream has dried out. The economic impact of run in this space. Thanks for reading. But the upswing in the pandemic has yet to week. Now it’s up to 30 a schedule an appointment demand for septic tank really materialize as far as pump outs has offset the week, and that’s about all last week. his business is concerned, Submissions decreases in revenue else- he can handle. “It’s just depressing Ford said, but he expects a The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption where, he said. “I’m booked full until when you have to tell four 40 to 50 percent reduction information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you would like to see your organization in the newspaper, send the picture Pump outs make up this coming Friday,” Peloni or five people a day that in overall revenue once the and information to the editor: [email protected]. about 30 percent of his said. you can’t get to them,” worst hits. revenue, Peloni said. Prior Other companies in town Peloni said. “The slowdown is about to the pandemic, he was are booked, too, a woman Even with the influx in to catch up with us,” Ford pumping 15 to 20 tanks per told Peloni while trying to pump-outs, Peloni said his said. Lake City Reporter HOW TO REACH US BUSINESS ........... 754-0419 Main number ....... (386) 752-1293 Fax number ............ 752-9400 CIRCULATION Circulation............. 755-5445 Home delivery of the Lake City Reporter Online .... www.lakecityreporter.com should be completed by 6:30 a.m. CRC chair tries to fire attorney The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate Tuesday through Friday, and by 7:30 of Community Newspapers Inc., is a.m. on Sunday. published Tuesday through Friday and self as if he were the char- the CRC chair cannot make It will be the CRC’s call Please call 386-755-5445 to report any Sunday at 180 E. Duval St., Lake City, problems with your delivery service. CRC ter board’s lead attorney, that decision alone. whether to attempt a virtual FL 32055. Periodical postage paid at Lake City, FL, Member Audit Bureau of In Columbia County, customers should Continued From 1A according to the memo. “As the chair is without meeting. Circulation and The Associated Press.