By Susan K. Lamb Riverbend News
Live Oak City Council members considered Ordinance 1459 at the Tuesday, Feb. 9 meeting. This ordinance, which passed unanimously, puts a temporary 180-day moratorium on new, simulated gaming and electronic type sweepstakes in the city.
The 180 days gives the city the opportunity to look into the issue and decide if it is in the best interest of the city to allow new gambling businesses. Audience members suggested to the council that 14 such businesses are already open in the city limits.
Live Oak City Manager George Curtis said later that new gambling business applications to operate in the city must apply for what used to be an occupational license and is now called a business tax receipt. "If you have a brick and mortar business, the city basically collects a tax…before that a certificate of use can be obtained where inspections are made and we determine can the business go there according to zoning and meets all safety codes," said Curtis. "Once city departments have signed off on those business occupation requests they get a certificate of approval and move forward." He commented that in December 2020 there were six businesses in the city that had a number of machines ranging from 12 gaming units to a high of 94. Now in 2021 Curtis said there are about 10-11 gambling businesses in the city.
City attorney Fred Koberlein said the 180 days is to give the city time to explore the possibility of what the city can do with this issue.
Council member Lynda Owens suggested this type of business in the city is already causing problems. "It's causing a lot of issues within our community," she said. "I've heard we are trying to get more in here." She added that in her opinion the city has almost more gambling facilities than churches.
"I think perhaps we, as Suwannee Countians and Live Oak citizens, should do research and see if we're really gaining anything with these. Let's find out what's going on in our city, and likely people will say they wish they (the gambling businesses) weren't here," Owens stated. "I would consider we no longer have the internet cafes and just shut them down." She received voiced agreement from several others on the council.
Chairman Mark Stewart called for comments on the issue from citizens with two in the audience responding.
"I think somebody complained and checked the revenue it brings in and it was negative," Anita Williams told the Council. "I would be more than glad to work with somebody to bring in things like tourism," she stressed. "We need to bring more tourism. The tax revenue they bring in is negotiable." She suggested deep investigation into the matter, saying she knows people who work in the gambling businesses locally and when she talks to them about that matter, they are obsessed with keeping these businesses here. "We need other things in the city other than gambling." Williams went on to explain that Suwannee County draws large numbers of visitors through The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park where festivals and musical events are held year-round in normal times. "We need to sell Live Oak to bring them in to attend things outside of the city like at The Spirit of the Suwannee." She added a female realtor from another area of Florida told her she had many people from her area who attend this internationally known music and camping park events. "I love this community; other people will love this community," Williams told the council. "I have a friend who plays professional baseball in Atlanta and he always talks about Live Oak and stops in Live Oak to get gas when going to spring training." Williams added that this friend's family comes to Live Oak to attend events at the Music Park. "People are concerned about Live Oak when we have floods, people care about Live Oak, there is other money to be made other than (gambling). We don't need 14 casinos owned by the same family… I love this community," she said. "Suwannee County and the Suwannee River is famous, and if we can focus our energy on other ways of bringing in revenue for this community, I think this would be a very positive issue," Williams stated. During her time at the podium she also thanked Mayor Frank Davis for his help and other people he gathered to help the community recently during the Christmas season. Williams said Davis's help made a big difference for those in need locally.
One other person, Marion Gross, complemented Mayor Davis and others for their contributions to the city but said the city allows "a hundred trucks which pull up, set up and sell things out of their truck. You need to look into that. It's hurting a lot of businesses around here."
With no other comments, the council voted to approve the resolution.