Beverly Goodman of Tri-County Community Resource Center in Chiefland received permission to use Charles Strickland Park as the site of the Back to School Bash on Aug. 8.
By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
The annual Back to School Bash in Chiefland will occur on Aug. 8 this year, but not at First United Methodist Church as it has in the past.
This year, to protect students from the coronavirus the big school-supply giveaway will take place at Charles Strickland Park as a drive-through event.
Beverly Goodman of Tri-County Community Resource Center received permission from the Chiefland City Commission Monday to use Strickland Park as the site of the event from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Aug. 8. Organizers will close off through-traffic on the street that runs past the park between 23rd Ave. and 140th St. The entrance for the event will be 140th near Beef ‘O’Brady’s.
Pastor Richard Blue of First United Methodist Church in Chiefland, whose church would normally host the event on church grounds, said regardless of what happens with school this fall, the kids will need school supplies.
Goodman said the Back to School Bash will give away 600 high quality backpacks along with other much needed school supplies. The kids can use them if they remain at home for studies, or if they go back to school campuses.
“These are not backpacks that are going to break tomorrow with a pack of crayons in it,” she said. “They have folders, notebooks.”
Parents must pre-register to take advantage of the school supply giveaway. Goodman said Tri-County Community Resource Center is working with United Way on the big event.
“They (United Way) has graciously offered their 211 service where families can sign up ahead of time using 211,” Goodman said. “Only pre-registered families would come to that event. They will have to have the children with them. It’s pretty simple. They would literally drive through the event with tables lined up.”
She said a conference call tomorrow to organize the event will involve 15 to 20 partners discussing the school supply giveaway.
Blue said his church along with First Baptist Church and Joppa Baptist Church will take part in the school bash.
“It’s exciting to come together around our kids. You don’t know what will happen in the fall, but they will need school supplies,” Blue said.
Food Giveaway Thursday
Junie Burr of Chiefland First United Methodist Church announced that the church would be hosting a Children’s Table food distribution event at the church this Thursday. The Methodist Church will provide the labor and other essentials.
Burr asked commissioners for permission to block off a small area around the church for the food giveaway. She received permission. City Manager Mary Ellzey said the city would supply materials for blocking off the streets.
“We’re talking about a semi-trailer of vegetables already in boxes,” she said.
The truck is supposed to arrive at 8 a.m. but Burr said they are hoping for a 7 a.m. arrival. A hardware store has offered its forklift to unload the semi.
Commissioners gave the church permission to block off a portion of 2nd Street for the food giveaway.
No County Assistance
Cynthia Macon, a resident of SW 14th Ave., a paved street at the south end of Chiefland, requested assistance from the city in repairing her street, which is littered with deep potholes.
Mayor Chris Jones, who said he often uses the road, said the road belongs to the Levy County Commission, not the city, but he said the county doesn’t claim ownership.
Jones said he appeared before the county commission in the past to request county repairs of the road but was turned down by Commissioner Rock Meeks who represents the Chiefland area.
“I’m not on that side of U.S. 19. That was his exact words,” Jones said.
City commissioners were in agreement that SW 14th Ave. is a county road. They suggested Macon appear before the county commission and make a direct appeal to the board for repairs of the road. The board meets in the County Annex Building behind the Levy County Courthouse.
Spotlight drove to SW 14th Ave. after the city commission meeting. There were multiple deep potholes in the street that looked more like small sinkholes, the type of deep cavity that can knock out the front-end alignment of a car.
Macon said she would make an appearance at a county commission meeting to request assistance with the street.
Commending Police Chief
Doris Jones, mother of Mayor Chris Jones, commended Police Chief Scott Anderson for his excellent work protecting the protest march Saturday evening in south Chiefland.
“To say you were doing a great job would be the least,” Jones said.
Jones said the march was held in a downpour but turned out well considering the rainy conditions.
Mayor Jones said he too felt the peaceful march went off without any problems.
“Everything went really well. I’m proud of everyone,” he said.
Commissioner Tim West said the atmosphere at the event was filled with love.
“With all that’s been going on all year, that’s probably the most love I’ve experienced,” West said.
Commissioner Norman Weaver said several ministers offed prayers during the event and he was impressed by their words.
Barren Commission Agenda
Aside from the request by Goodman to use Strickland Park for the Back to School Bash and Burr’s request to use a city street for the Children’s Table food distribution, the commission agenda was relatively bare of business items.
Ellzey was asked if she had any correspondence. She had none. The police chief and fire chief had no business. None of the five commissioners had any announcements.
Commissioners were asked if they had not been approached by anyone from the state about the Suncoast Connector toll road. None had been contacted. Ellzey said no one has contacted her either.
The city operates on an annual budget of about $7 million. Given that fact alone, a commission agenda almost barren of any business items was an eye-catcher.
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City of Chiefland Regular Meeting June 8, 2020; Posted June 8, 2020
