LIVE OAK — Chuck Hatcher, assistant director of the Florida Park Service, presented a check worth $500,000 to the Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners at a Tuesday board meeting.

The check will be used for the new development of a barrier-free playground with shade structure, Americans Disability Act (ADA) accessible picnic facilities, fitness stations, barrier-free Miracle League baseball field, handicap parking area, landscaping and security lighting.

“Congratulations on this grant award,” Hatcher said. “I look forward to joining you again as we celebrate progress on this project.”

Also during the meeting, Randy Harris, county administrator, requested the county authorize him to meet with the Live Oak City Council to discuss issues related to perimeter road.

Harris said the road is near completion, but the last stretch of the road, 72nd Trace, was completed by the city and is not up to standards.

The county contractor for the perimeter road is willing to repave the road correctly, but Harris said the city wants the contractor to move a sewer line under 72nd Trace. There is nothing wrong with the sewer, he said, and the city has given him no reason for moving it.

“The sewer line doesn’t need to be replaced. It would delay the project. There is nothing wrong with the sewer line,” Harris said. “The reason we need to get this behind us soon is because the contractor is ready to finish the project.”

The county passed a motion to authorize Harris to meet publicly with the city council to resolve the issue.

Later in the meeting, Alvin Jackson, Suwannee County economic development director, gave a development update for the county. He ran through a list of new and developing businesses in the county and some challenges the county faces.

He said the building being built on U.S. Highway 129 and 72nd Trace, next to Dollar Tree, is going to be a new AT&T building. Jackson also listed the amount of taxes new businesses like Klausner has brought in.

The lumber company has brought in $1,746,981, up nearly $800,000 from last year.

Jackson said the county faces serious issues of finger pointing and a lack of education. He praised the increased school grades, but said more needed to be done.

“It’s a vicious cycle of finger pointing,” Jackson said. “It needs to stop. It takes a community coming together to fix this.”