LIVE OAK, Fla. — For the second straight week, the City of Live Oak and Suwannee County’s economic development agreement was a topic of discussion.

At the City of Live Oak’s Feb. 13 meeting, the council passed Resolution 18-04,which reduced the amount the city will contribute to the economic development program. That led to the Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners to discuss its relationship with the city regarding economic development at Tuesday night’s meeting.

The city’s new resolution states it will provide $6,250 quarterly towards the economic development program so long as the office is funded by Suwannee County.

The resolution adds that quarterly written reports are expected from the county administrator describing details of all economic development activities.

This resolution replaces Resolution 15-1-A, which was the previous agreement for the economic development program.

According to the original resolution, the city paid $47,028.50 yearly towards the economic development director salary.

The county already has a set budget with the city contributing $47,028.50, not the lesser amount that would save the city $22,028.50 per year.

City Manager Ron Williams said the city will pay the $47,028.50 they agreed to for this budget year.

He said the reduced amount will take effect during the 2018-2019 budget.

County Administrator Randy Harris said he received a copy of the draft resolution from the city asking for a recommendation for what the contribution amount should be.

Harris said he placed it on a previous agenda but later pulled it at the request of a city council member.

“I believe it was the city that came to us to ask for Alvin’s (Jackson) services when we never really offered it to them,” Commissioner Larry Sessions said. “They wanted the services, so they wanted to pay for it.

“Now they have decided they want less so my thought is maybe they should probably find their own economic development person.”

Commissioner Clyde Fleming agreed with Sessions.

“From my understanding the city wants to cut services that kind of tells me that they want to do their own thing,” Fleming said.

Commissioner Ronnie Richardson added: “If we have to pay (Alvin Jackson’s) entire salary, I would be happy to know that he is completely with us, working with us, rather than with a city that can be, at times, divisive.”

Chairman Ricky Gamble said he reviewed the original resolution and it allows the city to annually review the progress.

He added resolution 15-1-A states the economic development director shall research business climate issues and analysis for project proposals affecting target industries.

“The impression or perception is that there is a hostile climate when it comes to business expansion or creation within the city limits,” Gamble said. “That is not my opinion, that is what I’ve had business owners express to me.”

He suggested hiring a consultant to look at the city’s and the county’s Land Development Regulations to ensure there is not an issue.

“If we have competing LDRs, we are competing with each other,” Gamble said.

County Attorney Jimmy Prevatt said since Resolution 15-1-A was a joint resolution and Resolution 18-04 was a sole resolution. As such, he said he considers it an offer for the county to come up with a joint resolution.

The commissioners directed Prevatt to start on a joint resolution and set up a workshop with the city council.