Halfway through his four-year term, Lakeland Mayor Mike Cunningham spoke at the monthly Lakeland Chamber of Commerce luncheon this week on Wednesday, September 23, 2020. Some things that have happened this year have been a struggle, while others have been a breeze, he said, as he detailed the impact of COVID-19, major construction projects, parks and rec and what separates Lakeland from other municipalities in Shelby County.
Impact of Covid-19
Mayor Cunningham identified that since Lakeland relies more on property tax revenue than business tax revenue, the impact from Covid-19 did not have quite as much an impact on city finances as surrounding cities. From a local government and business standpoint, Lakeland continues to do everything that has been required. City Manager Shane Horn praised the staff at city hall and their resilience during this time and discussed how the pandemic is physically, mentally, and financially challenging. The declaration of emergency that began March 20th has been extended weekly and is still currently in place for Lakeland.
Positivity
Both Shane and Mayor Cunningham stated how the Covid-19 response has helped bring the city managers and local mayors together. This began with a once-daily Shelby County joint task force call that is now occurring twice weekly. The Mayor also recognized and thanked Dr. Ted Horrell, superintendent of the Lakeland School System (LSS), for his contributions speaking on behalf of all of the municipalities during the task force meetings. Lakeland is the number one school district in the state, he said, and acknowledged that’s a major reason why people want to move to Lakeland. He included that the high school groundbreaking recently occurred and construction is underway, an event that the community can all be excited about.
Chamber Announcements
Wil Ashworth, Chamber president, announced the next Chamber luncheon will be Oct. 23rd. He reminded attendees the Annual Golf Tournament is Monday (9.28.20) at Stonebridge. Rock n Roll Sushi is the title sponsor and Renaissance Group is the presenting sponsor, both for the second year in a row. Proceeds benefit Lakeland School System and the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce.
