Fred Martin told the legislators that Live Oak has a heroin epidemic.

LIVE OAK, Fla. — Florida Senator Rob Bradley and Florida Representative Elizabeth Porter visited Live Oak on Monday morning for a legislative delegation hearing.

Bradley (R-Fleming Island) announced that the 2018 regular session is beginning early next year. Instead of starting in March it will start Jan. 9, 2018.

This is Porter’s (R-Lake City) last year as a representative.

“We are certainly thankful and proud of her service to the community,” Bradley said.

Porter added: “It has been an honor to be serve Suwannee County.”

City of Live Oak Mayor Sonny Nobles welcomed everyone to the hearing.

“On behalf of the citizens and residents of Live Oak and Suwannee County we welcome you today,” Nobles said.

He added that “Home Rule” is important and asked that Porter and Bradley be conscious of those things that would affect local government.

Clerk of Court Barry Baker told Porter and Bradley his office will be trying to set up a meeting with them to discuss funding for the Clerks of Court in Florida.

“Our primary concern is to get sustainable funding for our offices,” Baker said. “Our offices are going to have another cut this year, it will be a little bit over $30,000, which doesn’t sound like a lot but for our small county it is huge.”

Superintendent of Schools Ted Roush said the local capital outlay continues to be one of the issues that the district has struggled with since it was reduced from 2 mills to 1.5 mills.

He said in small school districts the capital outlay funds are relied on for improvements.

He also thanked Porter and Bradley for their support in getting $300,000 for the Allied Health expansion at RIVEROAK Technical College.

Mary Keen, Director of RIVEROAK Technical College, echoed Roush’s thanks.

She said they have outgrown the space and need to expand.

Suwannee County resident Tom Burnett had several items for the state representatives to consider.

“My understanding is there is a state law requiring stand-by generators for gasoline stations on evacuation routes,” Burnett said. “I would like that law revoked and in lieu of the law, have a law that says in a declared state of emergency, if you have stand-by power and can provide gasoline to your citizens you can raise the gas rates by $1 a gallon,” Burnett said.

He said that a financial incentive is better than a state law.

“Greed is good, it keeps us working,” Burnett said.

Burnett also wanted the state to update Florida citizens on the backlog of rape kits waiting for testing.

“I share your frustration with the rape kits,” Bradley said. “They have made great progress. I don’t think they have actually caught up but I think they are getting close.”

Suwannee County resident Fred Martin said he was at the hearing Monday because of a heroin epidemic in Live Oak.

“We got people dying left and right,” Martin said.

He added that he has told the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office about where heroin is but it has not stopped the problem because people just move to a different spot.

He added that law enforcement officers should all wear body cameras.

“I will be running for your seat Mrs. Porter because I’m mad because nobody in Tallahassee seems to give a crap about the heroin epidemic,” Martin said.

In closing remarks, Porter said she is happy to be able to work and not have to worry about running for re-election this year.

“We still have a year left and I am still going to try to do everything for my constituents we can possibly do,” Porter said.