Page 5 - a-history-of-columbia-county-florida-(1996)-edward-f-keuchel

A History of Columbia County Florida (1996) Edward F. Keuchel

COLUMBIA COUNTY - 1980
Columbia County is in northern Florida and extends more
than fifty miles from the Georgia line south to the Santa Fe River.
It has an area of 789 square miles. Its maximum width, between
Suwannee and Baker Counties, on a west-east line is about twenty
miles. The northwestern boundary of the county is the Suwannee
River, made famous around the world by a song of Stephen Foster.
This section of the river is beautiful as it winds between steep
limestone cliffs, and contains the river’s greatest rapids, Suwannee
Shoals. The southern border of the county is the Santa Fe River.
The county seat is Lake City, located in the center of the county.
The 1970 census population of Columbia County was 25,250
and the population of Lake City was 10,575. The estimated 1980
populations for county and city respectively are: 31,880 and 10,860.

The county is governed by a five-member county commission;
each commissioner represents a distinct geographical district.
Present commissioners are:
Sandy Paul Register, Chairman
Jim Martin
Aldine Feagle
Wayne Nettles
James Montgomery
The city is governed by a five-member mayor-council and a
city manager; each of four council members represent one of four
precincts of the city. The mayor is elected at large and the city
manager is hired by the council. In 1980, they are:
James R. Tison, Mayor-Councilman
Ralph O. Bowers, City Manager
Mike Collins, Councilman
Samuel L. Thompson, Councilman
Paul I. Roy, Councilman
Kenneth L. Biggs, Councilman

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