1. What is the proposed budget for this project?
Response: The budget is in the amount of $15K. The County reserves the right to negotiate with the lowest responsive and responsible respondent.
1. The verbiage to the Commermorative Monument Content on Exhibit E is hereby changed to:
This monument commemorates the 250th anniversary of American independence and celebrates the enduring ideals of liberty that shaped our nation and continue to guide its future.
OUR NATION On July 4, 1776, representatives of the thirteen American colonies declared “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” For two and a half centuries, these founding principles have inspired generations of Americans.
OUR STATE Florida’s story dates back centuries, beginning with Indigenous people and early Spanish exploration before its entry into the Union as the 27th state in 1845. The state established itself through coastal trade and farming. Florida has helped strengthen the nation by protecting its coasts, expanding global trade through its ports, leading the growth of tourism, and advancing aerospace exploration.
OUR COUNTY By the 1870s and 1880s, homesteaders were moving to the area in growing numbers for the fertile soil, mild climate, and abundance of lakes. On May 27, 1887, the Florida Legislature formed Lake County from portions of Orange and Sumter counties.
The Harris Chain of Lakes and the Ocklawaha and St. Johns Rivers supported local industry and travel via steamboat before railroads expanded connectivity in the early 1880s. Early settlers built the community through agriculture, timber, and commerce along the region’s waterways and railroads. In 1892, the first citrus research lab was established in Eustis by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, playing a foundational role in Florida’s dominance in citrus for over 125 years. At the height of the industry, the Citrus Tower was built in 1956 to overlook the millions of citrus trees that covered the hills of South Lake County. From these roots, Lake County has become a place that represents both the character and natural beauty of Real Florida.
May all who read these words remember the freedoms we have inherited, honor those whose sacrifice made them possible, and carry forward the principles of liberty, justice, and unity for generations to come.
Dedicated July 4, 2026