Christina Lichtenberg, owner of Belladonna and Company, told the Live Oak City Council on Sept. 30 that interactions with city staff nearly destroyed her small business and delayed its opening.

Lichtenberg said city officials initially cited a safety issue and, after about two months of delays, told her that a costly "$30,000 meter conversion" was necessary and "the only option." She said that when she pressed staff for a meeting she learned the actual solution “was actually free. Simply mark your meters, label your breakers.”

The complaint was delivered during the council’s citizens-to-be-heard period. Lichtenberg said the city's actions created “financial hardships” for about a dozen employees and their families and said the process reflected “a flagrant abuse of power by some of your city officials.”

Why it matters: Lichtenberg urged the council to explain how citizens can hold the city accountable and asked elected leaders to reassess how the administration interacts with small business owners and invests tax dollars. She said she has tried for five months to secure a meeting with city officials and that, after adversarial interference, her business will move forward.

Council members did not take action during the meeting on Lichtenberg’s allegations; the remarks were part of the public-comment portion of the agenda. Lichtenberg closed by urging the council to "uphold the integrity" of public office and saying she would personally hold officials accountable.

Clarifying details: Lichtenberg described the originally cited remedy as a $30,000 meter conversion and said the eventual remedy she learned about was to mark meters and label breakers. She said the interference lasted “about six months” overall and affected roughly a dozen employees.

Context: The remarks were made during the citizen-comments portion of the Sept. 30 council meeting and did not prompt an immediate staff report or formal council direction that evening.

Ending: Lichtenberg said she will continue pursuing accountability and asked the council to consider changes in how administration staff handle small-business issues.