As we can all tell from Rep. Abbott’s statement last week, this year’s legislative session is very busy and already providing productive results for Floridians. This week let’s talk about appropriations project requests and what has been filed for potential funding for Jackson County in the Florida House of Representatives by Rep. Abbott.
Believe it or not there is a definition of what constitutes an appropriations project. “An Appropriations Project is any appropriation or proviso to a specifically named:
- local government, private entity, or privately operated program, or an appropriation or proviso which is written in such a manner as to exclusively describe a particular local government, private entity, or privately operated program;
- transportation facility that is not in the Department of Transportation’s Five-Year Work Program submitted pursuant to s. 339.135, F.S.;
- education fixed capital outlay project that was not submitted pursuant to ss. 1013.60 or 1013.64, F.S., and has not been previously funded by the Legislature;
- program, research initiative, institute, center, or similar entity at a specific state college or state university, that was not recommended by the Board of Governors or the State Board of Education in their Legislative Budget Request; or
- local water project.”
There are currently 2,772 filed requests with Rep. Abbott filing 100 of those project requests. On behalf of the requestors Representative Abbot has filed 29 requests totaling over $30 million dollars for Jackson County entities. Below are the appropriations project request, the amount requested, the requestor and a brief project description for the request.
PROJECT AMOUNT REQUESTOR
| St. Luke Outdoor Venue Project – Marianna $ 750,000 William Long |
| Project Description: |
| “The purpose of this of project is to improve an old minority church site, established over 100 years ago, nearly destroyed by Hurricane Michael and turn it into an outdoor venue for local and regional visitors to participate in the history of the community and region.” |
| City of Marianna – Fire and Police Station Construction Project $ 999,000 William Long |
| Project Description: |
| “As a result of Hurricane Michael the City of Marianna is constructing a new Fire and Police Station. City has received funding from USDA, Rural Development, HMGP, CDBG, Appropriation, and local funds commitment. As a result of the economy cost exceeds the funds budgeted. This project replaces a fire and police station that is nearly 80 years old. The new facility will be a hardened building providing adequate and safe facilities for the City of Marianna First Responders.” |
| Jackson County – Pooser Road Paving $1,000,000 Wilanne Daniels |
| Project Description: |
| “Receiving funding for this will help economic development. The County has received an HMGP grant for one end of this road (with a DEO Match program) and an FDOT grant for the other end of this road. The middle of the road (approx. 1 mile) has not been funded by any source. Paving this road allows for a future attainable housing development that the County is pursuing to come to fruition at the Endeavor site (old Dozier School site).” |
| City of Marianna – McLane Community Center Improvement Project $ 750,000 William Long |
| Project Description: |
| “The McLane Community Center is a facility located within a minority neighborhood where over 50% of the population is Low to Moderate Income. The facility is in desperate need of renovation and improvement. The facility is an icon to the community and is used as a semi Boys and Girls Club. The improved facility would enhance the community and encourage more community leaders to use the facility for community functions.” |
| Malone School Softball Field Improvements $ 250,000 Steve Benton |
| Project Description: |
| “Provide renovated and repaired physical education facilities for students, their families, and communities to use for extracurricular activities and sporting events. Field renovations, score board installation, repair fencing, repair lights, repair bleachers, make the fields storm resistant with upgrades to bleachers, covered areas, and dugouts.” |
| Renovations to Early Childhood Center $1,000,000 Steve Benton |
| Project Description: |
| “Complete renovations on gym used for indoor play for PreK students. Renovate 6000 square foot building to house PreK cafeteria. Current cafeteria is 72 years old and can no longer be renovated without costly upgrades for compliance. Demolish old cafeteria.” |
| School Community Resource Center $5,000,000 Steve Benton |
| Project Description: |
| “The purpose of this project is to provide a place for community engagement and learning resources for parents, students, and the community. Cultural events will be held in the auditorium, community training events will be provided in the auditorium or training room, museum will be on-site, and learning resource center for public school students, home school students, and private students will be available through a resource center.” |
| Jackson County Agriculture Center Improvement $ 700,000 Wilanne Daniels |
| Project Description: |
| “The improvements to the Agricultural Center would elevate the grounds to a top of the line facility that can accommodate events such as Rodeos, Dog Shows, Family Reunions, Festivals, Banquets, Livestock Sales, Wedding Receptions, Horse Shows, Barrel Racing and Team Roping events. All of which serve to enrich the community and continue to preserve the largely agriculturally-based heritage of Jackson County. These improvements would also help to revitalize the local economy of Jackson County.” |
| Jackson County Lake Seminole Howell’s Boat Landing Improvements $ 786,150 Wilanne Daniels |
| Project Description: |
| “The goal of this project is to construct several improvements at Lake Seminole’s Howell’s Boat Landing. These improvements will allow for more visitors to be able to enjoy the landing and provide unfettered and increased access to this unique water body. The proposed boat landing improvements will allow for increased boating and fishing activity on the lake and serve to enhance the park as a recreational destination that will increase and support local nature-based tourism business activities.” |
| Marianna Borden Street Improvements – Water, Drainage, Paving $ 950,000 William Long |
| Project Description: |
| “This project will replace old asbestos waterlines and individual residential connections for homeowners located in a neighborhood that is 100% below 50% of Low to Moderate Income. This would also include the resurfacing of Borden Street which is in desperate need of resurfacing. Borden Street is also a direct access to South Marianna because it has an underpass, under the railroad which is an emergency.” |
| Chipola College – Plumbing and Electrician Programs $ 850,000 Dr. Sarah
Clemmons |
| Project Description: |
| “To purchase equipment and materials, and hire instructors to train future installers and technicians for two new programs in the construction trades occupations. The industry also must provide training for residential and commercial sites. The equipment for starting two programs is costly.” |
| Chipola College – Driving Range and Skid Pad Area Construction $1,135,000 Dr. Sarah
Clemmons |
| Project Description: |
| “To build a new driving range and skid pad area. Local agencies must also continue to train on a range and pad that are updated to meet current requirements.” |
| Chipola College – Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Program $ 650,000 Dr. Sarah
Clemmons |
| Project Description: |
| “To purchase equipment to train future installers and technicians for a newly launched HVAC and Refrigeration program. There are new technologies and advancements in the field of HVAC and the most recent equipment is needed to stay abreast of new regulations and provide current credentials. The industry also must continue to train on older systems that still exist in residential and commercial sites. This wide variety of model and equipment drives up the cost of training equipment.” |
| Jacob City Water Meter Project $ 400,000 Verloria Wilson |
| Project Description: |
| “The City of Jacob is seeking funding to install updated meters for the City. These will include new boxes, lids, meters, curb stops, customer valves, back-flows, and AMI endpoints. These will aid the City of Jacob with showing leaks in real time, as well as time reading all them individually on a monthly basis.” |
| Malone – New Fire Apparatus $ 475,000 Greg Ford |
| Project Description: |
| “The Town of Malone Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) provides emergency response to the Town as well as a substantial portion of unincorporated area near the FL/AL border. Resources have been stretched since Hurricane Michael with the primary concern being damaged facilities and infrastructure. With an aging fleet, the VFD’s services will be limited without new apparatuses. This funding will be used to purchase a new tanker apparatus to replace the VFD’s existing failing tanker.” |
| Graceville Farmers Market $1,200,000 Michelle Watkins |
| Project Description: |
| “The goal of this project is to provide the City a farmers market area for the citizens of Graceville to gather together” |
| Graceville Fire Truck and Equipment $ 880,000 Michelle Watkins |
| Project Description: |
| “The goal of the City is to provide enhanced and more efficient Fire and First Response services to City of Graceville residents, businesses and areas covered by mutual/interlocal agreements.” |
| Sneads – Fire Apparatus $ 674,633 Lee Garner |
| Project Description: |
| “These funds would go to replace a 30 year old fire truck.” |
| Town of Sneads – Critical Street Resurfacing $ 505,000 Lee Garner |
| Project Description: |
| These funds would go to repair and rehabilitate several critically declined roadways townwide that have been prioritized as a imminent need. |
| Endeavor Park Conference Center – Jackson County $1,000,000 Wilanne Daniels |
| Project Description: |
| “Jackson Co is in need of a convention center that can be used for conferences and events. The Co. has long had a vision for this space and has dedicated TDC monies to a lockbox to use specifically for this purpose which has been saved for approx. 20 years and has about $2 million in funding. We received a $1 million dollar appropriation in the current fiscal year to renovate the gym at the Endeavor property. Bids came in at $4 million dollars which leaves an approximate $1 million gap in funding.” |
| Cottondale Municipal Water System Upgrades and Modernization $ 506,698 James Elmore |
| Project Description: |
| “Funds requested will be used for purchase/installation of digital water meter equipment/software. Upgrades will be applied to the entire existing municipal water system in the city. These upgrades will reduce the cost of system operation and allow for resources to be refocused on maintenance and other regularly occurring improvements. With significant cost increases over the last few years and impacts of ongoing Hurricane Michael recovery, this project will help prevent utility rate increases.” |
| Grand Ridge Wastewater Treatment Plant Debt Repayment $ 650,000 Chris Harrell |
| Project Description: |
| “The Town is requesting funding to pay the balance of an interest-bearing loan with DEP that was used to fund construction of the town’s wastewater treatment plant. System maintenance costs have increased dramatically in recent years while Town resources have been stretched in the wake of Hurricane Michael and COVID. These funds will enable the town to refocus resources into maintenance and needed upgrades without raising utility rates in our community where the average income is $32,375.” |
| Jackson Hospital Therapy Center Construction $1,000,000 Brooke Donaldson |
| Project Description: |
| “The funds will assist in site preparation and construction costs to build a new therapy center on an abandoned property acquired by and adjacent to Jackson Hospital, as part of the hospital’s new medical campus. This therapy center will include a new setting for Jackson Hospital’s therapy and rehabilitation services, as well as a fitness center and an indoor pool for aquatic therapy, all in a location convenient to the hospital so that services can be centralized for the local rural population.” |
| Endeavor Museum $5,780,000 Wilanne Daniels |
| Project Description: |
| “Jackson County is requesting funding to renovate a former dining hall on the Endeavor Property into a full-fledged cultural history museum and visitor center. The 10,000-sf building was built in 1935 and is located next the historic White House and the recently installed memorial sculptures. The Jackson County Tourist Development Council is contributing $505,000 and the Florida Department of State Historical Resources is contributing an additional $500,000 to the renovation.” |
| NextStep at Endeavor Housing Renovation $ 492,000 Jim King |
| Project Description: |
| “Funds will be used to renovate an existing building on the campus of NextStep Academy. Participants attending NextStep’s two year transition academy program will live in these renovated spaces to learn, practice, and apply the skills necessary to live independently. Additionally, the renovation of these buildings will provide greater access to more students from across the state to participate in this program.” |
| NextStep Autism Transition Program $ 400,000 Jim King |
| Project Description: |
| What is the specific purpose or goal that will be achieved by the funds being requested? The goal of NextStep at Endeavor Academy is to build an inclusive community where the benefits of educating and employing individuals with autism are broadly understood. Adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) will receive curriculum, services, and supports needed to complete intensive learning experiences to increase their ability to maintain competitive employment and live independently. NextStep’s short courses also provide coaching and instruction for the neurodivergent population |
| Sneads Rebuild Rural Youth Recreational Facility $ 700,000 Lee Garner |
| Project Description: |
| “The purpose of these funds would be to repair damaged recreational infrastructure to a rural area, that the town or surrounding communities would not otherwise reasonably be able to afford.” |
| Alford – Park Avenue Water Main Completion Project $ 420,230 George Gay |
| Project Description: |
| “The Town previously received Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for a much-needed expansion of its potable water system. Due to unforeseen market conditions over the last couple of years, funding was exhausted before the project was completed according to the original Design. This request will allow for the construction of remaining improvements, including ~1,620 linear feet of water main along Park Avenue, a vital corridor along the US Highway 231 evacuation route.” |
| Jacob City Volunteer Fire Department Enhancement $ 350,000 Verloria Wilson |
| Project Description: |
| “Jacob City does not have a fire truck to support the needs of the city and to provide mutual aid to surrounding communities when necessary. The City is in the design phase of a new fire station and currently does not have a fire truck to provide first response calls. With these funds the City will purchase a fire truck that will support not only the City of Jacob, but surrounding communities as well during times of need.” |
These are only submitted requests and the final budget approval will have all project awards and yes I will provide those awards upon passing and publishing of the final budget, Please remember that this is your TAX DOLLARS and you do have a say at both the local level and state level. You can use your voice to let all elected officials or requestors know how you feel as a private citizen. I do see value in some of the requests, however, some are a “wish list” where entities failed to provide strategic planning for funding and growth of the communities’ needs.
I encourage you to vote in August and November 2024 for individuals who are capable of strategic planning for funding and growth of our wonderful community’s needs. I will leave you with that thought and that concludes this week’s The Straight Truth With Mary Ann Hutton.