BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
STARKE — Bradford County has around $5 million in uncommitted funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, and the best use of that funding was discussed during the commission’s most recent budget workshop.
Rather than trying to check off deferred maintenance projects or filling budgetary gaps, Chairman Chris Dougherty is championing the use of those funds to support economic development. Chief among those ideas is working with the city of Starke to extend water and sewer infrastructure to the bypass exits or other areas businesses could develop.
“Not in the time that I’ve been in office, or any previous time, have I seen a surplus of money to be able to do something like this and create opportunities,” Dougherty said.
He said further use of those funds should be frozen until there are projects ready to help expand the county’s tax base, which is important to pay for government services while being able to lower the overall tax rate.
“If we start giving out a half million here, half million there, three quarters of a million here, in the end, we’ve certainly made a lot of people feel good, but we haven’t done anything to advance as a county,”
The board recently granted $500,000 of ARPA funding to help restore and improve the RJE gymnasium so it can continue serving as a community center.
Another economic development initiative is the expansion of high-speed internet to serve both businesses and residents. Commissioner Diane Andrews said Alachua County has hired a consultant to help it take advantage of state and federal funding to bridge the digital divide. The consultant could do the same for Bradford, compiling the county’s needs and reaching out for grant opportunities. The county could even buy fiber to subsidize the cost of adding new infrastructure.
Attorney Will Sexton said the Department of Economic Opportunity is asking counties for information to prepare a report that will make Florida competitive in seeking billions of federal dollars for such a project. But he said he was concerned Bradford didn’t have anyone who could tell the state which areas are underserved, supply connectivity rates, etc.
Commissioner Carolyn Spooner brought up the issue of road repair and its role in public safety. Dougherty said using the money for development would help generate revenue to take on those projects in the future.
Dougherty said consultants working for the city of Starke and Bradford County will be working together to create a master plan for infrastructure expansion.
“It’s the only way this county is going to grow,” Commissioner Kenny Thompson said. “We have to have infrastructure out there.”
The least costly alternative extends water and sewer to the southern end of the bypass. At around $2 million, that could leave the board with funds for other projects. At more than $10 million, taking the infrastructure north requires more complex improvements to the city’s system.
The city is interested selling land at the southern end of the bypass for development, but the Florida Department of Transportation would have to be convinced to allow another intersection to the bypass, Sexton said.
FDOT has already discussed revisiting the design and eliminating the intersections in favor of a flyover design that would keep traffic moving, according to Dougherty. On State Roads 16 and 100, however, there are already interchanges that don’t require modification.
Thompson said he has spoken to investors about an 800-job distribution center that could be located off Griffis Loop, and there was some consensus among commissioners about serving businesses who are already eager to locate here rather than expanding infrastructure and waiting for someone to show interest.
Another approach is to build infrastructure for new housing construction. One-hundred new homes would generate more tax revenue than a new business, and a growth in population could translate to new commercial development.
Sexton said they go hand in hand, because the employees of a distribution center would need housing, and people looking to relocate to the area would need jobs.
Spooner suggested they solicit ideas from the community, and Dougherty agreed. The commission set a July 21 town hall for new ideas to generate revenue with the ARPA funds. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the commission boardroom.
