BY CAROL MOSLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
HAMPTON — Hampton City Council and the community at large is being encouraged to get involved in the approval of new flood risk maps for Bradford County.
The Jan. 24 council meeting opened with a presentation by Leroy Marshall of the Suwannee River Water Management District. In conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the agencies are in the process of developing new flood risk maps. Marshall was there to encourage residents to attend the upcoming Flood Risk Review Meetings. The public meeting for Bradford County will take place on Feb. 21 from 5-8 p.m. at the courthouse in Starke.
Anyone who is unable to attend the meeting can visit the “virtual event space” by searching for SRWMD Virtual Tour. Homeowners in Bradford County may be affected by the redrawing of the maps, so the district is seeking public feedback. Soon there will be an online portal for residents “to review the maps and locate their property to see how it may be impacted.”
Marshall said it is important for homeowners to voice concerns during the redrawing process because once the final maps are drawn, any changes to be made would need to be accompanied by an engineer’s report. The link will be provided at www.MySuwanneeRiver.com.
Funtastic eyes Hampton Fire Station
The council was excited by a proposal presented by Michael Heeder to turn the former Hampton Fire Station into a “Funtastic Fire Brigade” location for housing his revamped fire equipment and hosting events ranging from birthday parties to community outreach programs.
Heeder expressed that he experienced a tragedy as a rookie firefighter, at which a six-year-old boy died. That left him with a lifelong passion for fire prevention education. After 38 years as a firefighter, Heeder figured a good way to spend retirement and still have access to his favorite “toys” would be to share his passion for both fun and firefighting.
His toys consist of fire trucks, an ambulance, adult- and kid-sized gear, and even an 18-foot inflatable movie screen for outdoor viewing. The community outreach programs he envisions include CPR training and fire safety classes. But other uses might range from food banks to toy drives, and even car seat inspections.
Heeder thinks Hampton is an ideal location and believes his idea would be a benefit to the city image, drawing people and businesses from other areas to Hampton. The town could even host a Fire Prevention Week carnival.
He proposed a low rent and said he would take responsibility for the interior, with Hampton responsible for the exterior maintenance. Chairman Bill Goodge offered his volunteer labor. The county currently manages the property but would like to relinquish it since the fire department for the area now operates out of the Sampson City Fire Station.
City Clerk Mary Lou Hildreth said she is certainly in favor of the idea but is duty bound to be sure any potential obstacles are also considered. A main drawback is the lack of parking at that location. Discussion was had about exploring the possibility of obtaining access to the adjoining lot to use for parking. More details will be forthcoming about the firehouse rental.
Trail nearing completion
Hampton resident Janeece Mullett joined the discussion of developing tourism by pointing out that the trail under construction to the trailhead at Bobby Shephard Memorial Park on C.R. 235 is near completion. Mullett, an avid cyclist, touted the benefit this will bring with cycling groups visiting the city.
A comment was made that a small restaurant might be inclined to open.
A grant was obtained from the Florida Department of Transportation for improvements to the park. More than $73,000 will be spent this year on a design. Construction is expected to commence in Fiscal Year 2025 at an approximate cost of $400,000.
Code enforcement update
Deputy Glen Ward from Bradford Code Enforcement. Sheriff Gordon Smith is working to update the codes and institute administrative fines in hopes of greater voluntary compliance. The goal is to alleviate the need for punitive measures and try to work with residents to achieve resolution. Deputy Ward said he has 25 shed and camper complaints at this time. If a complaint is filed, code enforcement is obligated to respond.
The idea would be to first issue a 30-day warning. If an inspection then finds honest effort and progress is being made, an extension could be granted. The third time it goes to a magistrate for legal resolution. Failure to pay fines imposed could lead to a lien on the property.
Hildreth asked if the complaints can be made anonymously, and the answer was no. She asked if residents could bring their complaint and have it filed by the clerk with the city as the complainant. That answer was yes.
Grant would provide new well
The city feels secure that they were awarded $600,000 from a federal Community Development Block Grant for installation of a well. They just await the executed contract, which may take some months for completion. A space of 100×100 feet is required, and they discussed getting a property appraisal for a local church, which is for sale. The appraisal would cost $1,000. If even some of the property could be purchased, the well could be placed on the site. It could also provide space for additional parking.
