Monday, the Santa Rosa County Board of CountyCommissioners during its Commission Committee meeting discussed the list of items they want the county’s lobbying firm, Johnson and Blanton, to take to Tallahassee for next year to ask for state funding or support. The list has five items with monetary requests, five for state support, and one relating to the size of the county. During Monday’s meeting, the board focused mostly on items with direct economic development potential and previously discussed items not on the list.
The Draft Legislative Priorities list, available at the county’s website, splits between seven detailed projects, and four under the heading of General Support Initiatives. Commissioner Lane Lynchard noticed first the Milton treatment plant missing from this second section. The board supported the city’s treatment plant having a place on the list for “the impact it would have on the industrial park and future economic development growth,” as Chairman Don Salter said. Commissioner Rob Williamson suggested the county craft a resolution stating the board’s support of the initiative for the city to have when lobbying itself.
The two items the board focused on afterward were the Northwest Florida @I-10 Industrial Park Capital Improvements and the SupportWhitingAviationPark item. List details note the I-10 Industrial Park offers shovel-ready sites from two to 200 acres and is a Gulf Power Certified Site. However, the site is nearing capacity for new businesses. Along with an ask for capital improvements, the project seeks funds for a spec building.
Developing WhitingAviationPark would mean infrastructure improvements as well including a taxiway, south entrance road, and public ramp grading and paving. The BOCC has long supported aviation industry in the county.
However, while he said he’s a supporter of the WhitingAviationPark, Commissioner Rob Williamson said he’s in support of the I-10 Industrial Park remaining on the list. “That park has sat there for quite some time without any improvements. With 95 percent capacity at our existing industrial park, I feel it’s time to move forward with some infrastructure improvements there.”
While Rob Williamson noted Governor Rick Scott vetoed the WhitingAviationPark last year, Commissioner Jayer Williamson said Scott has approved other projects this year he vetoed last year. He also asked Economic Development Director Shannon Ogletree if the Florida State Legislature practices spec building in any other counties, the second part of the I-10 Industrial Park project. Ogletree said not in Florida, but added, “If the legislators and the governor are serious about economic development, they should develop (spec building practices).” Ogletree went on to say his office receives leads for new business based on available buildings. “If we had a 40,000 square foot building with a 30 foot eave height, it would have been gone last week.”
Jayer Williamson suggested then leaving both parks on the list if the state has not supported spec building in the past. “That doesn’t mean we can’t be the first,” he said. Salter was more cautious on spec building saying, “Just because you build a spec building, that does not guarantee speed to market. The first thing they’re going to ask you is if you have a client for that building and we’ll say, ‘No, but we think if we build it, they will come.’” Commissioner Bob Cole echoed the Chairman’s support saying the parkts serve different purposes, one strictly for aviation while the other serves mainly truck traffic. “WE can pretty much cover all the bases in Santa RosaCounty when it comes to economic development.”
The SRC BOCC will continue the discussion of the legislative priorities. Salter tabled it to the first set of meetings in September where he said the list will be finalized.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: BOCC discusses legislative priorities