Florida Senate turns down request of budget appropriation of $300,000 for infrastructure
The town of Jay's application for a $300,000 legislative appropriation for the East Highway 4 water project did not pass the budget at the Florida Senate, according to Dewberry Engineering's Crystal Weatherington at Jay's council meeting May 6.
The monies were going to be used to extend 6-inch main PVC pipe under Highway 4 eastbound and Darney Lane from the Florida Department Of Transportation stopping point, scheduled to wrap up in August. The project is part of the water infrastructure replacement the town has in place to improve the town's water.
Seib said that it is a small setback towards replacing the town’s waterlines, but that the current practices and policies in place of flushing lines will continue to help keep complaints of dirty or brown water at a minimum.
“There are some other items out there as the water management district gets funded off of this current session, we can go after that grant and look at some others to go get,” said Operations Manager Eric Seib. “We are going to look at other grant opportunities to fund that grant project.”
Jay Mayor Shon Owens says that timing is vital to completing any infrastructure or other project, when it comes to grant monies.
“A lot of it has to do with the current projects we have in place,” said Owens. “If we can get them completed before the end of 2019, we may have the ability to apply again. You can't apply for a project for the same funding unless you're completed with another one by a certain time. It has to be completed and apply before the deadline may come up. It all depends on what funding is available at the time for us to apply based on the time of year and what might be out there that we can apply for.”
Strive grant
Seib said the town turned in 12 Strive Grant applications to Santa Rosa County for up to $5,000 on April 30 and there is a possibility for $10,000 or $15,000 to be used by store owners for their store fronts. Seib turned in a 22-page strategic plan to the Department of Economic Opportunity and the town has plans to discuss ways to spend that money at its weekly workshop. The grant is intended to provide commercial property owners and business owners grants for facade and signage improvements to upgrade the appearance of property, increase property value and stimulate economic activity within the county.
Well #1
Mayor Owens said the Santa Rosa County School District deeded the town of Jay the corner of Alabama and School Streets, extended to the west of what the town had in order to build a new building beside the well to house the pump which will help automate Jay's water conditioning system.
The electrical plans have been approved and the once the building is up, the town will bid out for an electrical contractor to come and do the wiring.
“We anticipate breaking ground sometime in June on the new well house,” said Owens.
