[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6374008,"mediaKeyId","2145244-f9c88c23d788f627d12d5bf04933dbcc","parentId",2145244,"title","Votes at a glance: Suwannee County commission actions on Jan. 21, 2025","audioSeconds",583,"startMs",131000,"endMs",714000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145244-f9c88c23d788f627d12d5bf04933dbcc&start=131&end=714","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145244-f9c88c23d788f627d12d5bf04933dbcc/thumbnail_131000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6374008/Suwannee-County/Florida/Votes-at-a-glance-Suwannee-County-commission-actions-on-Jan-21-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6374008-8abbf5973cf09133142dd0804c5198b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775006343&Signature=Vnwo1epdmUnSELoDjv8R6VI-J7I~Nzv58U4L5AbNl9z0Zy63TFVotZPVff8bmOr3JUdqhOSQhuVZ4qVYdOyvQ7j4HZB53vVRg0gM7MXghmxS6zaF7rXaP55kPzcQ~~yi2ft2H2V3eo-0Nz1rap6EEGucgRW6gNwrQl1ihXc~mq9pttPkd8LslC-oBXupAExuA473va-3n59Hv9D1Rvxre7VmApNr1yXy1~KyYWFnBiq8m2Au5QlRdRrorWm4UPoIeWA9BEdhJ4FrLYQXE56-E0QlzzVECrm92Pta7rs5Po~iQYtDNcyLtua4UCyoRowTFjxQSbNQJEw6cagyROlwoQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Suwannee County","date","2025-01-23T14:34:36Z","article","Suwannee County commissioners approved a series of votes and administrative actions during their Jan. 21, 2025 meeting. Below are the formal actions taken on the record.

Votes at a glance
- Approval of minutes and RFP bid tabulation (agenda items: Jan. 7, 2025 minutes and Jan. 10, 2025 bid tabulation for RFP 2025‑2). Motion to approve made by Commissioner White, second by Commissioner Perkins. Vote: 5–0 in favor.

- Resolution to close Louisiana Avenue (time‑specific public hearing). Motion to adopt the resolution made by Commissioner Perkins, second by Commissioner Mobley. Vote: 5–0 in favor. (Board found the right‑of‑way was within the property boundary described for the Ralph J. Platt property and that closure would not affect access to other landowners.)

- Consent agenda (items 2 through 6). Motion to approve by Commissioner Lehi, second by Commissioner White. Vote: 5–0 in favor.

- Constitutional officers: retention of excess revenues. Clerk reported $119,249.46 in excess revenues for fiscal year 2023–24 and requested authorization to retain $18,000 to purchase a FortiAuthenticator (multi‑factor authentication) and FortiAnalyzer (network monitoring) to meet CJIS security requirements and improve network protection; the office said it would return $101,249.46 if the $18,000 retention is allowed. Motion to approve by Commissioner Perkins, second by Commissioner Hale. Vote: 5–0 in favor.

- Local state of emergency for Winter Storm “Enzo.” County Attorney explained the governor issued a state of emergency and recommended the county authorize the chair to execute a local declaration effective immediately to allow access to emergency resources if needed. Motion by Commissioner Hale, second by Commissioner Perkins. Vote: 5–0 in favor.

- Auditor selection and contract authorization. Audit committee recommended Powell & Jones (Reliance CPAs, DBA Powell & Jones) as the winning bidder for the county audit RFP; the board approved entering negotiations with Powell & Jones (motion by Commissioner Perkins; second by Commissioner Mobley) and later authorized the chair to execute the audit contract (motion by Commissioner White; second by Commissioner Perkins). Recorded vote on each motion: 5–0 in favor.

- Guardrail repair bid. The board reviewed a low bid of $30,646 for storm‑related guardrail repair and approved proceeding with the contract (motion by Commissioner Hale; second by Commissioner Perkins). Vote: 5–0 in favor.

- Priority road list for FDOT submission. The board approved staff’s recommended list of priority road projects to submit to the Florida Department of Transportation, including County Road 137, County Road 250 (segment phased), and 184th (motion by Commissioner Hale; second by Commissioner White). Vote: 5–0 in favor.

Items noted but not yet finalized or requiring no vote
- Agreement with Sincere Care Foundation (agenda item 9) elicited extensive discussion and directed staff to revise the draft conveyance and mortgage terms (18‑month look‑in, 30‑foot eastern utility easement, and increase the mortgage/forgiveness figure to $750,000). Commissioners did not take a final conveyance vote on Jan. 21; staff will return an amended draft for placement on a future consent agenda.

Formal vote tallies reported here reflect the board’s on‑record counts recorded during the Jan. 21 meeting.

Ending: The board adjourned after routine business and safety briefings in advance of an expected winter storm.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","January 21, 2025 Suwannee County Board of County Commissioners Regular Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Suwannee County commissioners approved a series of administrative and fiscal actions on Jan. 21, including a right‑of‑way closure, emergency declaration, audit contract authority and several consent items.","taxTitle","Suwannee County, Florida","taxId",28195,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6374013,"Commissioners back conveyance talks with Sincere Care; set 18‑month check‑in, 30‑ft easement and higher payoff amount",2678,1638000,4316000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2145244-f9c88c23d788f627d12d5bf04933dbcc&start=1638&end=4316","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2145244-f9c88c23d788f627d12d5bf04933dbcc/thumbnail_1638000.jpg","/articles/6374013/Suwannee-County/Florida/Commissioners-back-conveyance-talks-with-Sincere-Care-set-18month-checkin-30ft-easement-and-higher-payoff-amount","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6374013-136cdaaeb4359e9e6b97c4886771074c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775006343&Signature=YRUzlXC~cFSgwMGRwISBhLHE9EHZVslmVhL4Yr1qONTq24vxNrHe94ZnIbUYJjAL9oNPvy2TrwPp3pnId7BJ9huqX3sJ2x06XT23MgNJfiSi3e3bBdjCj8r5FfOmM4RAk9rvMzV3P8YR2sMrlC12eTwAg7GPLOnR8zSmTk5O5VbYh4ePyPaGlIsy2MQk3f7c85wGiWxTooNi4WX4RjIZh~vL12mrp9dhkfbxkzjAR2thjn3eLHGzCo8lK~ipc2dHZ0qmqAe1e5OfOm1FzFgy5Ij99uCJWHh3I70YyJulDl2-ONMiLuPgwrRFgLa-4TzRWLKRfJtVkJpB~CH6qoIEew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Suwannee County commissioners on Jan. 21 discussed a proposed conveyance of county-owned land to Sincere Care Foundation Inc. for construction of a women’s health clinic and advanced birthing services. The board did not take a formal final vote on the conveyance but directed staff to revise the draft agreement to include an 18‑month progress review, to reserve a 30‑foot utility easement along the parcel’s eastern boundary, and to increase the mortgage payoff amount from $500,000 to $750,000.

County Attorney told the board the draft agreement is structured as a sale secured by a county mortgage with benchmarks that, if met, reduce or cancel the county’s mortgage over time. Michelle Harris, Sincere Care’s representative, described a clinic model that would include primary care, behavioral health services, mammography and a planned advanced birthing center accreditation. “We will be building is a facility for all women,” Harris said, adding the facility would reduce travel times for pregnant residents who now “are traveling at least an hour for care and for delivery.”

Why it matters: Commissioners said the project could increase access to maternal and women’s health care in Suwannee County and nearby rural counties, but several members wanted contractual safeguards so the county is not left without control or utility access if the project stalls.

Board discussion and direction
Commissioner White pressed for progress markers before the three‑year construction deadline in the draft agreement: “I would just like to see some benchmarks in between now [and] year 3 that you’ve pulled a building permit in year 1,” he said, asking for intermediate evidence the project is advancing. Several commissioners favored an 18‑month “look‑in” that would require Sincere Care to present evidence of reasonable, good‑faith progress — permits, schematic drawings, engineering work or other milestones — and would give the county grounds to revert the property if no progress is shown.

County Attorney advised the board that a broad “no‑sale” or resale restriction would be legally fraught under Florida law and that the practical approach is a mortgage and written benchmarks tied to forgiveness; he said “a non sale clause is simply not feasible for something like this.” The board and Harris agreed to amend the draft to (1) add an 18‑month in‑progress presentation to the commission that documents reasonable progress toward the three‑year completion benchmark, (2) preserve a county utility easement along the eastern boundary (30 feet was proposed), and (3) change the mortgage/forgiveness amount to $750,000 (up from $500,000 in the current draft). Harris said those changes were acceptable.

Project scope, funding and timeline
Harris said Sincere Care has begun schematic drawings, met with USDA for pre‑application review, and had interest from private investors and the Florida Community Loan Fund; she said the organization is also working with legislators’ offices on capital support. The draft agreement described two central schedule points: the facility must be complete within three years and remain in continuous operation for an extended forgiveness schedule (the draft referenced an eight‑year period of continuing service). Harris said Sincere Care also plans to deploy mobile services in the near term to begin care and revenue generation while the permanent facility is built.

Public comment and site concerns
Neighbors and one nearby landowner raised drainage and historical right‑of‑way questions. A nearby property owner asked the board to ensure the county retain a utility corridor to serve the remainder of county‑owned land behind the site; commissioners agreed that reserving a 30‑foot utility easement along the eastern boundary would protect county access while still permitting the clinic site to be developed. Public commenter Moses Clepper said he supported the project but urged caution on conveyance terms and recommended a higher payoff amount; the board settled on $750,000 as a compromise during the discussion.

Next steps
County staff and the county attorney will incorporate the board’s requested changes into the draft agreement. Commissioners indicated that, if those amendments are included, Sincere Care need not return to a future meeting in person and the item could be placed on a consent agenda for formal approval. Harris said she would coordinate with county staff and engineers (including consultants she has worked with) to finalize benchmarks and permitting timelines.

Ending: The discussion closed with agreement to redraft the conveyance documents to reflect the 18‑month look‑in, the reserved 30‑foot easement, and the increased mortgage/forgiveness amount; no final conveyance vote occurred Jan. 21.
","Suwannee County commissioners on Jan. 21 discussed a proposed conveyance of county-owned land to Sincere Care Foundation Inc. for construction of a women’s health clinic and advanced birthing services.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Suwannee County commission actions on Jan. 21, 2025

Commissioners back conveyance talks with Sincere Care; set 18‑month check‑in, 30‑ft easement and higher payoff amount