Jackson County adopts emergency plan, approves multiple road and bridge actions and procurement changes

Jackson County commissioners on Aug. 12 approved the county's 2025 Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, authorized multiple transportation contracts and change orders, and voted to raise the dollar threshold for written vendor quotes in the county purchasing policy.

The board approved the emergency management plan, which staff said meets requirements in the Florida Administrative Code and Florida Statutes and has been reviewed and accepted by the state. Commissioners also approved a supplemental FDOT agreement that adds funds for the Ulysses Bridge project and awarded related construction contracts and change orders for several road projects, including a cost-saving change order for Mashburn Road.

Why it matters: The emergency plan is a state-required framework for local disaster response, while the road, bridge and drainage decisions affect construction schedules, grant use and property easements across several Jackson County neighborhoods. Raising the purchasing threshold changes how the county will procure many goods and services and is intended to speed routine purchases while keeping written documentation on mid-range purchases.

Key outcomes - Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan: Approved. Staff said the plan complies with Florida Administrative Code and Florida Statutes and was accepted by the state. (Motion to approve taken; unanimous consent recorded.)

- FDOT supplemental agreement / Ulysses Bridge funding and award: Approved. The board approved inserting additional FDOT grant dollars into the project so the county can meet the bid price and then proceeded with the award to the low proposer. Staff said the existing bridge is a wood structure and will be replaced; there will be no road closure until construction begins. (Resolution and award approved by the board; unanimous consent recorded.)

- Hoosier / Puscher Road improvements (three-phase project): The board authorized staff to advertise a request for qualifications (RFQ) for construction engineering and inspection (CEI) services for the multi-phase project. Commissioners and staff discussed that the east phase (closest to Highway 73) requires numerous easements; staff warned that failure to secure easements could delay or cancel that phase even though other phases have funding and bids in place. Staff identified Extreme Land Restoration as the low bidder in the competitive process referenced during the discussion. (RFQ authorization approved; unanimous consent.)

- Mashburn Road (project '2 / Project Jaws): Approved a contract award and change order No. 1 with Anderson Columbia that reduces the county's asphalt obligation for the project from roughly $320,000 to about $32,000, saving roughly $300,000, according to staff. (Motion and unanimous approval recorded.)

- County museum demolition change order: Commissioners approved change order No. 2 for the Jackson County Museum demolition phase; the order reduces the contract by $8,000 and extends the contract time by 62 days. (Approved.)

- Procurement / purchasing policy amendment: The board voted to change the county purchasing policy so that purchases up to $50,000 may be made after obtaining a minimum of three written quotes (raising the prior threshold). Staff said written quotes will be required for amounts that previously only needed verbal quotes and that emergency purchases will still require post-facto documentation. (Motion to adopt amendment approved unanimously.)

- Award of state lobbying services: The board approved awarding state lobbying services to Shoemaker Advisors (Florida). (Approved.)

- CDBG grant amendment for building restoration: Approved amendment No. 2 to the county's CDBG agreement for restoration work on the property formerly known as Madison's Restaurant; staff said the county is funding restoration work, not acquisition, and that design documents are near completion. (Approved.)

- Educational reimbursement agreements / Chippewa College paramedic program: Commissioners approved educational reimbursement contracts for fire-rescue employees attending the paramedic program; staff said the agreement was revised to include stronger repayment provisions if a trainee fails to meet the employment commitment. (Approved.)

- Firefighter physicals: The board authorized piggybacking on the City of Clearwater contract to use LifeSpan Wellness Center for annual firefighter physicals required by NFPA. Staff said the county will consider an RFP in the future. (Approved unanimously.)

- Consent-agenda items and interlocal agreements: The board approved routine consent items, including a law-enforcement agreement between the county sheriff and Chippewa College (a commissioner abstained on the Chippewa/college item due to employment ties) and interlocal debris cleanup agreements with county municipalities. (Consent agenda approved.)

- Tourism strategic plan / special meetings: Staff will finalize edits to the tourism strategic plan; the board set a special meeting with the consulting firm Kimley-Horn for Sept. 4 at 1:30 p.m. and noted the county's regular Sept. 9 meeting for final action. (Special meeting set by unanimous vote.)

- Executive session: The board scheduled an executive session at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 26 to discuss litigation strategy with special counsel in pending litigation. (Approved.)

What commissioners and staff said: County staff briefed the board on funding sources (FDOT, HMGP, CDBG and other grants) and the operational limits the county faces when easements are not secured. Staff repeatedly emphasized that some phases of road projects have secured funding and bids but that the east phase near Highway 73 depends on additional easements and could require eminent-domain procedures if owners do not cooperate; staff warned eminent-domain actions increase time and cost. The board also discussed posting and weight-limit questions for rebuilt bridges.

Context and next steps: Staff will return with required ordinances or revised contracts (for the subdivision ordinance change and vendor details), finalize the tourism plan presentation and proceed with RFQ advertising for CEI services. Contractors are holding bid prices for a short period; staff asked commissioners to follow up on unresolved right-of-way/easement negotiations so projects can proceed.

Ending: Because most votes were unanimous, staff will move forward with contract negotiations and schedule follow-ups to report progress on easements, the museum demolition schedule and the tourism-plan presentation in early September.