Town staff presented the council with its proposed 2026 legislative funding priorities and associated local matches on Oct. 15, seeking council approval to pursue the same appropriation requests submitted previously.

The package includes requests such as $1 million for a Police Emergency Operations Center with a $3.5 million local match; $1 million for Legacy Park brownfield soil remediation with a $3.9 million match; $1 million for the Southwest 200 and Seventh Street/80 Fifth Avenue water-quality improvement with a $3.5 million match; $1 million for Lakes By The Bay subbasin work with a $4.25 million match; $100,000 for an active-adults program with a $100,000 match; $100,000 for an economic development plan for U.S. 1 with a $100,000 match; and $300,000 for Beller Park community center improvements with a $300,000 match.

The town manager and lobbyists briefed the council on match strategy. The manager said matches for some projects would come from planned bond funds, ARPA funds and the town’s stormwater fund; staff also mentioned park impact fees and fund balance as potential match sources. Lobbyists emphasized that a strong local match and "shovel-ready" status improve the likelihood of appropriation success.

Lobbyists and staff told the council the projects identified as "shovel ready" already have design and permitting completed or funded (for example, some drainage projects were funded through ARPA and have permits on file), which petitioners believe makes those projects more competitive for appropriation.

Council member Duncan asked how the town would cover local matches if all requests were funded; staff outlined likely sources and said many of the matches are funds the town planned to invest anyway.

Why it matters: the appropriation requests and local-match plans determine the town’s posture in Tallahassee during the upcoming legislative session and could speed select projects if approved.

Ending: Staff said they will submit the appropriation packages and coordinate meetings in Tallahassee; no formal roll-call vote was recorded in the council minutes for approval of the submission during the meeting.