Wakulla County officials highlight $117 million in active grants and approve FDOT beautification awards

WAKULLA COUNTY, Fla. — County staff told commissioners the county is managing dozens of active grants that pay for infrastructure and public facilities and won board approval to accept two FDOT beautification grants for landscaping along U.S. 98 and Crawfordville Highway.

In a presentation, Michelle Metcalfe, director of intergovernmental coordination for Wakulla County, said the county has 45 active grants funded by 13 different agencies with a combined award total “over a hundred and $17,000,000.” She described grants as reimbursable: “Wakulla County must spend local funds and then request reimbursement from the agency,” she said, adding that the process reduces fraud and abuse.

Metcalfe highlighted recently awarded funds that staff said would support a new emergency operations center and 9-1-1 dispatch facility and a countywide P25 radio system. “Total state and federal dollars awarded to Wakulla County is $6,250,000” for the emergency operations center, she said, and Triumph Gulf Coast funding for the radio system totaled "just over $11,000,000." She also noted a $200,000 state award for a walking trail at Azalea Park.

Two agenda items asked the board to accept FDOT beautification grants for landscaping work. Staff said one application requested $111,000 from FDOT toward a $133,992 project to add trees and landscaping along U.S. 98 and at county-owned Lift Station 76, with the county providing a $22,000 match for design and maintenance. The board approved the acceptance and authorized execution of the draft FDOT grant and related memorandum agreements by voice vote, 5-0.

A second FDOT beautification grant to fund median landscaping on Crawfordville Highway was described as a separate application and was approved by the same 5-0 voice vote.

Metcalfe told commissioners that each grant application must include a specific scope of work and measurable deliverables and that most state and federal grants are competitive and awarded after agency review. She said post-award work includes routing agreements through county legal counsel and disclosing any required cost share or other financial impacts in agenda materials.

The board took no changes to policy at the meeting; the actions were approvals to accept and execute awarded grant agreements and budget amendments as presented.

Looking ahead, Metcalfe said staff is updating the county—apital improvements plan and will publish public meetings where citizens can review and comment on priority projects.

Ending: The FDOT grant acceptances were approved by the board by unanimous voice votes. Metcalfe provided contact information during the presentation for citizens and departments seeking grant support.