City manager warns of possible $260,000 Wild Spaces repayment tied to canoe outpost purchase

City Manager Jeremy Marshall told the High Springs City Commission on March 27 that county staff notified the city it may need to repay roughly $260,000 tied to Wild Spaces surtax funding used in the city—s purchase of the Canoe Outpost.

Marshall said the issue is in the "very infant stages" and staff are meeting with county representatives and the surtax oversight board to examine options. "Don't get too upset by it," Marshall said, but added the city will explore repayment plans, refinancing and other ways to lessen the impact. "If we have to pay that all at once, it's gonna be a big punch in the gut," he told the commission.

Staff said the problem stems from an unintended consequence of a change in surtax tranches after the city purchased the property; legislation passed in 2017 and a tranche change in 2023 altered how Wild Spaces funds were allocated. The city manager and city staff said they are reviewing the original real-estate closing documents to determine whether conservation funds were used in a way that restricts sale of the property and to identify potential options.

Commissioners asked whether the property could be sold; staff said investigations are ongoing and legal and transaction records must be reviewed. Staff identified La Crosse as another local municipality experiencing similar issues and said the city is engaging its lobbyists and state-level contacts to seek a legislative fix.

No action was taken at the meeting; staff will continue to investigate, meet with county officials and report back when they have more information.