Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Services Recovery topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Recovery Club reports 2½-month opening of Old Schoolhouse Community Center served 4,000 visitors; county to assign permitting liaison
Summary
Recovery Club of Citrus County reported that the Old Schoolhouse Community Center has been renovated and open 2½ months, hosting more than 4,000 visitors and seven-day programming; commissioners and staff agreed to provide a single permitting contact to speed future county interactions.
The Recovery Club of Citrus County updated the Board of County Commissioners on the Old Schoolhouse Community Center’s renovation, operations and community services after opening earlier in the spring.
What the group said: Bill Anton, president of Club Recovery, and Secretary Stephanie Dean said the county-leased historic building opened after about seven weeks of volunteer-led renovation. Dean reported more than 4,000 distinct visitors since opening and said the center now hosts daily meetings, family events, veteran support services, nonprofit meetings, a “Here to Help” event serving about 350 attendees and plans for a public grand opening.
Volunteer effort and operations: Dean said volunteer labor peaked at nearly 400 volunteer hours in one week during renovation and now averages about 112 volunteer hours per week and 40 volunteers. Renovation work included carpentry, painting, floor refinishing and exterior pressure washing; the group also began adding parking.
County coordination: Commissioners praised the project and asked for help with permitting. Anton requested a single county contact to help the organization navigate permits and deadlines for a county-owned historic building; county staff said they would assign a liaison to streamline the permitting process.
Ending: The board thanked Recovery Club leaders for restoring the historic schoolhouse and serving a range of community needs. The group invited the public to a grand opening event planned for June 21 with family activities and a blood drive.
