Commissioners back conveyance talks with Sincere Care; set 18‑month check‑in, 30‑ft easement and higher payoff amount

Suwannee County commissioners on Jan. 21 discussed a proposed conveyance of county-owned land to Sincere Care Foundation Inc. for construction of a women’s health clinic and advanced birthing services. The board did not take a formal final vote on the conveyance but directed staff to revise the draft agreement to include an 18‑month progress review, to reserve a 30‑foot utility easement along the parcel’s eastern boundary, and to increase the mortgage payoff amount from $500,000 to $750,000.

County Attorney told the board the draft agreement is structured as a sale secured by a county mortgage with benchmarks that, if met, reduce or cancel the county’s mortgage over time. Michelle Harris, Sincere Care’s representative, described a clinic model that would include primary care, behavioral health services, mammography and a planned advanced birthing center accreditation. “We will be building is a facility for all women,” Harris said, adding the facility would reduce travel times for pregnant residents who now “are traveling at least an hour for care and for delivery.”

Why it matters: Commissioners said the project could increase access to maternal and women’s health care in Suwannee County and nearby rural counties, but several members wanted contractual safeguards so the county is not left without control or utility access if the project stalls.

Board discussion and direction Commissioner White pressed for progress markers before the three‑year construction deadline in the draft agreement: “I would just like to see some benchmarks in between now [and] year 3 that you’ve pulled a building permit in year 1,” he said, asking for intermediate evidence the project is advancing. Several commissioners favored an 18‑month “look‑in” that would require Sincere Care to present evidence of reasonable, good‑faith progress — permits, schematic drawings, engineering work or other milestones — and would give the county grounds to revert the property if no progress is shown.

County Attorney advised the board that a broad “no‑sale” or resale restriction would be legally fraught under Florida law and that the practical approach is a mortgage and written benchmarks tied to forgiveness; he said “a non sale clause is simply not feasible for something like this.” The board and Harris agreed to amend the draft to (1) add an 18‑month in‑progress presentation to the commission that documents reasonable progress toward the three‑year completion benchmark, (2) preserve a county utility easement along the eastern boundary (30 feet was proposed), and (3) change the mortgage/forgiveness amount to $750,000 (up from $500,000 in the current draft). Harris said those changes were acceptable.

Project scope, funding and timeline Harris said Sincere Care has begun schematic drawings, met with USDA for pre‑application review, and had interest from private investors and the Florida Community Loan Fund; she said the organization is also working with legislators’ offices on capital support. The draft agreement described two central schedule points: the facility must be complete within three years and remain in continuous operation for an extended forgiveness schedule (the draft referenced an eight‑year period of continuing service). Harris said Sincere Care also plans to deploy mobile services in the near term to begin care and revenue generation while the permanent facility is built.

Public comment and site concerns Neighbors and one nearby landowner raised drainage and historical right‑of‑way questions. A nearby property owner asked the board to ensure the county retain a utility corridor to serve the remainder of county‑owned land behind the site; commissioners agreed that reserving a 30‑foot utility easement along the eastern boundary would protect county access while still permitting the clinic site to be developed. Public commenter Moses Clepper said he supported the project but urged caution on conveyance terms and recommended a higher payoff amount; the board settled on $750,000 as a compromise during the discussion.

Next steps County staff and the county attorney will incorporate the board’s requested changes into the draft agreement. Commissioners indicated that, if those amendments are included, Sincere Care need not return to a future meeting in person and the item could be placed on a consent agenda for formal approval. Harris said she would coordinate with county staff and engineers (including consultants she has worked with) to finalize benchmarks and permitting timelines.

Ending: The discussion closed with agreement to redraft the conveyance documents to reflect the 18‑month look‑in, the reserved 30‑foot easement, and the increased mortgage/forgiveness amount; no final conveyance vote occurred Jan. 21.