Commission approves Florida Job Growth Grant for Opportunity Park, OKs $480,708 ambulance purchase and adds opioid settlement agreements to consent

The Wakulla County Commission approved a Florida Job Growth Grant agreement and associated budget amendment for the Opportunity Park economic development project, authorized purchase of a Class 1 ambulance, and added two opioid settlement participation agreements to the consent agenda during its meeting.

County staff notified the commission at the meeting that two add-on items were proposed for the consent agenda: participation agreements for opioid settlements, one with Purdue and another with secondary manufacturers. Staff said the settlements are standard agreements the county has approved for other defendants, and that settlement proceeds would be distributed according to an existing memorandum of understanding between the county and the state. The commission approved the agenda with the add-ons; the motion passed 5-0.

On general business, staff requested approval to purchase one Class 1 ambulance from Frasier Limited (vendor name transcribed as presented) with associated medical equipment for $480,707.92. The staff breakdown presented to the commission showed $338,125 for the chassis and box and $142,582 for monitored heart monitor/defibrillator and a power-load system. The commission voted to approve the purchase; the motion passed 5-0.

The commission also considered a resolution authorizing the chair to execute a grant agreement from the Florida Department of Commerce (Florida Job Growth Grant Fund) to support construction at Opportunity Park. Staff said the grant would fund construction of a manufacturing building of approximately 100,000 square feet and that any remaining funds may be used to build an additional office building of roughly 18,000 square feet. Construction must begin on or before July 1, 2026, and be completed by Dec. 31, 2027, and the grant term extends to Dec. 31, 2037, according to staff. The agreement includes a termination clause (described to the board as Section 27) that permits the Department of Commerce to terminate the agreement at its sole discretion.

A commissioner recused themself from the Opportunity Park item because of employment with a vendor selling related products; the transcript records a motion to approve and a second, and the resolution passed with a recorded outcome of four in favor and the recusal noted. The transcript does not show a roll-call of each commissioner for that vote in the excerpt provided.

Votes at a glance

- Opioid settlement participation agreements (added to consent): added to consent agenda and approved as part of the consent motion; outcome: approved (consent motion passed 5-0). Details: one agreement noted with Purdue, one with secondary manufacturers; distribution per an existing MOU between county and state. Motion: add to consent; mover/second not individually attributed in transcript; vote 5-0.

- Ambulance purchase: purchase one Class 1 ambulance and related medical equipment from Frasier Limited for $480,707.92 ($338,125 chassis/box; $142,582 medical equipment). Motion and second recorded; outcome: approved (vote 5-0).

- Florida Job Growth Grant agreement and budget amendment for Opportunity Park: resolution authorizing the chair to execute the grant agreement and a related budget amendment; grant would fund a ~100,000 sq. ft. manufacturing building and up to an ~18,000 sq. ft. office building, construction to commence by 07/01/2026 and be complete by 12/31/2027, grant term ends 12/31/2037, goal of 300 new jobs cited by staff. A commissioner recused for conflict; motion passed with recorded outcome of 4 in favor and the recusal noted.

The commission’s recorded motions and outcomes in the transcript match the consent vote and the ambulance vote as unanimous (5-0) and the grant approval as passed with one recusal. The transcript does not include text of the signed grant agreement or the full settlement agreements; staff said the opioid settlement funds would be distributed according to an existing memorandum of understanding with the state.

The county will proceed with the ambulance purchase procurement and the grant execution steps, subject to the terms of the grant agreement and any vendor or procurement conditions.