Gadsden County debate over Boys & Girls Club site centers on Quincy parcel, Strong Road and Fontana Trail; no final decision reached

Public commenters, county commissioners and county staff spent the bulk of the special meeting debating where to place a planned Boys & Girls Club facility, but the commission did not record a final vote or formal action on a site at this session.

Speakers and positions

Residents and parents urged the board to place the facility where children can safely and easily get there during the school year. Richelle Robinson, a Quincy resident, said the county must set aside "political gamesmanship" and choose a site that will be most used by children; she argued Strong Road was preferable because of proximity to housing and Crossroad Academy Charter School. Derek Elias, another resident, said he believed commissioners already had approved a Graves Street site at 122 Graves but expressed confusion about why the issue returned to the county agenda.

Dr. Tracy Stallworth, who identified a Quincy address, asked whether county commissioners had conducted town halls or constituent outreach and whether a census of children’s population density had been completed; she said Strong Road appeared "the viable location" because the county owns the property. Laurie Bowie, another Quincy resident, urged using county-owned land on Strong Road rather than purchasing restricted city property and asked whether grant terms would permit a land purchase.

County staff and commissioners described the recent history with the City of Quincy

County staff said they had met with Quincy officials and prepared a comprehensive draft agreement to transfer a portion of the city parcel adjacent to the Joe Ferlito Center. Staff said the Quincy commission voted to authorize its city attorney to draft a transfer plan but that, at a later meeting, city commissioners removed the agreement from an amended agenda and the item was not considered. County staff said this sequence prompted the county to call a special meeting because of a short grant deadline.

County legal counsel and the county attorney also told the meeting the county had not acted in bad faith, noting there had been draft exchanges but no final written agreement transmitted to the city until April; the county attorney said the city’s request for a pool sooner than the county had planned contributed to the disagreement about phasing and timing.

Key issues raised

- Grant restriction on land purchase: A public commenter told commissioners there was a "stipulation of the grant funding which prohibits the purchase of land," and that constraint is why building on county-owned property was being considered. The grant itself was not named at the meeting.

- Property options: Participants discussed a county-owned Strong Road parcel, a city parcel at or adjacent to 122 Graves Street next to the Joe Ferlito Center, and a site on Fontana Trail. Several speakers said Strong Road has sidewalks and lighting advantages; others said Fontana Trail lacked broadband and would be difficult for parents to access.

- Transportation and safety: Commissioners and residents discussed who would transport children to and from the club. One commissioner said transportation is usually provided from schools to the site but that parents typically must pick up children afterward. Commissioners also raised safety concerns about rural routes and nighttime travel.

- Intergovernmental trust: Multiple speakers said the county should repair relationships with the City of Quincy after the agenda removal and Facebook commentary that followed. The county attorney said the county had a statutory duty to act in good faith and that no written, final transfer agreement had been completed prior to April.

Outcome and next steps

No final location vote was reflected on the record during this special meeting. Commissioners discussed the urgency imposed by a grant deadline and asked staff to continue work with the city and the Big Bend Boys & Girls Club to identify a site and clarify grant terms. One commissioner suggested a vote could be taken that night; others urged more outreach and confirmation of grant restrictions, transportation arrangements and timelines for required environmental reviews.

Why this matters

Speakers said the chosen site will affect how children access programming, the county’s use of existing property, and relations with the City of Quincy. Commenters repeatedly tied the discussion to safety, broadband access and fiscal prudence: several residents urged using county-owned Strong Road land rather than purchasing restricted city property.