Putnam officials seek state help for water, wastewater and transportation projects

Putnam County and several municipalities asked the county's legislative delegation on Friday for state funding and policy help to address aging water and wastewater systems and to advance transportation projects.

County Commission Chair Leota Wilkinson and other county and city officials told Senator Keith Leake and Representative Randy Sapp they have engineering plans or permit-ready designs for multiple projects but need state support — and in some cases legislative changes — to move them forward. Wilkinson described the St. Johns Harbor water system as a system the county inherited after a private operator failed and said it opened with an estimated $1 million deficit and now requires further work and funding to expand service to additional customers.

The county asked for support letters for a $10 million DEP grant application to expand wastewater service in East Palatka and for continued support for water and wastewater work around the county's Barge Port. Palatka Mayor Roberta Correa said the city has replaced more than six miles of century-old cast-iron water lines and is investing $3 million to $3.5 million this year as its share of a $52 million slate of projects; she pressed the delegation to ask specific project-cost and city-match figures when groups request state funding.

Senator Leake and Representative Sapp advised presenting detailed LFIR project-request forms showing the total project cost and local "skin in the game". Leake said an informal rule of thumb is that projects with at least 50 percent local investment fare better in committee and appropriations deliberations.

Transportation concerns included a request to support widening State Road 100 and study for a second bridge in the Palatka area. County officials said Putnam lacks a seat at the regional transportation planning organization table and that project priorities in the county have been advanced directly with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Representative Sapp and county officials described a local public safety task force that has coordinated DOT stakeholders to try to secure an expedited five-year work plan for safety and widening work.

Officials also renewed a request that the delegation continue to press for completion of Duns Creek State Park and asked for letters and appropriations to support park unit-management work. County commissioners and local volunteers said they have completed planning work and want state funding to implement park improvements.

Officials emphasized they have done engineering and planning work and asked the delegation to press for either direct appropriations or for state agencies to prioritize Putnam projects in their work plans. The delegation said staff can help with drafting support letters and that clarity about project-level costs and the exact local match will improve prospects for state funding.

Ending

Delegation staff told attendees how to submit LFIR forms and follow up after the meeting; Senator Leake and Representative Sapp offered to meet with project teams and to coordinate intergovernmental approaches that show cities and the county are "rowing in the same direction," which they said increases the likelihood of funding.