County approves moving public‑safety training facility to Outdoor Adventure Park to save about $671,000

The county approved relocating a planned public‑safety training facility (including a burn building) from Camp Blanding to a county‑owned parcel inside the Outdoor Adventure Park.

Ed Dendor, capital‑projects director, presented a cost and feasibility comparison: the Camp Blanding site option was estimated at just under $4.9 million while the Outdoor Adventure Park location was projected at just over $4.2 million, yielding an approximate $671,000 savings. Staff cited operational benefits to siting the facility on county‑owned property: no need for a memorandum‑of‑agreement for use, existing restroom infrastructure at the park, and greater scheduling flexibility for county departments. Colonel Todd Hopkins (Camp Blanding) was referenced on height and access restrictions; staff said the site at Zone C of the park best fit project requirements and that Camp Blanding would retain access for training use.

Commissioners sought assurance that relocating the facility would not jeopardize other public‑safety bond priorities such as planned fire stations. County staff and the county manager said the bond language explicitly includes training facilities and that moving the site to county property would allow the county to use bond funding while preserving the overall station schedule; staff described project cash‑flow planning and the importance of spending bond proceeds within bond timing to preserve tax‑exempt status. The board approved the relocation 4‑0 and accepted a minor redesign cost increase (about $85,000) tied to adapting the plans to the new site, while noting a net project savings after accounting for prior design expenses.