Residents, environmental groups urge pause on Douglas property lease and proposed detention center

Dozens of residents, faith leaders and environmental advocates pressed Bradford County commissioners on Tuesday to delay any leasing decision related to the Douglas warehouse while environmental testing and a full fiscal review are completed.

What happened: The public‑comment portion of the meeting — which followed presentations from county departments — was dominated by speakers opposing a proposal to lease the Douglas property for use as a federal detention facility. Commenters repeatedly asked the board to pause consideration until Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) testing and an analysis of sewer/water capacity and fiscal impacts are completed.

Key concerns cited by residents: - Environmental contamination: Several speakers cited documented contamination at the Douglas site (including TCE) and argued that disturbing the soil to install wastewater infrastructure or other utilities could spread contamination. Anya Griffiths of Protect Rural Florida said FDEP had only recently been given access and urged the commission to "wait for the results." (public comment) - Fiscal and infrastructure risk: Speakers warned that a 3,000‑bed proposal would strain Stark’s water and wastewater systems, risk service failures in drought conditions, and impose unreimbursed costs on the county. One commenter cited a potential monthly shortfall figure in the hundreds of thousands of dollars if federal reimbursements fall short of projected costs. - Lease terms and process: Multiple commenters noted that a private offer (OMI Imports) has proposed a $50,000/year lease while the sheriff’s draft lease in the materials referenced $1,000/year; critics argued the county should not remove the property from market consideration before completing evaluation of alternatives. Concern was raised that key documents were posted shortly before the meeting, limiting public review time.

Sheriff’s presentation and board response: Sheriff Gordon Smith presented a sheriff‑led lease option and said his office is 287(g)‑certified and positioned to negotiate with the Department of Homeland Security. He described the lease as a path to obtain a federal proposal and provided order‑of‑magnitude financial and regulatory points, but also acknowledged that regulatory approvals, environmental remediation and water/sewer upgrades would be preconditions.

Commissioners were divided about considering the sheriff’s lease at this meeting. Some members said staff had been charged in a prior meeting to return with multiple options and argued the item should not be rushed back onto the agenda. One commissioner made a motion to move forward with the sheriff’s lease path, but the chair and others objected to the timing and to the limited public notice; no formal recorded vote on the Douglas lease appears in the transcript.

What the board did: The board approved routine consent items and appointed Bobby Carter as a citizen member to the Value Adjustment Board. On the Douglas property matter, commissioners directed staff to return with a full options analysis — including environmental testing results, utility capacity assessments, fair‑market valuations and legal considerations — before any lease approval is taken.

Quote: "If the facts matter, wait for them," Anya Griffiths said during public comment.

Next steps: County staff were directed to provide the board and public with the results of environmental testing and a comparative options memo (private offers vs. sheriff lease vs. other development paths). The county manager and legal staff will be asked to publish a timetable and necessary preconditions before a future vote.

The meeting ended without a final decision on the Douglas property lease; the board scheduled follow‑up work and additional briefings.