Bradford County managers highlight jobs, grants and public‑safety gains in annual reports
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Summary
County manager and department directors reported economic development leads, airport and road grants, library and extension program growth, a profitable county fair and fire‑rescue performance metrics; officials said work on procurement updates and infrastructure planning continues.
Bradford County’s leadership on Tuesday laid out a year of modest fiscal wins and infrastructure work — from new airport access funding to library and extension‑program growth — while calling for further public‑private partnership and careful next steps.
County manager Scott Corningay told the Board of County Commissioners that the manager’s office has focused on building trust with the public and commissioners, expanding livestreamed meetings and tightening purchasing rules. He said the county refined local‑preference language in its purchasing policy so a locally based vendor must be within 5 percent of the low bid to qualify for preference, and that staff plan to return next month with a final ordinance after a prior first reading.
Why it matters: Corningay framed the changes as part of a longer plan to attract investment and manage county resources efficiently. Corningay highlighted several active economic development projects, including a TerraStar renewable diesel site that could create “over 100 jobs,” a phased airport development proposed by the Raina Group and a proposed 100,000‑square‑foot manufacturing expansion that county staff say could create hundreds of jobs.
The county said it funded an airport access road through a $2.3 million Florida DEO grant and has a $775,000 state appropriation earmarked for turn lanes on State Road 100 to improve airport access. Corningay said permitting was complete and construction should begin soon.
Library growth: Kimberly Crawford, director of the Bradford County Public Library, presented annual statistics for March 2025–February 2026 that show 58,857 visits, 16,138 active library cards and 49,475 total circulations. Crawford described expanded programming — including new Makerspace offerings, youth events and a growing Friends of the Library book sale that has raised more than $9,000 — and noted a grand opening for the Makerspace room on May 19.
Extension and agriculture: Cindy Sanders, interim director of the UF/IFAS Bradford County Extension, reported roughly 250 4‑H members, more than 1,000 students served through school enrichment and nearly 243 extension programs reaching about 3,800 residents in 2025. Sanders said Extension work included reinstating a 4‑H shotgun club and providing livestock and horticulture assistance that county staff estimate saved producers about $20,000 this year through improved pregnancy‑testing practices.
Fair, recreation and youth sports: Harley Hutchinson, the fair manager, said the 86th Bradford County Fair drew almost 10,000 visitors across 11 days and produced a net profit of about $108,000. Recreation director Dina Deciena said Bradford Sports United enrolled about 240 children across 19 teams this season, launched an all‑abilities team and has prioritized facility upgrades and sponsorships for scoreboards.
Public safety metrics: Fire Rescue Chief Ben Carter reported 6,807 total calls in 2025 (roughly 19 per day), with 87 percent EMS and 13 percent fire responses, an average response time of 9 minutes 11 seconds and other operational metrics including 27 STEMI (heart‑attack) alerts and 64 trauma alerts. Carter highlighted new capabilities — including mobile CT/telehealth rendezvous for suspected strokes, carrying blood products on supervisor units and new stations — and said more than $1.8 million in grants and appropriations supported department purchases last year.
Next steps: County leaders said they will return with a finalized purchasing policy and continue work on strategic plans, water/wastewater extension with the City of Stark, and the community planning technical assistance grant work to prioritize airport, fairgrounds and interchange improvements. Corningay asked residents to continue providing feedback as staff refine proposals.
"We’ve made some real strides over the last few years, and we plan to keep building on those gains," Corningay said.
The board did not take any substantive policy votes on these reports; the presentations provided background and direction for continuing work and budget planning.
