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Levy County directs staff to pursue termination or purchase of state-leased Forestry Camp, weighing renovation costs and operational savings
Summary
The Levy County Board instructed staff to submit an application to the state to terminate the lease or pursue acquisition of the Forestry Camp and asked staff to return with firm cost estimates; commissioners cited roughly $50,000 in basic repairs, a $294,500 grant, and architect estimates of $500,000–$725,000 for full renovation.
The Levy County Board of County Commissioners voted to ask staff to pursue an application to terminate the state lease or negotiate acquisition of the county's Forestry Camp and to return with detailed cost and funding information. County Manager (staff) told the board the county obtained a contractor estimate of about $50,000 to make the camp buildings watertight and said Walker Architects estimated comprehensive renovation costs could range from $500,000 to $725,000. The manager also said the county has a reappropriated grant of about $294,500 that could be used for renovations.
The manager described the state's process: if the county requests termination, the state will conduct a site visit to determine lease compliance and any renovation requirements, then make the facility available to other state agencies; if no state agency takes it and the property is appraised under $500,000, the county would have an opportunity to negotiate a direct purchase before it goes to public sale. He added that moving public-safety functions onto the county campus could save substantial operating costs: utilities at the Forestry Camp totaled $61,830.15 last year versus $11,647.34 at the alternate county building, a near $50,000 annual saving in utilities alone, plus roughly $14,000 in annual lawn-mowing costs.
Commissioner Desiree Mills moved to direct staff to file the application and to pursue the option the board preferred; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. Commissioners said they supported pursuing the application, noting expected savings and the availability of grant funding, but asked staff to return with full quotes, a funding plan and any additional grant opportunities before committing to large renovation contracts.
Next steps: staff will submit the application to the state and obtain detailed contractor estimates and a total project budget, then return to the board with recommendations and any required ordinance or acceptance documents for available grant funding. The motion recorded no immediate purchase; it authorized staff to pursue and report back to the board.
