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Developer updates Pahokee commission on Everglades Town construction; Head Start building delayed by funding/MOU issues
Summary
OOS Development told the commission that site construction is underway with buildings expected for turnover between December and March, and that a proposed Head Start building was delayed because USDA required the city to be applicant/owner and a city MOU was not completed.
Michael Snodgrass, president and CEO of OOS Development Corporation, told the Pahokee commission on Aug. 27 that construction at Everglades Town is progressing and that the developer still intends to include a Head Start facility, but federal funding steps have slowed that component.
Snodgrass said the project began in 2019, that pandemic delays pushed site plan work into 2022, and that construction is now visible on site: project manager Bor Copeland reported blocks are up on multiple buildings and said the team expects the first building to be complete by December, with additional buildings delivered roughly every three weeks and full project turnover around March.
On the Head Start building, Snodgrass said the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s community facilities funding mechanism could provide a favorable grant/loan combination but that USDA regional staff told the developer the applicant needed to be the city and that the city would need ownership for that funding stream to proceed. Snodgrass said the city previously signaled it would participate through an MOU but that the paperwork did not move forward under prior administration timelines.
A resident and participant on the planning board pressed for accountability, saying the commission should have been kept informed when the MOU work stalled. Snodgrass and the interim city manager said they would reengage USDA and the county and that the city attorney would draft an alternative MOU for consideration.
On construction specifics, the developer said structural engineers recommended using treated wood pilings with a three‑foot concrete cap for certain foundations; the developer also asked the city to coordinate on the final paving lift for Barfield Highway to avoid conflicts with construction traffic.
What’s next: the manager asked for direction to reengage USDA and draft a new MOU; commissioners agreed the city should pursue options so the Head Start facility can be reconsidered as financing and schedules allow.
