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County Pulls Out Of $22 Million Training Facility In North Escambia
December 12, 2008
Escambia County is pulling out of a $22 million deal to purchase 684 acres north of Molino near the Camp O’ the Pines for a regional police, fire and EMS training facility, at least for now, after the sheriff-elect said he wanted out of the deal.
The Escambia County Commission voted 5-0 Thursday night to withdraw support for the joint project between the county, Pensacola Junior College, The PJC Foundation and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department. The entities entered into an interlocal agreement in 2006 to purchase the land from RMS Timberlands, LLC for $3,278,400. That sale was to be closed by December 18 on the Highway 29 property.
$11 million of the total $22 million price tag for the facility was to be contributed by the sheriff’s department via the county from local option sales tax money. The other $11 million was to come from a state grant obtained by PJC. But Sheriff-elect David Morgan said he was not convinced that the facility was needed.
Thursday night, the commission voted to put the project on hold for six months. The vote authorized County Administrator Bob McLaughlin (pictured left at Thursday night’s meeting) to withdraw support for the project, coordinate a re-evaluation of the project’s merits with Morgan and other agencies, and to reconvene the site selection committee after the needs evaluation.
The land purchase was scheduled to close by December 18. The agreement contained a $200,000 penalty clause if the closing were to be delayed.
“The county will have to pay $200,000 if they delay the closing, but not if they cancel the land purchase before the scheduled closing.” Sonya Daniel, county spokesperson, said.
Plans called for the facility to being as a state-of-the-art firing range for PJC students and area law enforcement. It was to expand into a fire and emergency medical service training facility.
Morgan will take office as then new Escambia sheriff in January.
Comments
One Response to “County Pulls Out Of $22 Million Training Facility In North Escambia”
Finely a sheriff with guts to just say no.