4-H Approves $3.6 Million Navy Federal Land Deal

April 24, 2012

The children and teens on the Escambia 4-H County Council voted Monday to sell the  240 acre Langley Bell 4-H Center to Navy Federal Credit Union.

The young 4-H Council members, who represented 4-H Clubs across the county, voted 21-16 in favor of the sale and  a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that specifies what happens next to 4-H.

The sale will next go to the Escambia County Commission, the members of which serve as trustees for the 4-H property.  The MOU also creates a 4-H Extension Task Force to consider what happens next for 4-H between to proposed options.

“We plan on staying involved,” 4-H Council President Devon Bell, age 18, said. “Both options are out there, but there’s room for a lot of improvements on both options. We want the best for 4-H.”

If they agree to terms with the county, Navy Federal will pay $3.6 million for the property next to the credit union’s campus in Beulah. The Escambia Commission will also contibute $1.5 million in local option sales tax funds to construct a new 4-H building with the plans subject to the approval of the Extension Service.

Option one of the approved MOU will construct the new building on 23 acres at the Escambia County Extension Service on Stefani Road. The first option also provides for 20-30 acres next to the Roy Hyatt Environmental Center in cooperation with the Escambia County School Board for animal-related programs and other appropriate 4-H activities.  This property will be in addition to the facility to be located at the Extension Service on Stefani Road.

The second option would allow for the purchase of other acreage and propert with up to $1.6 million of the Navy Federal sale proceeds  for the use of the 4-H program. The “Friends of 4-H”, a group of of 4-H supporters, is calling for the purchase of former the former Bayer Crop Science Facility on Crabtree Church Road in Molino. The 250 acres stretches from Crabtree Church Road north to Highway 97 near Molino Park Elementary School.

“We are going to keep pressure on the Extension Office to make sure the MOU is followed regardless of the option chosen,” said Jacob Gilmore, Friends of 4-H member. “The $1.6 million available from the Langley Bell purchase could be used for the purchase of the Bayer property. We would like to see the Extension Office moved to the Bayer property.”

“We do want to keep the pressure on and be involved in the process to make sure the 4-H’ers receive the best,” Whitney Fike, another Friends of 4-H member.

George Carpenter, president of the Escambia County 4-H Foundation, also agreed that the process will be watched for the best interest of the young 4-H members.

“Regardless of the commission votes and what happens next, we will be looking out for the 4-H’ers,” Carpenter said. “If this all works out and the property is sold, it can be a win-win for 4-H and Navy Federal. But we will be working to protect the interests of 4-H.”

“This really is all about the youth,” Wilson Robertson, chairman of the Escambia County Commission and 4-H trustee, said. “We have tried to step out of the way, but we will do what is in the best interest of the 4-H’ers.”

For a photo gallery, click here.

Pictured top: 4-H County Council President Devon Bell (right) watches as Sonya Daniel (left) and Wilma David from the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections Office count ballots on the sale of the Langley Bell 4-H Center to Navy Federal. Pictured top inset: Bell signs off on the ballot results. Pictured bottom inset: County Commission Chairman Wilson Robertson addresses 4-H supporters. Pictured below: Audience members watch as ballots are counted. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

15 Responses to “4-H Approves $3.6 Million Navy Federal Land Deal”

  1. 429SCJ on April 25th, 2012 6:27 am

    I feel it was obscene to make the children vote on something, which in reality they
    had no real vote in. Was this the commission’s was of saying I wash my hands in this matter?

    I hope that 4H is able to obtain an upright advocate.

    I would not feel comfortable having my child in the same room with such as Wilson Robertson.

  2. Sandra on April 24th, 2012 7:36 pm

    Jeep is right. if environmental remediation is required that alone will devalue the property and the 4-Hers should be able to get it for considerably less than the 1.6 asking price. Heres hpoing they had a pesticide spill.

  3. jeeperman on April 24th, 2012 4:56 pm

    Well Mtr. Lamb,
    Lets hope that the enviromental study shows no need for any re-mediation requirements. If any are found, it won’t take much to eat $1.6 million.
    And Bayer certainly is not gonna then sell it for $1.6million.

  4. Gerald Lamb on April 24th, 2012 2:48 pm

    jeeperman. OVER MY DEAD BODY!
    An organized group can get commissioners to bypass the 23 acres and go for Bayer or another piece NORTH of Cantonment.
    Bayer environmental study would have to be done regardless of purchaser so fees would be on Bayer or realtor. So far Bayer IS the ONLY realistic option!
    Did you note some voters were not counted or failed to vote! It was not a overwhelming vote. It was close enough that ALL have their work vcut out for them to do it RIGHT!

  5. southerner on April 24th, 2012 12:30 pm

    More socialism.

  6. jeeperman on April 24th, 2012 10:38 am

    So the MOU was written so that only $1.6 million can be used to purchase any property.
    I doubt that the Bayer property can be had for $1.6 million when the cost of enviromental studies to clear the property are to be included in that $1.6 million limit.
    Sounds like the MOU was crafted to restrict the 4H into only realistically going with Option One.
    The 4H’ers will end up learning to farm on iPads and a movie screen.

  7. InTheKnow on April 24th, 2012 9:47 am

    Curley, you have a case of sour grapes, and sound just like every other of the “uninformed” that spout off whatever they hear their “buddy” say as gospel, claim conspiracy theories, all without doing a BIT of research on the matter.

    Am I happy? Yes, for Escambia County! We have another business (a NOT for profit business) in our area that just doesn’t offer “jobs”, but gives people in our community a REAL career.

    Why aren’t you calling out the kids in 4-H that voted for the sale? Why arn’t you calling them a bunch of sniveling Navy Federal wannabes?

    Maybe because those children saw the benefits of Navy Federal expanding in Pensacola, and knew that they could set up shop with another parcel of land while also giving their community some economic growth!

  8. xpeecee on April 24th, 2012 8:52 am

    Thanks William!!!

  9. William on April 24th, 2012 8:09 am

    >>>A little confusing… I would like to see a breakdown of the 3.6 million that Navy Federal is paying for the 4-H land.

    From a previous NorthEscambia story:

    Under the memorandum presented to the 4-H Council Tuesday, the 4-H foundation will receive the full $3.6 million. Up to $1.6 million will be available to 4-H for facilities construction, projects or purchases, while $2 million will be placed in an endowment fund with the interest supporting 4-H.

    http://www.northescambia.com/2012/04/4-h-council-gets-first-look-at-navy-federal-sale-agreement

    The $1.5 million in LOST money from the county is in addition to the $3.6 million from Navy Federal.

  10. xpeecee on April 24th, 2012 7:59 am

    A little confusing… I would like to see a breakdown of the 3.6 million that Navy Federal is paying for the 4-H land. Seems to me that there will be some money unaccounted for. Does the 3.6 million not go to the new 4-H facility? If The County Commission contributes another 1.5 million, does that mean that the 4-H people will have 5.1 million to purchase a new facility? Do the numbers add up? Just an observation…

  11. curley on April 24th, 2012 7:45 am

    big business, watch the county commissions reward the 4H with the little 23 acres instead of the amount of land they deserve. The kids will learn no good deed goes unpunished. Bet Navy fed is partying hardy now. In the know must be happy, yours will come too.

  12. invesagater on April 24th, 2012 7:32 am

    OK so scene they sold the Langley bell center where are they gonna do the consular training at now?

  13. Jane on April 24th, 2012 6:44 am

    I hope they will get the Bayer property for the 4H group…it is a nice piece of property with a lot of options for the children and future farmers. It has everything they need and more.

  14. Well on April 24th, 2012 5:16 am

    Let’s now hope that suitable land and facilities can be bought or set up to meet the 4H-ERS needs.

  15. 429SCJ on April 24th, 2012 2:41 am

    4H/ECC will be used as a metaphor for many interesting things yet to come.

    Let us remember Wilson Robertson, even long after he has left us.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News