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4-H Task Force Completes Report On Potential Future Locations
July 1, 2013
A task force on a fact-finding mission about potential future land for Escambia County 4-H has issued its findings in a report to a University of Florida dean.
After reviewing the report, UF/IFAS Extension Dean Nick Place could choose to act on the task force’s findings or ask the group to continue its fact-finding research. The task force was created following the sale of the 240-acre Langley Bell 4-H Center to Navy Federal Credit Union for $3.6 million. From the sale proceeds, $2 million was placed in an endowment fund with interest used to support Escambia County 4-H, and $1.6 million was reserved for 4-H use under the guidance of UF/IFAS.
The group was tasked with identifying options for meeting the 4-H’s animal science and outdoor education needs while complementing the new 4-H Center to be constructed next to the Extension office on Stefani Road.
The report contains multiple detailed proposals about land purchase options as well as “non-land” options that would use existing property and facilities to meet current and future 4-H needs. There is no timetable for a decision by Place.
Some of the land facilities considered by the task force and their findings included:
LAND OPTIONS
Bayer Crop Science Facility, Molino. The 250 acres are owned by Bayer Crop Science with an expected purchase price of $1.3 to $1.5 million. The facility has existing land, three ponds, three office buildings, three bands and state of the art greenhouses. Many areas of 4-H could be done in one place. With existing amenities and room to expand, the property would continue to serve 4-H well into the future. This facility will be capable of hosting such as 4-H livestock shows, livestock camps, agriculture workshops, large and small animal demonstrations, competitions, and other 4-H educational programs.
Cottage Hill State Forest, Cottage Hill. About 31 acres; the state is willing to deed the property to Escambia County. Site would support environmental and horticultural sciences, outdoor education, forestry and other 4-H activities. Currently has horse trails.
Escambia County Equestrian Center, Mobile Highway. Owned by Escambia County, includes 151 acres. Not currently equipped to handle any livestock except horses. A memorandum of understanding would ensure the 4-H could use the facility for animal shows.
Pensacola Interstate Fairgrounds. Livestock facilities currently in a state of disrepair, but no cost for use. 4-H would be responsible for building structures and manure disposal. Would support livestock showmanship programs.
Highway 196. Four unimproved parcels ranging from about 40 to 85 acres. $2,800 per acre, currently owned by United Bank. Land would need to be cleared and structures constructed. “Unimproved raw property can have long-term potential. However, without more specific knowledge about this particular piece of property, it is difficult to say how it would exactly directly support 4-H programs,” the task force found.
IP-ECUA/Becks Lake. Unknown number of acres. Purchase price unknown. Can meet livestock needs and includes a lake. Space would allow for needs of outdoor environmental education activities.
NON-LAND OPTIONS
Privately Owned Land. The Barrineau Park 4-H and the Livestock 4-H currently use the facilities of private landowners for livestock. By recruiting other members of the agriculture community, more sites could be developed with leases and grants to provide opportunities for 4-H club members to have off-site raising facilities. No cost to 4-H.
National, State and Local Parks. This option is low cost and does not involve land ownership or maintenance.Allowing 4-H Clubs to visit state parks and have the opportunity to use the park as an educational site opens up various topics that address outdoor education and natural resource topics.Many of the parks also have youth programs open to the public on various topics that are included in 4-H project areas.
Roy Hyatt Environmental Center. About 20 acres, owned by the Escambia County School District. Usage fees unknown. Would provide space for livestock and other activities.
To download the complete 4-H Task Force report, click here (4.8Mb, 121 page pdf).
Pictured: Two of the buildings located on the Bayer Crop Science Facility in Molino, one of the properties being considered by a task force for Escambia County 4-H. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
16 Responses to “4-H Task Force Completes Report On Potential Future Locations”
>Mr. David Lamb,
Please let me and my family know where and when to sign any petitions, but we all better hurry as Dr. Place from IFAS, University of Florida will be making his decision soon!
Pastshower of livestock…. Your comments were good with one exception…. Legaldocuments and steps already in place prevents any monies in the 4H funds to be utilized by anyone except Escambia 4H. Any oother use would be punishable and heads would roll!
dontwastetax$$…. Bayer is not that far, Northern enders traveled to LBC on a regular basis in the past and have to travel to Pcola for business. Not that big of a problem. County Commissioners are interested in busing inner city youth to Bayer if we can get it bought. putting a livestock facility in town would rouse zoning issues, neighbors would complain of noise and smell…. not feasable! The Pensacola Fair is not county owned. It is private and always has been owned by the Frenkel family, even when on Fairfield Drive. Not feasable!
Mark Clabaugh. Great piece… my sentiments exactly! Bayer list of things to do would take up pages. A win-win for Escambia 4H. Parents are not the problem.It is interferring Chamber of Commerce, and other”civic minded” individuals supporting IFAS in its controlling ways!
Ii am going to suggest two 2 petition drives… one for 4H members only and one for 4H alumni, family members and those that are partial to Escambia 4H.
I agree with Molino Jim. the Bayer property is available, and is what the 4-H needs. It should be 4-H property, not county property, with 4-H overseers caring for it & attending it, not county folks. Our county commissioners certainly don’t need to be involved. They don’t seem to do so well with what they do control. Talking about being so far from the kids in other areas, Langley Bell wasn’t the closes to all the kids either. This property in Molino seems to have just what the 4-H needs!!
Whatever money the county does not put into the purchase of the land will go into Escambia County’s hands. They want the cheapest possible choice, not the choice that has the 4-h’ers and FFA group’s best interest in mind. The Langley Bell Center offers children a place to learn and develop lifelong skills. It also provides a safe place for gathering for that group. America was founded on agriculture. Why not keep a healthy interest in that field? America does not produce the most goods or oil, but we can produce food. Why encourage jobs without agriculture? Without agriculture we cannot do anything self sufficient as a country. Keeping the 4-h’ers on the best possible facilities is an investment in the future of our country.
@Mark– there is a large amount of politics involved. Some of the people who are pushing for the county to build new buildings and so on have never had a kid in 4-H. Add to that they have had nothing to do with 4-H or farming or ag. of any sort. @dontwastetax$$- based on your post I guess we need to build a new 4-H complex on the Main St ECUA property. I know there are young people who live on NAS and on the south west part of the county and it would be a long drive. How about the kids who would have to drive south as we had to when we were 4-H parents taking kids to the Bell property?
i don;’t think we are looking at the big picture. if they go with the Bayer property, that is cutting out all the young people in the south part of the county. No kids parents that live on hwy 98 are going to haul them all the way up to Bayer. Unless you plan on having ecat go there. Seems kinda shelfish if you ask me. It needs to be near the population center. I say use the fairgrounds thats what the fair came from anyway. But that won’t happen, this is all about money not the kids..
Personally, the Bayer property is by far the best of all worlds, ponds, fishing, farming, livestock, greenhouses… the potential for that land is unlimited. There is AG land that provides opportunities for collaborative work with the University of Florida… the buildings potential is limitless.
I do not see how politics are playing any role, I think it is caring people wanting the best possible future for 4-H. Furthermore, 4-H could offer more peaking the interest of more children to participate. Imagine the camps, the activities that could be a part of that property.
I think the problem is busy body parents, not the children or the people trying to get the best possible option.
LBC was not on tax rolls and its sell to Navy Federal will probably be tax exempt too. Its saving grace is that the economic impact that Navy Federal will have on Escambia county makes it a plus!
Buying Bayer will only replace what was taken from the kids so there will be a net effect of (0) on the tax rolls.
Kids were required to vote on LBC sale due to 1943 Deed. IFAS conveniently made sure that kids lost any chance to vote on new land by developing an MOU that took away their rights. WELL DONE, IFAS!
I think what southerner is saying is the government/4H should not be buying property that is currently on paying property taxes.
It is not what money is being spent, it is what is being bought.
And I agree with him, obtain space that is already not on the tax rolls instead of taking more off.
This came from a University Of Florida site:
What is 4-H?
4-H is the non-formal educational youth development program of the University of Florida IFAS (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences) and Florida Extension. 4-H is the nation’s LARGEST youth development program and the only one that is university based.
>>Why should the government buy more land, when it already owns so much?…I vote against the purchase of the Bayer property.
The government isn’t buying any land. The money belongs to the 4-H members, with the UF and Escambia County essentially acting as trustees.
You don’t get a vote, and the kids that have the money don’t either, under the current plan.
Why should the government buy more land, when it already owns so much? By buying privately owned land it lessens the land on the tax roll and adds more of a tax burden on tax payers for up keep. I vote against the purchase of the Bayer property.
The Byer property seems to be the best bang for the buck. I just hope the folks in charge of the funds just don’t talk it all away or let the County boys get their hands in the pie.
The State property not as large I understand will be just deeded over to the county.
Wonder why it can’t be just deeded to the F-H instead. Its NON Profit making too I guess.
But when big $$$$$$ gets involved ???????????????
The potential of the Bayer Property is unlimited. As stated by molino jim, it is turn key and ready to use. Buildings, green houses could be utilized for so many things, the 100 plus acres of AG land could be used in so many ways. The wooded land could be for all sorts of programs and the irrigation ponds could be used for selling fish and other projects. There is no reason that Bayer would be a funding burden on any entity. It could and should become self-supporting, making its own way. Athing called vision, management and leadership is needed. One question: Is that currently available?
Jim the kids would make a decision based on common zense-not political sense. We can’t have that hAppening.
Bayer is a “turn key” property that could be used from day one. There is someone living on the property for security the same as at a number of schools. It would be a win-win situation for 4-H. Some members of the “task force” appear to want to build on other properties using county funds and down size the size at the same time. I know this is a wild suggestion— how about letting the young member of 4-H decide on the property.