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Escambia Commission Moves Forward On 4-H Land Purchase
May 16, 2014
The Escambia County Commission took another step forward Thursday night for toward the purchase of two parcels of property for Escambia County 4-H.
In 2012, the children and teens on the 4-H County Council voted to sell their 240 acre Langley Bell 4-H Center to Navy Federal Credit Union. Navy Federal paid $3.6 million for the property next to the credit union’s campus in Beulah, and the Escambia County Commission agreed to construct a new 4-H Center on Stefani Road.
Now, the county is set to close on the two parcels totaling about 108 acres on or near Chalker Road, with the first closing set for today and the second for next week. The county will make the land purchases to house the 4-H’s animal science and outdoor education programs and then be reimbursed by the 4-H Foundation.
Brett Ward, a member of the Escambia County Farm Bureau Board, expressed concerns over two points in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) approved Thursday night between the county and the University of Florida IFAS.
He said it should be more clearly defined as how the property might be sold in the future and be replaced with a time limit on replacing the property. “So quite frankly nobody in the future will have to through what we’ve all been through the last two and half years in this process,” he said.
Commissioner Wilson Robertson agreed. “I thought we didn’t want to through this again”.
District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said he agreed with Ward and Robertson, but there was no time to make changes with a property closing just hours away. County Attorney Alison Robinson said making any changes to the MOU would delay, and perhaps endanger, the closings.
Ward said he also issues giving IFAS the exclusive rights in naming the property.
Escambia County Extension Director Pam Allen said it is the intent of IFAS is “to use it as a fundraising to earn additional money to put more things on the property. There’s not really a set plan in place. but 4-H wanted to retain the rights to do that.”
“Basically what we are going to do is put the name up for bid and whoever is the highest bidder, that’s going to be named after them,” Ward responded. “Why don’t we name the whole thing the Escambia County 4-H Center, and then whoever wants to sponsor individual buildings inside it…they can be named after them. But the whole center would be the Escambia County 4-H Center.”
“The children of Esambia County 4-H are the richest in the nation. They have over $4 million invested, earning interest and they are running programs off that. They have plenty of money,” Ward said. “If we can add to that, I’m all for it, but to sell the name to the whole property?”
The commission unanimously approved moving forward with the MOU with IFAS, and the land purchase. Barry said he expects an open house to be held on the property without about three weeks.
Pictured top and bottom: An existing 5,722 square foot barn on one of two parcels that may soon be home to Escambia County 4-H. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge. Pictured inset: Two parcels will provide 4-H about 108 acres near Barrineau Park. NorthEscambia.com graphic, click to enlarge.
Comments
2 Responses to “Escambia Commission Moves Forward On 4-H Land Purchase”
Let’s see, trade 240 improved acres, with lake, meeting house and other amenities for 108 acres. Sounds like the 4 H kids lose, while the politician’s palms itch in anticipation of wasting the rest of these kids money. Sounds like business as usual for Escambia County, and brings back memory’s of the days of the Banty Rooster and Willie
Can someone tell us where and how the 4 million is invested? If Mr Ward feels the 4H has so much money for their use it would be nice to know roughly how much would be available. If it is invested where it is returning 4% this amounts to160,000, (and 4% return is hard to find today) less the money managers fee. While this is a large amount of money for most of us, it would only take one good accident and it’s gone.