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Chipley unpauses CRA grants; votes to sell foreclosed property Carol Kent Wyatt The News CHIPLEY – A popular grant program is once again accepting applications after being on hold since January. Chipley City Council temporarily suspended applications in January for residential and business improvement grants through the Chipley Redevelopment Agency. The suspension was to give CRA board members and City Attorney Michelle Jordan time to make a change in the application agreement language that would help recapture funds should grantees sell or “flip” the property. Council members voted in regular session Tuesday, March 9, to accept the new guidelines, allow the CRA to once again accept applications, and allow applicants to submit work performed between January 12 and March 9 to help fulfill the grant’s in-kind work requirement. CRA Executive Director Ted Everett states approximately ten applicants have been awaiting the program to restart the application process.
Wausau holds inaugural ‘Spring Color Run’ to benefit scholarships Carol Kent Wyatt The Wausau Community Development Club held the first annual Spring Color Run in Sunny Hills Saturday, March 6, as a fundraising effort for its scholarship program. The 5K run began at Boat Lake, with more than 50 participants of all ages running or walking in support of the community. Seven different “color stations” were sponsored by local businesses Imagination Station, P40 Farms, and A Cut Above Tree Service and manned by volunteers and club members alongside members of Washington County Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) and the Washington County Fire Department. The Sunny Hills Civic Association provided water for runners during the event.
More broadband funding on horizon for Washington County Carol Kent Wyatt The News CHIPLEY – Washington County is set to request $3 million through the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) Small Cities Program to help bolster its ongoing project to make reliable broadband accessible throughout the county. These funds would be in addition to a $1.5 million infrastructure grant recently awarded as a 50-percent match for the project from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO). The county issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) from broadband providers in September 2019, with Wildstar Networks being the sole company to respond. The company, which is currently installing a broadband network in Walton County, is already working on the design phase throughout Washington County. County leaders say that Sunny Hills, the first area in the project plan, should be completed by this fall.
District COVID vaccination site serves 1,000 on first day By Carol Kent Wyatt | Washington County News @CAROLKENTWYATT CHIPLEY – The Washington-Holmes District COVID Vaccination Site began operations Wednesday, March 3, with about 1,000 local residents receiving the vaccine. The site, located at the old industrial park at 654 Pecan Street, was a joint effort of Holmes and Washington County officials. Washington County Board of County Commissioners Chair Tray Hawkins said having district site serving both counties simply made sense. He approached Sandy Martin, Interim Administrator for Department of Health in Holmes and Washington Counties with the idea in January. “We reached out to the health department after Washington County held its first round of vaccinations,” said Hawkins. “It was a walk-up that had elderly people standing in the cold on the sidewalk, and then the one in Holmes County seemed dangerous because there were hundreds of people on the side of the road on Highway 90. Neither county had the ideal scenario.”
Gainer, Drake host delegation meetings By Carol Kent Wyatt | Washington County News @CAROLKENTWYATT HOLMES AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES – Senator George Gainer and Representative Brad Drake recently hosted a series of legislative delegation meetings to hear from constituents and government leaders in Holmes, Jackson, Walton, and Washington counties. Holding steady on education funding was among topics raised in both Holmes and Washington counties, with Holmes County Superintendent of Schools Buddy Brown and Washington County Superintendent Joe Taylor each addressing the delegation. “Education is the one thing I feel we cannot back up on,” said Superintendent Brown. “Florida has made great strides in the last few years; we’ve become a leader in education, and we can’t take the chance to back up on that now. We can sacrifice in other areas, but not for our future. We have to maintain.”