County Commission Waiting on Appraisal Information

 In a short meeting of the regular county commission June 9, the commissioners conducted the following business:

- They accepted a 60 day extension from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to complete the work at the Stump Hole on Cape San Blas.

Several months ago the county received the necessary permits to reinforce the rock revetment at the Stump Hole to try to keep CR/SR30E from washing out because of erosion problems. DOT granted the work extension and the board passed the request also.

- The board also passed unanimous decisions to award the recommended bids and move forward with projects to fence additional portions of Honeyville Park, re-roof the old courthouse in Wewahitchka, and award the design build of the new Howard Creek Fire Department to Cathey Construction of Mexico Beach.

According to county attorney Tim McFarland, the county was moving forward to implement additional gas taxes and a small county surtax.

The right of way franchise fees the county wanted to put in place could not be implemented in time for the upcoming (2009-10) budget, McFarland told commissioners, but will be established for the following year.

"Even after we do all this there's going to be revenue shortfalls," McFarland reminded the board.

Commissioners are bracing for a county-wide property value reduction anywhere between 10 and 25 percent, which will directly affect the 2009-10 budget because of ad valorem taxes that are based on property values.

They will find out how much values have actually dropped in July, when Kesley Colbert, the Gulf County property appraiser, turns in his final calculations.

Business was completed and the meeting adjourned in 40 minutes.