A.G. Gancarski
No false alarm here. An Alachua County city appears to have made a successful plea to the Legislature for a seven-figure, unmatched appropriation for a new police station.
The House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice conference committee agreed to $1 million in funding for High Springs, which needs a bigger police station because its population is growing, more than doubling this century.
While that’s below the $1.6 million sought originally, the number should offer a good start for the town if Gov. Ron DeSantis doesn’t veto it.
High Springs claims “it will likely be able to provide more of a local match with an increase of expected taxes from an increase in residents.”
“The city’s current police facility is 2,800 SF, and the City needs a facility three times that size,” the funding request notes.
“Expansion is needed to accommodate the increased needs of the City. Our current facility cannot be expanded and is poor condition. It has asbestos, plumbing issues, frequent back-ups, and is not at all built to withstand a hurricane, such as Idalia, that came so close.”
Per the funding request carried by Sen. Jennifer Bradley, the city hopes to “design, engineer and be prepared to construct a new police facility, perform asbestos abatement, demolish the existing structure, move and replace underground utilities and construct a facility with a parking lot.”
