Drew Wilson
A $1.17 million appropriation to design a new Gainesville Southwest Public Safety Services Center was nixed from the budget by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The project, backed by Ocala Sen. Stan McClain and Chiefland Rep. Chad Johnson, both Republicans, sought to fund planning and engineering work for a multi-use fire rescue and emergency services hub in an area of the city that has seen significant development in recent years.
Officials pitched the center as a critical storm evacuation resource and “essential facility” under Florida Building Code, meaning it’s capable of remaining online during hurricanes and other disasters.
“This new center will be situated in a rapidly growing residential and commercial area that requires a new stabilizing presence for public safety and emergency services,” reads the local funding request submitted by McClain.
“The center will also be convenient for our fellow Floridians evacuating from south and central Florida seeking nearby shelter in advance of a major storm, thus serving as a critical staging area for resources and personnel during such crises.”
Johnson’s attestation form highlighted potential utility outside of hurricane season, stating it “will enhance public safety and health by improving emergency response times and community resilience through a centralized public safety complex” and “equip fire rescue and EMS with state-of-the-art facilities, ensuring rapid intervention and reducing exposure to carcinogens for healthier public interactions.
Local officials estimated the full project cost at $29.2 million, with the city contributing $28 million. The vetoed request was for nonrecurring funds to initiate structural, drainage, and permitting work.
Separately, the Governor slashed $4.97 million allocated for construction and repair work at the Doyle Conner Building, which abuts the University of Florida campus along 34th Street and serves as the statewide headquarters Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Division of Plant Industry.
It was one of a handful of Agriculture Department capital outlay projects snuffed out by the Governor, including an $11 million planning, design and construction request for the Conner Lab Facility.
