Inside the June 2, 2025, Wakulla County BOCC Meeting

Wakulla County’s Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meets Monday, June 2, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. in the Commission Chambers, 29 Arran Road, Crawfordville. The agenda covers roads, safety, and community projects, but don’t expect any real debate: 5-0 votes are the norm, with decisions likely pre-cooked behind closed doors (see County Admistrator's calendars here). The Consent Agenda hides items needing scrutiny, and the May 19, 2025, minutes omitted citizen input, raising transparency concerns. Wakulla Reports breaks it down (noting today’s date, May 29, 2025, 6:34 PM EDT) and urges you to spend 4 mintues to catch up on what your local government is up to. .

Why It Matters: From hidden costs to procedural lapses, these choices hit Wakulla hard. Check the full agenda on the MediaFire drive and weigh in!

Non-Financial, Non-Grant, Non-Contract, Non-Planning/Zoning Items (Quick Hits)

• Invocation & Pledge: Fred Nichols leads the opening prayers and flag salute.

• Citizens to be Heard: Speak for 3 minutes at the start or end (grab a speaker’s card from Ms. Welch).

• Hurricane Season Prep (5 min): Jennifer Nagy (Sheriff’s Office) updates on storm readiness.

• Post-Storm Road Cleanup (5 min): Mike King (Road & Bridge) covers debris and road safety plans.

• Commissioner Discussion: Board may pitch future agenda ideas.

Consent Agenda: Rubber Stamps and Same Song and Dance

The Consent Agenda fast-tracks “routine” items with one vote, but Wakulla often buries items here. Commissioners, County Administrator David Edwards, or County Attorney Heather Encinosa could pull items, but 5-0 votes suggest pre-meeting deals. The May 19 minutes’ omission of citizen input adds to the distrust. Here’s the lineup, with key concerns flagged.

1. May 19, 2025, Meeting Minutes: Clerk Greg James submits the record (Page 6).

   What’s up: No citizen input logged, omitting protests against planning and zoning items and citizens speaking, making it seem like the public approves all board actions. Transparency undermined. 5-0 likely.

2. Bills and Vouchers (May 15–28, 2025): Payments to vendors (Page 10).

   What’s up: Previously included details, but now no payee or amount specifics—unlike past transparency. Total amount undisclosed but could be $500,000+ based on historical patterns. Could hide big spending. 5-0.

3. Disposal of County Property: Four tech items (Dell laptops from Extension and Probation, desktop from Road & Bridge, USW-Flex from ESG) set for disposal (Pages 11–17).

   What’s up: Manner of disposal listed as Inspired Technologies, but no data-wiping details provided. Unclear if Inspired Technologies keeps, recycles, refurbishes, or sells the items for profit. Needs scrutiny. 5-0.

4. 911 State Grant Application ($165,995): Sheriff Jared Miller seeks funds for regional 911 upgrades, no county match required, with a perpetual MOU (Pages 18–21).

   What’s up: Not much.

5. Edward Byrne Justice Grant (JAG): Miller requests a 51% Letter (Page 2), required by Florida Administrative Code to show consensus on JAG fund spending. The letter must represent 51% of county government units and population, be signed by the chief official (e.g., Nichols), identify recipients, amounts, and project purposes (e.g., Sheriff’s gear), and include the county’s allocation. No county cost or match. What’s up: Vague spending details need airing. 5-0.

6. Apalachee Regional Planning Council Letter: Supports an ARPC grant application to the Florida Department of Commerce (Page 2). Details include:

   • No monetary investment from Wakulla County.

   • If funded, ARPC staff may request county data for the study.

   • No specifics on grant purpose or data scope provided.

     • What’s up: Data demands could strain staff resources, and vague goals might favor developers. Needs clarity. 5-0.

7. Walmart Spark Good Grant for Fire Rescue Ultrasound: Seeks $250–$5,000, no match required, to fund an ultrasound machine for Fire Rescue to aid in emergency medical assessments (Page 2).

   What’s up: Life-saving gear, but no specific amount or equipment details disclosed. Deserves discussion. 5-0.

8. Tallahassee State College Grant Letter: Supports a Triumph Gulf Coast grant (Page 2). Scope includes:

   • Expanding the Wakulla Environmental Institute (WEI) with a 50,000 sq. ft. Wakulla Workforce Development facility.

   • Offering healthcare and teacher training programs.

   • Doubling as a Category 3 storm shelter for the Gulf Coast.

   • Relocating WEI from 2932 Crawfordville Highway by January 2027 after lease expiration.

     • What’s up: Commissioner Messersmith’s husband is on TSC’s Board of Trustees, raising conflict concerns (F.S. 112.3143). Should she recuse herself from voting? 5-0.

9. Library Design Contract Amendment: With Clemons, Rutherford and Associates, totaling $365,785, funded by the Florida Department of State Division of Library and Information Services (Page 2). Serves 18,000 annual visitors: 40% youth, 35% adults, 25% seniors, bridging a 30% digital divide (FCC, 2024). What’s up: Major project for a diverse user base, but amendment details (e.g., scope, timeline) unclear. Needs airing. 5-0.

10. Old Shell Point Road Resurfacing (ITB 2025-08): Capital Asphalt, Inc., wins at $700,089—$652,539 FDOT-funded, $47,550 County-funded via sales tax, plus $51,632.74 inspection (Page 2).

    What’s up: Big project, but Consent skips input. 5-0.

11. Cybersecurity Grant Agreement: Florida DMS grant for FY 2024-2025 (Pages 194–199). Staff learned of the opportunity four days before the May 31, 2024, deadline, with no BOCC meeting scheduled, so they submitted the application and sought ratification after the fact on June 17, 2024. Includes state oversight of data and incident response.

    What’s up: Staff bypassed BOCC approval, a procedural lapse that undermines governance. Needs accountability. 5-0.

12. Wastewater Easement with School Board: Temporary easement for Wakulla Middle School sewer hookup, $580,800 DEP grant (Pages 200–206).

    What’s up: Seems routine but poses liability concerns—County restores driveways, School Board handles seeding, risking disputes over restoration costs. Buried in Consent. 5-0.

13. Retreat at Wakulla Right-of-Way: Accepts Getaway Lane and Beeler Road per Section 7-42(5)(a), after 50% buildout and bond expiration (Pages 207–212).

    What’s up: Shifts maintenance costs to taxpayers despite opposition from residents who never wanted the development, with zoning approvals often passed without input while people are at work. Needs review of zoning and cost processes. 5-0.

General Business and Commissioner Items

No General Business listed. The only Commissioner Item is Nichols’ Lindy’s Chicken Proclamation, honoring 29 years of a Crawfordville staple (Pages 213–214).

The Bottom Line

This meeting’s a classic Wakulla charade: big items like the $365,785 library project serving diverse groups, $700,089 road resurfacing, a cybersecurity grant submitted without prior approval, and taxpayer-funded subdivision roads—despite opposition and lack of public input—are buried in Consent. A land swap looms in the minutes (Page 7), and the May 19 minutes’ omission of protests makes it seem like everyone agrees. Show up, speak, and demand accountability—don’t let the 5-0 train roll on.