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Wakulla County commissioners discuss legislative priorities ahead of 2025 session

Property sitting above an underground cave system that leads to Wakulla Springs may soon be purchased by the state. Port St. Joe Republican Representative Jason Shoaf secured funding from the legislature this session to buy the 225 acre lot. (Facebook/Wakulla Tourist Council)
Wakulla County Tourist Development Council
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Wakulla County Tourist Development Council
A Legislative delegation meeting is set for January 29th. Commissioners will be presenting their ideas to state lawmakers Corey Simon and Jason Shoaf. (Facebook/Wakulla Tourist Council)

Infrastructure upgrades are a major focus for the county.

With the 2025 Legislative Session coming soon, Wakulla County leaders are outlining their priorities.

Wakulla County Commissioners said last month that they want more than $9 million this session. They’ve got five projects in mind, but the majority of that money would be used for the Otter Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility.

$2.95M is needed for the project.

“I think this idea of how do we get a handle on planning for our infrastructure and our environmental water needs, you’re going to need big chucks of dedicated funding in order to do that," said CAS Governmental Services Legislative Director Jim Spratt.

The county has hired Spratt to help them communicate their needs to the state.
Commissioners are focused on projects to improve infrastructure, public safety, and the environment.

One major project involves significant upgrades to the Shell Point Fire Rescue Facility.

A new facility will cost $2.1M to build, according to a Wakulla BOCC Facebook post.

"These projects reflect our community's most pressing needs and represent the initiatives we will actively seek funding for," the post read.

Provided by Wakulla County Commission
Provided by Wakulla County Commission

Other legislative priorities include:

  • $2.1M for Wakulla County Fire Rescue
  • $673,100 to improve the Emergency Operations Center
  • $485,000 to equip the county library with new furnishing and state-of-the-art technology

Commissioners will be presenting their ideas to both state Sen. Corey Simon and state Rep. Jason Shoaf.

That legislative delegation meeting is set for Jan. 29 at 2:30 P.M.

Adrian Andrews is a multimedia journalist with WFSU Public Media. He is a Gadsden County native and a first-generation college graduate from Florida A&M University. Adrian is also a military veteran, ending his career as a Florida Army National Guard Non-Comissioned Officer.

Adrian has experience in print writing, digital content creation, documentary, and film production. He has spent the last four years on the staff of several award-winning publications such as The Famuan, Gadsden County News Corp, and Cumulus Media before joining the WFSU news team.