A Florida House of Representatives bill, filed by Representative Ramon Alexander, has progress in mind for the Gretna community.
House Bill 4973 was filed late last year by Alexander, and seeks to obtain funding from the State of Florida for the repurposing of the Gretna Elementary School campus.
The bill was requested by Antonio Jefferson, with the City of Gretna.
In the appropriations request, Jefferson states that if Gretna received the funding from the state budget, the city would repurpose the former elementary school to be used in the community as a pandemic vaccination center, supply and logistics distribution center, a law enforcement training facility, a community meeting place for public events, a disaster recovery center, and a safe place for community events.
The center would be compliant with American with Disability Act requirements.
The city is requesting $690,000 from the state’s budget to make this repurposing project possible; the funds will go towards audio and visual equipment, modifications to the building and campus grounds, air conditioning improvements, and American with Disability Act improvements.
“This will allow for citizens to stay local instead of having to [go] out of town to receive disaster relief, pandemic vaccines, and various supplies,” Jefferson states in the appropriations request. “It will also [give] citizens a safe place to hold public events.”
The bill was filed in the House of Representatives in December of last year, then referred to the Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee.
From there, it was referred to the Appropriations Committee in the House, and then given its first reading in the House of Representatives on January 11 of this year.
The bill was added to the Infrastructure & Tourism Appropriations Subcommittee’s consent agenda on January 14, and is expected to be discussed later this week.
Ashley Hunter – editor@prioritynews.net
