Erin Hill
Gadsden County News Service
Questions surrounding funding requirements for a project at W.S. Stevens School led Gadsden County commissioners to direct administration to seek possible solutions during the May 19 county commission meeting.
During discussion of the W.S. Stevens item, Interim County Administrator Reginald James reviewed the timeline of the school’s safe room project and outlined its current status, including responses from the Florida Division of Emergency Management and outstanding requests for information.
According to meeting discussion, the project is tied to Federal Emergency Management Agency requirements and includes a reported $1.5 million local cash match needed to move forward.
James said the previous administration did not earmark the local cost share and reviewed the project’s timeline, including a Federal Emergency Management Agency review holding period that extended from July 2025 through January 2026 and continued county coordination earlier this year.
Commissioners raised questions about the project’s future and the county’s awareness of the funding obligation.
Commissioner Ronterious Green said he wanted to know whether the county still intended to pursue the project and later stated commissioners had not authorized a change from Housing and Urban Development funding to Federal Emergency Management Agency funding and now needed to identify a solution.
Commissioner Shawn Wood said he had not previously been informed of the issue and said he did not want the county to lose funding tied to the project.
Commission Chair Brenda Holt noted the county had previously earmarked funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, commonly known as CARES funding, and suggested officials determine what actions the City of Quincy may take before moving forward.
Carolyn Ford of Quincy also addressed commissioners regarding W.S. Stevens. During discussion, Wood suggested county officials and stakeholders could hold a workshop to review the project’s history and options.
James told commissioners the county would likely need more than a year if it sought an extension connected to the project. County Attorney Louis Baptiste added that part of the extension process involves a commitment to funding.
A motion by Wood to move forward with filing for an extension, seconded by Holt, was later withdrawn.
The board ultimately voted 5-0 to authorize county administration to identify possible funding options.
Commissioners also discussed a proposed facility usage policy later in the meeting. Baptiste said the board needed to determine rental fees and address waiver language within the policy. During that discussion, commissioners voted 5-0 to allow Marianna AME to use a county facility.
