Senate Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #232 LaGrange Bayou Public Barge Port
Requester:	Kassy Keyes		Organization:		Walton County
Project Title:	LaGrange Bayou Public Barge Port		Date Submitted:		01/29/2000 4:27:18 PM
District Member:	Charles Clary		Service Area:		Regional
Counties Affected:	Bay, Hamilton, Okaloosa, Walton, Washington
Recipient:	Walton County Board of County Commissioners		Contact:		Tom Powell
	P O Box 1260		Contact Phone:		(850) 892-0555
	DeFuniak Springs 32435
Project Description:
The LaGrange Bayou/Four Mile Creek waterway near the City of Freeport is vital to the economy of Walton County. The waterway is in dire need of dredging if it is to continue to serve the water based industries located along its shores. A lack of adequate spoil sites is hindering the Army Corps of Engineers from proceeding with the dredging of the facility. This project would provide for the needed dredging of the waterway and a public barge port on the Intracoastal Waterway to serve the Walton, Okaloosa, Bay, Holmes and Washington Counties area. Requested funds would allow Walton County to purchase approximately 175 acres of land at two sites along the LaGrange Bayou/Four Mile Creek waterway. 125 acres of the land would be used for dedicated spoil sites for the dredged material. 50 acres of waterfront land would be used for the port facility.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
The State would benefit from additional tax revenues generated by businesses using both the barge port and the dredged waterway.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
New county taxes: $1,788,000 per year. Retained county taxes: $1,001,280 per year. Total county tax benefit: $2,789,280 per year. State tax revenue impact is not known.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$700,000
Total cost of the project:		$9,300,000

Request has been made to fund:			Construction
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?					Yes
	Cash Amount:	$250,000
Was this project previously funded by the State?					No
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?					Yes
	Amount:	$2,600,000
	Purpose for future year funding:			YesNon-recurring Construction
	Will this be an annual request?				No
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?					No
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?					No
Is there a documented need for this project?					Yes
	Documentation:	Project was previously submitted to FDOT for Governor's Fast Track Transportation Initiative Program
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?					Yes
	Hearing Body:	Walton County Board of County Commissioners
	Meeting Date:	12/28/1999