Franklin County seeks additional funding for Research Reserve renovations

            Franklin County Commissioners are going to lobby the University of Florida and the state of Florida to see if they can get more money to renovate the former Estuarine Research Reserve building at Scipio Creek so it can be used by the local extension office.

The building has been vacant since 2011 when the Estuarine Research Reserve moved to a new nature center in Eastpoint.

Its currently being managed by the Department of Environmental Protection.

The county was able to get about 250 thousand dollars from the legislature last year to help fund the renovations – the University of Florida was going to kick in another 300 thousand and would eventually take possession of the building.

Unfortunately the costs for the project have skyrocketed from about 550 thousand dollars to over 800 thousand dollars, and the University won’t cover the additional expense.

Extension Director Erik Lovestrand said the biggest expense is building a new lab which could be used by University researchers – without the lab the University of Florida is unwilling to move forward.

That causes a few problems – because if the building is not renovated the county will have to find space for the extension office, and the building itself will continue to deteriorate.

Commissioners say they will continue to look for money for the project – they have already contacted the University of Florida to see if the University will agree to a lower scope of work to save some money.

The county said they would also be willing to have the work done in phases if needed so funding can be secured over a longer period of time.

They will also seek an appropriation from the legislature next year that they hope will make up for the shortfall.

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