Bonifay, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – Building a strong economy starts with a strong infrastructure. It’s not an easy or cheap job, especially for some of our rural communities, but one Governor Ron DeSantis is working to support. Last week, he announced a grant of $5 million to be used for infrastructure improvement projects in Panchadal.
The money is funded by the Rural Infrastructure Fund (RIF) program administered by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. In Calhoun, Gadsden, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty and Washington counties, it is going toward upgrading water and wastewater facilities, building public roads and renovating public buildings.
In the year When the doors closed in 2018, the former Boniface Middle School was left to rot. In what some considered a lost cause, the Holmes County Development Commission saw an opportunity.
“What we’re trying to do is get people jobs,” said Joe Rohn, executive director of the Holmes County Development Commission.
Last year, a manufacturing company from Pennsylvania decided to set up shop there, which itself created 65 jobs.
“The people there love their jobs and now they’re expanding like 40 more jobs and we’ve got a rural infrastructure grant to help us with that school to make the changes needed to get those jobs,” Ron said.
Last week, Governor DeSantis announced nearly a million dollars in infrastructure investments in rural Panhandle communities, including more than $360,000 for school renovations.
“We want it to be like a business incubator and we want, we want to get those big employers here and that’s where we’re going to get 20, 30, 40 jobs,” Ron said.
Big employers are already buzzing, with a new Busy Bee convenience store coming to the corner of Highway 79 and I-10.
“They’re coming down the interstate to Bonifay. They are going to build their biggest place. Biggest in pumps, biggest in square footage,” Roane said.
The largest portion of the grant, a whopping $1,870,700, will pay for the water and sewer infrastructure needed to build the one-stop shop. It will bring $20 million in capital investment and create 120 jobs.
“We want to improve people’s lives in our community and this is working,” said Ron. “This will change Holmes County.”
Busy Bee is expected to open in 2024.
Ron said they want to hit the ground running by renovating the middle school. As soon as they get the money, they start the expansion.
Below is a full list of communities awarded program funding:
- City of Bonifacio ($362,839) – Renovate the former Bonifay Middle School facility to accommodate business expansion and create 40 jobs.
- City of Cottondale ($300,000) — To conduct a study to develop planning and construction cost estimates to upgrade the city’s wastewater treatment plant and sprinkler field, which will serve as a $50 million business expansion project that will create more than 50 new jobs.
- City of Alford ($285,000) – To conduct a study to determine the deficiencies in the current drinking water system and the best options to provide adequate water supply for local business expansion and future business development.
- Campbellton City ($494,500) – Design and build public parking in the downtown commercial corridor to provide customers with access to new and expanding local businesses.
- City of Grand Ridge ($274,500) – To conduct a study to identify and correct deficiencies in the existing stormwater system that cause frequent flooding of commercial and residential areas. The study includes recommended mitigation measures, preliminary plans and estimated costs for implementing a comprehensive stormwater plan.
- Holmes County ($1,870,700) – To extend water and sewer infrastructure, Project Gateway will create a new 40,000 square foot travel center for 120 jobs and a $20 million capital investment in the area.
- Jackson County ($982,850) – To design, permit and construct public roadway and utility infrastructure for Project TAP, create or retain 25 jobs at an advanced manufacturing facility, and $3.5 million in capital investment in the area.
- Washington County ($300,000) – The newly developed 200-acre industrial park will receive site approval for planned infrastructure improvements to secure engineering design services and attract new businesses and industries to the district.
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