$10 million for a new Crystal River city hall
By Michael D. Bates Chronicle Reporter
Crystal River Mayor Joe Meek was hoping to get the $10 million the city requested from the state legislature to build a new city hall.
He got every penny of it.
It was one of 13 local initiatives that made the list of cultural, environmental, educational and transportation projects on the proposed state budget for next fiscal year.
“This is extraordinarily great news for our city,” Crystal River Mayor Joe Meek said. “I am grateful to our legislative delegation – Representative (Ralph) Massullo and Senator (Blaise) Ingoglia. They have worked so hard for us.
“This funding will allow us to move forward with our new city hall,” Meek added. “Crystal River has the opportunity to show how you can build and thrive in a coastal area, and mitigate the issues of flooding.”
Meek tempers his enthusiasm somewhat. The full legislature still has to vote on the budget and many of the projects could stay as is, fall off the list or receive less funding.
Meek said the city last year received from the state $1.3 million for the design and engineering of the new city hall, which was flooded out after Hurricane Idalia.
Barring any obstacles to the $10 million request, the city would bid out the contractor and construction could take 2-3 years, he said.
The new building will be located at the same spot as the current one downtown. That will be demolished and a new, raised facility built to meet flood requirements, will be built.
Currently, the city hall is inside the Chamber of Commerce welcome center to the south on U.S. 19.
Here are the other local projects on the state budget, with the original asking price in parentheses:
Kings Bay Restoration: $2.5 million – to fund the restoration and maintenance to finish the project (Original request was $5 million).
Homosassa River Restoration: $4 million – to clean up and restore the river (original request: $4 million).
Inverness State Trail Connector (to connect about 19 acres west of Whispering Pines Park to the state trail): $1,125 million (original ask was $2.25 million).
One Rake at a Time: $2 million (from the $4 million ask).
Crystal River Health Academy: $495.833 (full request was the same).
Academy of Environmental Science: $42,000 ($42,000).
Career Exploration Key Center: $180,000 ($180,000).
LifeStream Dementia Program: $925,656 ($925,656).
YMCA Suncoast: $1 million ($2 million).
Watson Road (at the Inverness Airport) Phase Two expansion: $3.6 million ($7.2 million).
Halls River Multi-Use Path: $2 million ($5 million).
Crystal River Ladder Truck: $350,000 ($500,000).