Santa Rosa County Commissioners for now have removed the Navarre Beach Toll project from their Capital Improvement Plan after District 3 Commissioner Rhett Rowell voiced opposition to moving money for it before a public presentation on the matter takes place.
Commission Chairman Kerry Smith expressed frustration that the county administration office had been “inundated” yesterday with calls and emails opposing the toll project, claiming falsely that the matter wasn’t going to be handled today.
But a review of today’s agenda clearly shows the Toll Bridge Construction listed in supporting documentation for the Capital Improvement Plan.
Initially Smith and District 4 Commissioner Ray Eddington were ok with keeping toll construction on the Capital Improvement plan. Commissioners Bobby Burkett and Colten Wright were absent from the meeting.
“I’d like to make a suggestion,” said Rowell. “What if we wait until after the public presentation to allocate moving that money…I’d like a plan before we have a toll.”
Subsequently, Smith and Eddington agreed to hold off on the project until after a public presentation on the toll bridge study, which was already planned for Oct. 9.
Navarre Beach business owner Tamara Fountain told the board she had advocated for the commission’s local option sales tax so the county would have funding for road, stormwater and other infrastructure improvements. She voiced disappointment that the board instead had reallocated LOST money which was earmarked for a required study to build a new bridge, into a toll facility project for the existing bridge. “I fought to help you, and you taxed us to toll us,” she said.
If you’d like to voice your opinion on the Navarre Beach toll project, contact the Commision office at 850-983-1877.
The Oct. 9 toll study presentation will be part of the regular committee meeting, which starts at 8:30 a.m. at the County Admin Complex, located at 6495 Caroline Street in Milton.
