The Jay Council heard updates on ongoing projects the town has in place to upgrade infrastructure and increase economic development at the Jay council Monday night, although no decisions were made.
The $625,000 CDBG grant awarded to replace 2.5 miles of PVC water lines is in the environmental review stage, according to Seib's update.
According to Dewberry Engineering's Crystal Weatherington, grant writer and administrator Robin Phillips said that the construction on the project cannot start until May.
“Once the environmental review is complete, the town will receive and letter from the Department of Economic Opportunity and then we can go out for construction bids,” said Jay Operations Manager Eric Seib. “Then we will get with the engineer prior to bidding to understand and get some specifics of what we went to put in the bid before it goes out, so we are prepared. We will put on a workshop for the attorney to review to make sure everything looks good.”
Highway 4 repaving project
The Florida Department of Transportation will tear out water lines from Smith Tractor down past Farmers on Highway 4 and replace it with PVC prior to the repaving on Highway 4. The water line goes under the pavement here although everywhere else it is in the right of way.
Florida Competitive Partnership
A team from Florida Competitive Partnership and the Department of Economic Opportunity will be in Jay at 9 a.m., Tuesday, March 12, to meet with Jay Historical Sociaety president Matthew Dobson, Jay High School Principal Stephen Knowlton, Seib and a council member to discuss what assets the town of Jay has as far of economic developing. From there the town will determine strategic plan from there how to execute $17,500 and move forward with that grant, Seib said.
Some of the assets Seib listed included Jay Historical Society, Jay Hospital, Dr. Jim Lassiter, DMD, Jay Elementary and High Schools, Ted May Arena, Bray Hendricks Park and many others in the town.
East Highway 4 Water Project
The goal of the east Highway 4 water project is to extend PVC pipe under Highway 4 eastbound and Darney Lane from where FDOT stops and Seib said there is a legislative appropriation for $300,000 placed, although it does have a bill number but hasn't placed.
“They are starting to hear certain bills in the house but from our lobbyist, who I spoke with this afternoon, it doesn't carry a whole lot of weight, it just basically introduces a new project, so that's happening throughout the week,” said Weatherington.
Seib said the $300,000 legislative appropriation for the Park Master Plan has been submitted as well but there have been no changes in the approval process.
Water-mapping system
Weatherington said she sent Seib the final draft of the town water maps Monday and she will let him review them and is he approves she will finish the report and present a final package to the council at the next meeting and the town will be able to apply for a grant this year.
The next council meeting will be at 6 p.m., Monday, March 18, at Jay Town Hall.
