Walton County Update

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Walton County Update
Commissioner Scott Brannon
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What Were Doing

• Transportation
• Continuing to advocate for four-laning of U.S.
  331 with state and federal officials
• U.S. 331 Bypass opened in Freeport this year
• Paving of dirt roads in the Villa Tasso/Choctaw
  Beach area that feed into State Road 20
• Partnership with Florida DOT in innovative ways
  to alleviate traffic concerns on U.S. 331
• Growth Management
• Working to expand the 50 height limitation on
  new construction to all of Walton County

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What Were Doing

• Infrastructure
• New elementary school in Mossy Head opened this
  year with 254 students and 33 staff members
• A new county park also opened between the school
  and the EMS Station
• Mossy Head Industrial Park
• Design phase awarded to PolyEngineering for sewer
  service in Mossy Head to support the Industrial
  Park and increased density

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What Were Doing

• Housing
• Continuing development of new housing in the
  Mossy Head area to support BRAC increases in
  personnel
• Economic Development
• Partnered with area Chambers of Commerce on the
  recent Economic/Transportation Summit at
  Sandestin
• Working on expedited processes to help businesses
• Formation of Walton County Economic Development
  Alliance to reinvent economic development

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What has changed?

• Economy is a great concern
• Erosion of our tax base as property values fall
• Loss of businesses and investors as market
  weakens
• Butour tourism industry remains strong to date
• New Bay County Airport, growth in Northwest
  Florida Regional Airport (VPS) and Port of Panama
  City
• Will present opportunities for Walton County
• Amendment 1 and other budget reductions
• Diminishing sales tax and gas tax revenues
• A concern for our ability to provide high quality
  services as we did before

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How does this fit with our Strategic Plan?

• Develop a comprehensive program for paving,
  bridges and other infrastructure
• Promote the development of more diverse and
  higher paying jobs, infrastructure to support
  them i.e., attainable work force housing and
  military impact coordination
• Continue to expand Walton Countys private/public
  partnerships to accomplish regional objectives.

Are three of our six Strategic Objectives for FY
2008-2009 that we see as supportive of Vision 2015
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Vision 2015
Vector Check III