Okaloosa County BOCC — October 13, 2015 — Presentation Proposed Project List — reading text

 FWB Landing Waterfront 7 Improvements Phase 1 ∗ Amount Requested: $1,099,463 ∗ Proposer: City of Fort Walton Beach ∗ Project Summary: ∗ Goals for the project: enhance park for community events; improve park for residents; make park a destination and focal point for land and water related activities, services, and facilities ∗ Phase I includes construction of a new seawall, dock, boardwalk, retaining walls/stairs, covered band shell and sidewalks. There will also be a coastal ecology demonstration area which will include sea grass plantings and oyster reefs, providing an educational opportunity for local schools and environmental groups ∗ Economic impact of Phase I: jobs created during construction and the future charter boats and passive waterfront activity rental booths ∗ The Chamber of Commerce has adopted a Resolution of Support for this project along with the Downtown Merchants Association  8 Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center ∗ Amount Requested: $89,580 ∗ Proposer: Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park ∗ Project Summary: ∗ Phase 1 of the C.A.R.E. (Conserve, Act, Rehabilitate, Educate) Center will comprise of six pools: one 20 ft diameter, one 12 ft diameter, and four 6 ft diameter. ∗ This phase will cost approx $240,000.00 ∗ The requested Direct Component Funds will provide the funding necessary to refurbish fiberglass pools and to purchase and install state-of-the-art Life Support Systems (filtration) ∗ Future phases of the Center include additional pools, hospital, classrooms, lab space, natural history educational opportunities, outreach programs, etc. ∗ Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Foundation is a 501(c)(3)  9 C.W. Ruckel STEM Class ∗ Amount Requested: $16,500 ∗ Proposer: C.W. Ruckel Middle School ∗ Project Summary: ∗ Ruckel Middle School currently has a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) class where students work in groups of two on various computer-based modules ∗ Modules are designed to experience in STEM activities and explore various careers related to the module topic ∗ Requested funds will cover the purchase and shipping of the modules ∗ Long-term cost are minimal and related strictly to purchasing refills of consumable materials; long-term cost will be covered using lead teacher money, Adopt-a-Class program, and small grants such as the Hurlburt Air Force Association grant  Project: Student-Led Habitat 10 Restoration in Okaloosa County ∗ Amount Requested: $90,000 ∗ Proposer: Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance of Northwest Florida State College ∗ Project Summary: ∗ Student led restoration and protection of property that belongs: City of Fort Walton Beach, City of Valparaiso, State of Florida, City of Destin, Okaloosa County ∗ CBA holds permits for the Choctawhatchee Bay shoreline restoration sites in Valparaiso's Florida Park, Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park, and Okaloosa's Longwood Park ∗ Project will train AmeriCorps education team, provide hands-on education component, lead student field trips to restore habitat at selected sites, produce student-developed outreach materials and compile monitoring data ∗ CBA will use the results of this project (both education and restoration components) to leverage future activities such as college and high school student monitoring of sites and community volunteer  The NeighborWood at Emerald 11 Coast Science ∗ Amount Requested: $89,999 Center ∗ Proposer: Emerald Coast Science Center ∗ Project Summary: ∗ The NeighborWood is a habitat restoration and expansion project designed to improve 30,000 SF owned by ECSC for wildlife, citizens, & tourists of all ages ∗ This naturalized outdoor learning environment is designed to offer integrated experiential education on many levels ∗ Restoration of the NeighborWood will improve nonpoint source pollution that affects Gulf marine habitats by creating bioswales, contouring the trails with the land and reducing the amount of loose sediment in the runoff ∗ The project will be monitored and evaluated by the biological community by volunteers (Audubon Society, The Center for Snake Conservation, The Orianne Society, and the North American Amphibian Monitoring Project) ∗ Horticulture classes will be offered by Okaloosa County Master Gardeners and Okaloosa County Cooperative Extension Service ∗ The strategic plan will be implemented in three phases: (1) the pavilion and the trail; (2) bog environment and native plant area; (3) interactive play areas ∗ Revenue generated through rental of the NeighborWood pavilion will help sustain this project and ensure funds will be available for upkeep  Multi-use Outdoor Community 12 Facility ∗ Amount Requested: $83,000 ∗ Proposer: Niceville Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce ∗ Project Summary: ∗ The proposed facility will provide a beautiful, environmentally friendly place to hold community functions ∗ Provides fully accessible outdoor area for: residents of Twin Cities Pavilion (County-owned assisted living facility); Disabled American Veterans Facility; Children’s Advocacy Center; Sharing and Caring of Niceville; Emergency Management Station; the Chamber of Commerce ∗ Chamber of Commerce will manage and monitor use of the facility ∗ Improvement of this property will have a positive economic impact on the neighboring business, residential, and non-profit properties ∗ Maintenance on the existing stormwater system will have a positive impact on the environment ∗ Major features: gazebos; benches; sidewalk network; wooden bridge; parking improvements; fencing; landscaping; stormwater area; signage ∗ Labor will be provided as an in-kind investment by the City of Niceville (estimated value of $13,000)  Life Center of Gregg Chapel 13 African Methodist Episcopal Church ∗ Amount Requested: $90,000 ∗ Proposer: Gregg Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church (GCAMEC) ∗ Project Summary: ∗ GCAMEC is transforming the former Chester Pruitt Rec Center to a community center to serve a diverse, low-to-moderate income neighborhood ∗ Will create new jobs, implement workforce development programming, and allow for the acceleration of the refurbishment/renovation ∗ The Life Center houses one of the Okaloosa Head Start Programs— has increased families served as well as the number of employees ∗ RESTORE Act funding requested to complete 4th phase of the building retrofit in a single year, rather than in the projected three years ∗ Renovations include: air conditioning; parking lot; windows; flooring; technology required to enhance conferences and meetings  Enhancing the STEM Biomedical 14 Sciences ∗ Amount Requested: $11,038 Program ∗ Proposer: Fort Walton Beach High School ∗ Project Summary: ∗ Receiving this grant will allow the FWBHS BioMedical Sciences Program to offer a more intense professional program enabling students to have success in the workplace and to meet industry demand for our local area ∗ Primary objective of program is to prepare students to investigate the roles of biomedical professionals as they study the concepts of human medicine, physiology, genetics, microbiology, and public health ∗ Once students complete the program, they will be prepare to take and pass industry certification exam offered by the Center of Excellence for Regenerative Health Biotechnology (Univ of Florida) ∗ Project expenditures include a series of required items to remain on the leading edge of education (Durastill Water Distiller, MakerBot Replicator Desktop 5th Generation 3D Printer; etc)  15 Choctawhatchee High School Workforce Development Program ∗ Amount Requested: $89,995 ∗ Proposer: Choctawhatchee High School ∗ Project Summary: ∗ Goal is to increase the current Engineering, Aerospace, and Science Department’s capabilities to produce workforce and college ready through the upgrade of programs while building community partnerships ∗ Increasing and upgrading program assets with the grant will allow for the increased participation in various programs, leading to increased opportunities to earn college credit and industry certifications while at CHS  16 Okaloosa Lane Bridge Conversion ∗ Amount Requested: $90,000 ∗ Proposer: Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners ∗ Project Summary: ∗ Okaloosa Lane (between Aplin Rd and Serenity Dr) is a dirt roadway with significant relief; two culverts serve as a creek crossing. Heavy rainfall commonly overwhelms the culverts and causes damage to the roadway (usually resulting in closures) and sediment deposit into the creek ∗ The County's current capital improvement plan has $1.5M to make improvements to this segment of Okaloosa Lane; project scope includes acquisition of right of way to accommodate sidewalks (for school access), paving the roadway, and a stormwater management system ∗ In conjunction with this work, County forces will replace the existing culverts in favor of a new, single-span, concrete bridge; permits have been obtained from the NWFWMD and the Army Corps of Engineers ∗ Installation of the single span bridge will allow the existing creek to be reestablished to conditions similar to what would exist if the culverts had never been placed there  17 Preservation Trail ∗ Amount Requested: $90,000 ∗ Proposer: Ruckel Properties (partnering with City of Niceville) ∗ Project Summary: ∗ The Preservation Trail (Phases 1 & 2) is the first 1.6 mile section of a trail system that will be built in phases in conjunction with the development of approx. 1,100 acres ∗ The trail system will provide healthy, recreational, and educational activities in the natural setting of a native Xeric Hammock forest area within the Niceville city limits ∗ The trail system will include exercise stops, flora and fauna educational information, and peaceful vistas; the general public will be able to experience nature whether walking, jogging, biking, pushing a stroller or by wheel chair ∗ Project cost is $343,000 ($90,000 direct component funds and $253,000 developer funds) for clearing, grading, paving, wayfinding/signage, benches, art, etc. Continuing maintenance will be partnership w/ City of Niceville ∗ The project does not have any risks to implementation and will provide short term jobs for construction and landscape workers ∗ The trail system amenity will draw retail tenants and other businesses to planned town center and commercial/light industrial area, thereby creating jobs  Environmental/Ecological 18 Science Fair Projects ∗ Amount Requested: $36,862 ∗ Proposer: Northwood Art and Science Academy Team ∗ Project Summary: ∗ Northwood Arts and Science Academy is seeking to expand the current science curriculum by means of a school-wide, ongoing science fair project focusing on the environment and ecology. This real-life project enables teachers to better prepare and motivate students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM