The Graceville Lions Club hosted Graceville City Manager Michelle Watkins at their September meeting. Watkins spoke to the Lions about different happenings in Graceville including the city budget, grants, and upcoming events.
Starting with the most recent task at hand, the City of Graceville Budget, City Manager Watkins explained most of the change and increase in expenses came from increase in property insurance. She noted that across the board from homes to commercial property, insurance had increased and that is reflected in the budget.
She moved on to various grants the City of Graceville currently has in motion. Currently there are three Hurricane Michael grants still in motion with the funds finally being released allowing the city to “start working on those projects”. She went on to add that a grant was also given from the Department of Transportation to pave Cliff Street and 2nd Avenue. An official agreement has been executed and sent back to the Department of Commerce for the Splash Pad grant. Monies are also approved for a new fire station and fire truck. She also added that the Department of Transportation is working on a project repaving Highway 77 and would be going through Graceville with the project in the coming months. The City also received funds to improve the wastewater treatment plant. She finished on grants stating, “I know it seems like we talk about grants a lot but we have to acknowledge that grants are a way for us as a community… to get some of these much needed infrastructure improvements and things done through state grant monies.”
She then turned the conversation to the Harvest Festival. The day will be packed full of activities including a 5K Harvest Hustle, Parade through Downtown Graceville, and the biggest car show in the Panhandle area along with entertainment and festival booths. She finished that during a meeting with several members of Jackson County’s business organization leaders earlier in the season, she was told that “Harvest Festival has turned into the biggest event in Jackson County”.
The meeting ended with some brief questions dealing with the homeless population, no parking signs, and general citizen concerns.
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