Commission Chairman Still Likes Seeing Cows Walking in Fields; Supports Merging Jobs Agency with Dixie and Gilchrist Counties

By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

Levy County Commission Chairman Rock Meeks says he still likes the county’s rural way of life and enjoys seeing cows walking in fields.

His comments were made in an interview about Levy County’s job development agency and whether it is adequately funded by the county.

The county uses the Levy County Business Development Council to handle its recruitment of business and industry.

Meeks said he sees merit in the proposal by LCBDC Executive Director Scott Osteen to include Gilchrist and Dixie County in the job development agency to increase the agency’s operating revenues.

Levy County Commissioners are waiting for Osteen to return with responses from Dixie and Gilchrist officials on whether they wish to become part of the agency and how much they would be willing to pay to be part of it.

Levy commissioners currently contribute $66,000 annually to LCBDC, which makes up 76 percent of the agency’s budget. Private donations are 1 percent of the budget, grants 12 percent and Career Source, a jobs agency, accounts for 11 percent of the council’s budget, according to the council’s website.

LCBDC, a 501 (c) (3) public charity, is a one-man operation and has remained small since its inception. Meeks said he doesn’t have a problem with the agency being small, but he said that’s why Osteen is proposing to expand it by including Dixie and Gilchrist counties. He said all three counties would benefit from any economic development that occurs.

“Basically, anything that came into the tri-county area can be a benefit to the other two counties. Our counties economically are really still the same,” Meeks said.

Meeks was asked if it would make sense for the Levy County Commission to remain focused on Levy County jobs growth rather than merging LCBDC with two other counties, and perhaps hire an administrative assistant to help Osteen with answering calls and emails and doing some of the administrative duties.

“We had an individual that was there before and moved on, but he was a go-getter. He didn’t need an assistant,” Meeks said. “That kid was Speedy Gonzalez. He was all over the place. He did a good job with what he had.”

He was referring to former LCBDC Executive Director Dave Pieklik.

Meeks said he realizes the county hasn’t invested more than $66,000 annually in office operations for LCBDC, but he said the commission does have an incentive program that rewards businesses for each new job created.

“I can see the $66,000 is not a whole lot, but to some $66,000 is a lot of money,” Meeks said.

“Is it a lot of money in a $110 million budget?” he was asked.

He said the county budget will be discussed in the near future by the commission and he was glad the question of funding for LCBDC was brought to his attention, but he still believes bringing Dixie and Gilchrist into the organization would be a benefit to all three counties.

“I think if a major company comes into Levy County it will be a benefit to Gilchrist and Dixie counties as well. I feel like we’re in a sense – us three counties – we’re still unique in that we’re tailored a lot alike and we’re still like-minded in a sense. We really like what we have and we want to keep what we have,” Meeks said. “I’m going to be a little selfish here to say a major, major, major endeavor could have a major impact and change the way we are today to something we don’t want it to be. I think about a major developer. When a major developer comes along with a lot of jobs – that could be a major game-changer for our county.”

He cited an Amazon distribution warehouse as an example of something that could have a big impact. He said that’s the first name that jumped into his mind and so that’s why he is using it.

“Let’s say an Amazon comes to Gilchrist County. That could be a game-changer for development in one of our neighboring counties if it employs 11,000 people. That’s 11,000 more people that are going to need a place to live. That’s 11,000 people commuting on our roads that are full now. It’s kind of a double-edged sword, but it’s good in a sense. We got to have growth. There’s no doubt about it. We got to have it to survive. I guess growth channeled in the right direction is a good thing. That’s what you all got us (county commissioners) there for. Boy, let me tell you, it can go the other way pretty fast.”

“What if the toll road comes through Levy County? Could that be a game-changer?” Meeks was asked.

“I think the state’s pumped the brakes on that a little bit. They have decided they are having way more backlash than they thought they were going to have and they have taken a step back,” Meeks responded.

“But what if the toll road comes through and causes growth?”

“I guess the question is how much and how big do we want to grow and how fast. To tell you the truth, I really like seeing cows walking around fields. I really like our rural way of living. I believe if those roads come, that will be in jeopardy, I truly believe that ” Meeks said. “But you bring up a good point about our economic council; having a little more help could be a good thing but there are things that you have to take into consideration that goes with it; that’s all I’m saying. I think if the economy keeps going like it’s going, we may see a lot of things happening. A lot of people are relocating to Florida and that is going to bring business, growth, and industry.”

Meeks said Florida has to be one of the top three states in the nation currently for economic growth. He said people are moving to Florida “at a massive rate.” He said the building and zoning official in Dixie County told him their county earned a half-million dollars in fees last year.

“In Dixie County – who would have guessed that in little old Dixie County,” Meeks said. “That shows you how fast people are moving here.”

He compared the high growth rate in Florida with the Gold Rush that resulted in people moving to California at a high rate in search of gold many years ago.

“Look at people today that left the lockdown states to come here and get a job,” Meeks said.