The Gilchrist County Board of County Commissioners voted to move forward with the process of purchasing a 48-acre property in Bell Monday.
The property adjoins to the south side of the main solid waste center and animal control properties to the east of Bell Elementary School.
The property is off of NW 20th Avenue in Bell.
The county hopes to use the property for the planned expansion of the current solid waste facility there.
County Administrator Bobby Crosby said the location would not be used as a landfill. It would continue to be a transfer facility and all garbage taken in at the location would be transported out of the county.
The property is listed at $399,000. The money would either come out of the general fund or the capital funds budget that was set aside for the expansion of the solid waste facility.
“I think it would be very smart to move forward,” Commissioner Bill Martin said.
In order to use the property as a solid waste facility, the county would have to have it rezoned for public use.
The county would get an appraisal of the property then enter into an option contract that would hold the property for the county until they can get it rezoned.
Martin moved to move forward with purchasing the property, and Kenrick Thomas seconded the motion.
The motion was approved with a 5-0 vote.
Clerk of Court Todd Newton asked the BOCC about moving the second meetings in June and July to later dates.
The meeting scheduled for June 16 has been canceled with the second June meeting tentatively scheduled for June 23 at 2 p.m. to avoid conflict with the City of Trenton, who will meet that day at 5:30 p.m..
The second July meeting was rescheduled from Monday, July 21 to Thursday, July 24 at 4 p.m..
The first meetings of those months remain the same.