Gilchrist County and Gilchrist County Emergency Management received money, publicly announcing it at Monday’s meeting.
Scott Mixon of Duke Energy presented Ralph Smith of Gilchrist County Emergency Management with a check for $7,000 at the beginning of Monday’s meeting.

Mixon said Duke Energy is celebrating America’s 250th anniversary with a grant program that presents grants worth between $5,000 and $20,000 to nonprofits aimed toward empowering veterans and improving green spaces and history and civics education.
Mixon said Smith applied for the grant last year to improve Emergency Management’s equipment.
Mixon said Duke Energy is already discussing other ways to help the Emergency Management Department as well as the county as a whole with a range of grants from education to infrastructure.
County Administrator Bobby Crosby thanked Mixon not only for the grant, but for past help such as with safety lighting that was originally priced at $27,000 but was able to be worked down to around $3,200. Duke Energy also donated $250,000 for the new ag extension.
Fire Chief James Campbell and a group from Gilchrist County Fire Rescue went to Beverly Hills, Florida, to secure appropriations funding for the county.
State Chief Executive Officer Blaise Ingoglia awarded Gilchrist over $1.4 million in appropriations.
A ceremonial check was presented to the BOCC at Monday’s meeting. The money will be used for fire trucks and decontamination equipment with the goal of strengthening fire services and enhancing emergency response capabilities in the county.
Commissioners approved 10 new RV spots at Hart Springs.
Commissioner Kenrick Thomas said the commission had been working on this for 20 years when Crosby said he was not sure how long the county had been trying to add these spots.
There were issues working around the wetlands and maintaining the necessary buffers between the wetlands and the new spots and paths.
Crosby said five will be accessible by just pulling in while the other five will require campers to back in.
These new spots will be considered “premium” spots, and the commission will discuss pricing for the spots at a later meeting.
The commission also voted on the location for a new solid waste transfer station.
The choice was between two locations: one on the site of the current animal control building east of the schools in Bell on 10th Street while the other was on County Road 340 East of 129.
Commissioners were concerned about the 10th Street location because it would add traffic going by the schools, and it would force them to build a new animal control facility.
That location also lacked the space to expand if it became necessary.
Commissioners liked that there were few homes near the location on 340 and that it had room to expand.
The commission voted, 5-0, to move forward with the 340 site.
Crosby told the commission that representatives from Otter Springs told County Attorney David Lang and him that they would like to give Otter Springs back to the County.
Crosby said he hopes to have documents for the change at the Feb. 16 meeting.
County Finance Director Richard Romans said this will require a budget amendment and determine where the money will come from.
Romans added that the park will generate revenue.
Crosby said he toured the facility to get an idea of what needs to be done and build a budget.
“It’s a beautiful park,” Crosby said. “Personally, I’d hate to see it close.”
Commissioner Bill Martin said the park had deteriorated when he last visited the park, so it would take some time and money to build it back up.
Commissioner Sharon Langford said there were several grants, such as from the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program, to help obtain the money needed for repairs and improvements.
Lang said it has been over 10 years since the park was under the control of the county.
“From what I’ve seen so far, it’s going to take some money, but it’s not terrible,” Crosby said.