Fort White Councilwoman Monica Merricks Looks to Smooth Waters With the County 5 – $24 mil in state water and wastewater grants on the line
April 10, 2025 9:00 am | 4 min read
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Fort White Councilwoman Monica Merricks looked to smooth waters with the Columbia County 5. Last Thursday morning (April 3), Ms. Merricks led an expedition to the County Commission (County 5) to ask The 5 for help facilitating the Town's previously approved Phase I sewer project grant of $5.34 million.
According to the Phase I grant application, the project was to be completed by April 2024. This was just the tip of the iceberg. There are other grants and tens of millions on the line. Fort White needs help with that, too.
Background: a quick review
The 2024 general election had Fort White Mayor Ronnie Fraiser being defeated by the Collective, a business of food trucks on Hwy. 27 in Fort White, supported George Jacob Thomas, a man whose main claim to fame was his godliness and a desire to cut the salary of the Town Clerk. Mr. Thomas had no experience in government, and his election ultimately resulted in the resignations of the Town Clerk, Assistant Town Clerk, City Councilman, and Town Attorney.
Under the new Mayor's leadership, the Town hired two office workers who were totally uninformed about governmental functions and dealing with the public, which caused the Town to slide further into dysfunctionality.
With all the institutional knowledge having departed the Town, it was and is in big trouble.
Last month, the Town of Fort White received an additional $12 million for Phase II of its wastewater-septic to sewer project.
So far, the Town of Fort White has received about $24 mil in grant funding for water and wastewater (sewer stuff). In plain English, the Town has entered La-La Land and is clueless.
During the March 17, 2024, Fort White Town Council meeting, the Council members asked Mayor Thomas to attend the April 3 meeting of the Columbia County 5 ( the County Commission) and ask for help. Mayor Thomas refused.
Councilwoman Merricks, Councilwoman Terry, and Councilman Bill Koon attended the April 23 meeting en masse. Ms. Merricks was the spokesperson for the Town.
Fort White's Council members at the County 5: 2nd from
left, Kathryn Terry, Monica Merricks, Bill Koon. Mayor
George Jacob Thomas refused to attend.
April 3 At the County 5
The Town of Fort White was the first item on The 5's agenda. Councilwoman Merricks was invited to the microphone.
Ms. Merricks expresses her frustration over the dysfunctional relationship between the Town and the County. She emphasized her exhaustion with the discord and her desire to move forward collaboratively. Ms. Merricks prioritized bridging the Town-County divide to serve citizens’ interests, and dismissed historical tensions as counterproductive.
Ms. Merricks highlighted the urgent need to advance the Town's sewage infrastructure grant, which was facing deadlines for right-of-way acquisitions and construction. Ms. Merricks stressed the Town’s inability to execute the project efficiently without County support in grant administration and oversight.
Ms. Merricks emphasized deadlines (e.g., May target for right-of-way acquisitions) and the lack of a clear plan, citing staffing challenges and administrative gaps in Fort White.
Ms. Merricks appealed for County partnership and requested County assistance in grant administration, construction oversight, and logistical support to meet project timelines.
The County 5
Commissioners Rocky Ford and Everett Phillips supported Ms. Merricks' plea for collaboration. Initially, they focused on grant administration and right-of-way acquisition tasks.
County 5 Chairman Tim Murphy acknowledged the importance of collaboration and thanked Ms. Merricks for her efforts.
Fort White is in Commissioner Rocky Ford's district.
Commissioner Ford supported the idea of moving forward and putting past discord behind.
Commissioner Phillips supported Commissioner Ford and also emphasized the need to focus on the future.
However, concerns were raised (e.g., by Robbie Hollingsworth and Kevin Kirby) about long-term financial risks, including potential operational deficits if user hookups fell short.
Commissioner Hollingsworth mentioned a $200k operational deficit and suggested that even with the grant, operational costs might exceed revenue, especially if not everyone hooks up.
Both the Town and the County ignored equity concerns: low-income households could struggle with monthly fees, necessitating sliding scale pricing.
The concerns about long-term operational deficits remained unresolved with no clear plan to address the deficits.
County Attorney Joel Foreman emphasized the need for a well-defined interlocal agreement, while Commissioner Murphy voiced concerns about committing two administrative support without knowing the full financial picture.
A long discussion by The 5 concluded with a Commissioner Ford motion to assist the Town with grant administration and right-of-way acquisition. Mr. Ford made his motion as a continuation of early joint efforts that had failed.
Commissioner Phillips seconded the motion was passed unanimously.
Epilogue
The meeting marked a tentative step toward collaboration between the Town and the County.
Fort White lacks clarity on which properties are under agreement, and securing easements is due by May 2025. The County's legal and engineering teams were urged to audit progress.
Drafting a legally binding interlocal agreement will require delineating responsibilities (e.g., County handles easements, Town oversees construction) and dispute-resolution mechanisms.
The unresolved financial and operational challenges underscore the need for continued dialogue and proactive planning between the Town and the County to ensure the wastewater project's success and long-term sustainability.