Bay County staff authorized to budget and plan operation of Northern Resiliency Center

Bay County Park Advisory Board members on June 11 approved a motion directing staff to budget, plan and develop an operational model for the Northern Resiliency Center, a proposed facility at the Highway 20 property that will include an EMS/fire station, an 8,052‑square‑foot community center and a 35,000‑square‑foot covered arena.

The board’s vote followed a staff presentation explaining the facility’s dual role for community events and emergency operations and a request for the advisory board’s feedback. The presenter said the county manager’s office asked for an operational plan and that staff would return with a package for the manager by July 3. “It’s gonna have a an EMS fire station there at the front of the property,” the presenter said, and later added, “I personally think it would be a great idea for us to operate it.”

Why it matters: the center is intended both as an event venue (4‑H, livestock shows, rodeos, farmers markets and similar uses) and as a site that can support hurricane response and debris staging. Staff said land acquisition totaled roughly 60–70 acres and that the property was purchased with federal, hurricane‑related grant funds intended, in part, for debris management sites.

Board members asked for comparisons to nearby facilities and for realistic revenue and cost assumptions. Members discussed the Majette community building as a potential analogue and noted the difficulty of recovering full operating costs for public recreation facilities. The presenter said staff had visited facilities in neighboring counties to gather operational ideas and that some ideas could be adapted to Bay County’s needs.

The board debated operational responsibilities and possible partnerships. Staff suggested bringing the Tourist Development Council into planning to help market events, while emphasizing county management for day‑to‑day operations. A committee member moved to approve staff to budget, plan and operate the facility in‑house; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Next steps: staff will prepare a detailed budget and staffing proposal for the county manager by early July and will return to the advisory board with a formal package. The presenter asked members to submit reservations or suggestions individually if they had concerns about the plan.