Dothan Commission Grants Houston County Time On Farm Center

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
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Date: Dec 21 2022 9:18 AM

HOUSTON COUNTY:      In January there was a changing of the guards on the Houston County Commission. For the first time in decades a new Houston County Commission Chairman which is now Brandon Shoupe.

Chairman Shoupe asked the Dothan City Commission to delay the closing on the sale of the Houston County Farm Center to the City of Dothan. Chairman Shoupe, which was approved by the County Commission on Monday, asked for four month delay on the closing of the sale.

On Tuesday Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba and the Associate Dothan Commissioners approved the delay.

D3 Commissioner Bradley Bedwell, the commissioner where the Farm Center sits, was all in for the delay. Commissioner Bedwell said some of the ideas discussed with him by Chairman Shoupe are exciting for District Three residents and the proper use of the land.

The delay was approved by a unanimous vote of the commission.

The City of Dothan Commission was found to own 15% of the land which the Farm Center sits on. That was found when all of a sudden then Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver announced a Tampa Florida company was buying the Farm Center. The announcement caught everyone by surprise.

Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver and no one from Houston County would be forthcoming with the development plans for the Farm Center. That had all Dothan Commissioners concerned, most especially D3 Commissioner Bradley Bedwell who represents District 3. 

D4 Commissioner John Ferguson, D5 Commissioner Grantt Pearce, D3 Commissioner Bradley Bedwell, D1 Commissioner Kevin Dorsey and D2 Commissioner Aristotle Kirkland all had a surprise move. Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba found out about the move as they walked into the meeting. The Dothan Commissioner had a resolution prepared and moved to purchase the Houston County Farm Center. Even Dothan City Attorney Len White was pale and in shock. The vote turned unanimous and the City of Dothan voted to purchase the Houston County Farm Center.

This was a great move on behalf of the Dothan City Commission. It stopped the sale with secret development plans for a prime piece of property. While the City of Dothan had no immediate plans they knew the sale had to be slowed and stopped until the plans hit the daylight hours and people knew what was going on.

Now Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe has some positive ideas for the development of the property. Some of his ideas are very beneficial for the entire Dothan-Houston County residents. We are going to wait and let Chairman Shoupe get all of the ideas together and let him present them. But from what little RSN knows it is something that we believe the citizens will support.

THANK YOU to the members of the Dothan City Commission who made the bold step to purchase the Houston County Farm Center to help control what this prime historic property would be used for. You acted bold and demonstrated great leadership in your actions.

THANK YOU to Houston County Commission Brandon Shoupe for taking the bold leadership steps in the Houston County Farm Center, establishing a vision and acting on that vision. We look forward to your vision on paper and the future presentation.

This is a great example of agencies working together for the common good of those they serve. A rare thing these days.

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