Glades County Looks For $5M To Build Health Dept

Denise Grimsley Says Grant Project 95% Done

MOORE HAVEN, FL. -- State Representative District 77 Denise Grimsley showed up for the Glades County Board of Commissioners meeting last week with some hopeful news. ''One thing I promised you when I got elected was that before I left office, we were going to get you some money to get a new Glades County Health Department,'' said Grimsley.

Grimsley said she knew there probably was no state funding for a new Health Department building but ''by looking through some other grants in different areas from the federal government we actually found some money and we've requested five million dollars for the Glades County Health Department.'' 

''Now it's not a totally done deal yet, but we're about 95% there, and we are so close  that I believe it's going to happen within the next month and I'm going to be out of town so I wanted to be here to tell you, I wanted you to hear it from me,  and not read it in the newspaper.'' 

Grimsley said the grants may come from the Department of Children and Families, Emergency Management, and FEMA. 

At the commission Grimsley made a point to thank all her supporters, ''All of these people have stepped up to help us with this project.  Leah Valenti is here today from Congressman Rooney's office, and Congressman Rooney has been really helpful in keeping the feds focused on this project.   Larry Ford's here with Senator Alexander who is my partner in the Senate, who I could not have done- on the state level-could not have got DCF to agree without his help.'' 

''And I also want to mention my staff, Marty Mielke's here, who goes with me to Tallahassee, and also Kim Hamilton from the LaBelle office.   And they are certainly instrumental in helping us locate some of this money  and I just lucked out another, I believe, another answer to prayer this year is my staff director in Tallahassee who just happened to be Gov. Bush's former budget chief who helped us find this money.

Rep. Grimsley made special mention of the assistance she had received from Glades County Health Department Director Pat Dobbins, ''…Who is by far the biggest advocate for this project.''  She continued, ''She has taught me more than I can tell you about rural health care, things that I had no idea even growing up in a rural county myself,  but she's certainly an advocate for Glades County  and you're lucky to have her.''

''I want to mention your lobby team in Tallahassee: Dale Milita, Ken Grimes, Connie Vanassche who were in my office every single day advocating for you, for all of your interests, not just the health department, but you have a good team in Tallahassee and for a small county, you guys are right up there with your team. 

''But that's basically it, I believe in probably within the next thirty days we'll get to see this money come to fruition and I can't tell you how much I look forward to the day that we get to cut the ribbon on the Glades County Health Department.   And I also want to let you know that I still value you as constituents and I appreciate the fact that you allow me to represent you in Tallahassee.  And thank you for having me today."

Glades Commission Chairman Echols at that time presented Rep. Grimsley with a plaque of appreciation from the Board for her outstanding service to Glades County.  He also presented plaques to Larry Ford for Senator J. D. Alexander, and to Leah Valenti for Congressman Rooney and one for Ms. Valenti.