County renews economic development designation

Lazaro Aleman ECB Publishing, Inc. Local officials recently approved an agreement with the state that allows the county to retain its Rural Area of Opportunity (RAO) designation for another five years. As County Attorney Heather Encinosa explained it to the Jefferson County Commission on Thursday evening, Nov. 16, the governor had recently extended the ROA designation to 2028. In order to take advantage of the extension, however, the county had to sign an agreement with the  Florida Department of Commerce (FDOC), she said. Per the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that the commission approved, the county must name two persons to the North Central RAO (NCRAO) Board, one an ele