Federal courthouse repairs hit a snag

Sen. Bill Nelson said today at a brief press conference at Pensacola City Hall that the repairs of the federal courthouse might be delayed for another year.

He met with the media after touring the building with Chief Federal Casey Rodgers. The courthouse was evacuated last year because of it was dangerously infested with mold and posed a health risk to federal employees.

“If you notice me wipe my nose from time to time, it’s because we went in the old courthouse,” said Sen. Nelson.

He explained that the U.S. Senate in April approved spending $30 million to rehabilitate the building. Since then, the U.S. House has voted for the appropriation, but a snag has developed that could delay the work for another year.

“That’s just pure balderdash,” he said of the issue. “We will get that administrative hiccup taken care.”

The senator said that he had learned of the “hiccup” earlier this morning when flying to Pensacola.

“I found out about it this morning at 5:30 as I was reading my briefing paper as I was on Silver Airways coming to Pensacola to meet with Judge Rodgers,” he said. “And what it apparently is, it’s kind of a stupid thing.”

He explained that member of Rep. Ander Crenshaw’s staff has objected to spending any federal funds on the courthouse until its ownership is transferred to the City of Pensacola next July. Crenshaw chairs the House Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government and has the ability to waive that requirement.

“We need to get this done before the final appropriations bill is passed,” said Nelson. “Hopefully that’s by Oct. 1 because that’s the new fiscal year for our federal government.”

He said, “All you need to do is get reasonable heads together and figure out that you don’t want to wait another 11 months.”

Sen. Nelson said he had plan if the reasonable approach doesn’t work.

“I suggested to the judge that I would have a prayer session with that particular staff member of the House.”