The City of Apalachicola has once again been tapped to administer the payroll for yet another shelling program to assist struggling Franklin County seafood workers and to restore Apalachicola Bay.
The Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS) has solicited the help of the City of Apalachicola to administer the payroll for a $400K five-week mini-shelling program beginning Monday, May 19, 2014 and running through June 30, 2014.
This is not the first time the city has been asked to help out our seafood workers. City officials were also approached by the then Gulf Coast Workforce Board (GCWB) at the beginning of the 2013 shelling program to administer the $1.8M payroll tied in with FEMA to restore Apalachicola Bay.
The city stepped up and became involved only after Kim Bodine, GCWB Executive Director was unsuccessful in finding a private sector company to administer the payroll in a cost effective manner. “I tried eight different companies, but the costs were too high”, said Bodine during the January 31, 2013, special city meeting. "The County was also approached, but showed no interest."
The city’s involvement saved the 2013 shelling program 30% in administrative cost, which resulted in more money going to where it was needed most… the seafood workers.
Sign up for the 2014 mini program will take place from 9:00AM – 11:00AM on Thursday, May 15 at the Battery Park Community Center located at 1 Bay Avenue in Apalachicola and will target first those who participated in the 2013 program and completed the OSHA certfication requirements.
The city is only admistering the payroll under the terms and conditions agreed upon by the FDACS and the Franklin County Seafood Workers Association (FCSWA).
For more information about the program, sign up and eligibility, please contact Shannon Hartsfield, President of the Franklin County Seafood Workers Association at (850) 653-5190.
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