About HCDA
Located in Northeast Florida at the Florida/Georgia line, the Hamilton County Development Authority (HCDA) assists the county’s existing businesses grow while attracting new investments and industry to the community. Through its efforts, the HCDA fosters the growth of higher wage jobs and the quality of place for its residents. The HCDA was formed in 1960 by an act of the state legislature and consists of eight members appointed by the Governor for three-year terms.
Services
Our history dates back nearly 60 years and with that comes knowledge of our community and where your business can find success. Through our partnerships with our local government, utilities and business leaders we can help you make the right location decision. Contact us about our available sites and buildings.
Florida’s talent pipeline is rooted in collaboration among all our education and workforce providers from the local public school district, to nearby community colleges, technical centers, universities and CareerSource Florida. Working with your team, we can help you recruit and train employees.
We are your advocate for success. We will take the guesswork out of opening your doors. From assisting with our Board of County Commissioners, state agencies or our already expedited permitting process, we want to help you build your business and your relationships.
Expanding or locating a business is a difficult decision that requires research and discovery. Our data center along with our team will provide you with demographics and business costs to help you along the decision process.
Working with the economic development professionals at Enterprise Florida, we can help you apply for financial incentives and connect you with local resources that benefit the bottom line and our taxpayers.
Leadership
Our Authority Board Members
- Nathaniel Combass, Chair of Jasper, is a retired district surveyor for the Florida Department of Transportation.
- Mary Lou Bullard, Vice Chair of White Springs, is a retired librarian from the White Springs Public Library.
- Danny Danials, Secretary-Treasurer of Jasper, is retired from Suwanee Valley Electric Cooperative.
- Megan Carter of White Springs, is a county planning and the grant coordinator for North Florida Professional Services Inc.
- John Cloyd of Jasper, is a retired dairy farmer.
- Lowell Klepper of Jennings, is a retired supervisory engineer.
HCDA Board Meetings
- Regular meetings are held at: 1153 US Hwy 41 NW Suite 4, Jasper, Florida 32052 unless there is a joint meeting with the Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners.
- Joint meetings are held at the courthouse at: 207 NE First St., Jasper, Florida 32052.
- Board members are appointed by the Governor and through the appointments office. The office supports the Governor in meeting his major obligation to appoint qualified, representative and appropriate people to a large number of important leadership roles throughout the State. Visit the appointments office to apply to be on the HCDA board.
Transparency & Accountability
The Hamilton County Development Authority (HCDA) is committed to fiduciary responsibility and transparency to the taxpayers. The HCDA strives to provide public access to information regarding the conduct of authority business while preserving confidential economic development information as determined in Florida Statutes 288.075.
About the Hamilton County Development Authority Special District
The Hamilton County Development Authority (the Authority) is an Independent Special District created June 6, 1959, under the authority of Chapter 50-1322, as amended by Chapter 61-2217, Laws of Florida. Accordingly, the Authority is subject to restrictions imposed by the Florida Constitution and Statutes, as well as the Authority’s governing board.
More information on Special Districts can be found by visiting the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity website.
Click on the links below to view budgets or links to special district websites. Special Districts also file Annual Financial Reports with the Florida Department of Financial Services.
Accounting Policies & Practices
The Authority’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles (GAAP). The Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) is
responsible for establishing GAAP for state and local governments through its pronouncements
(Statements and Interpretations).
The Authority’s basic financial statements include 1.) government-wide statements, which includes the financial activities of the overall government, except for fiduciary activities – if applicable (reporting the Authority as a whole) and 2.) fund financial statements (reporting the Authority’s major fund).
- HCDA Budget 2023 (pdf)
- HCDA Financial Statements 2022 (pdf)
- HCDA Financial Statement 2021 (pdf)
- HCDA Financial Statements 2020 (pdf)
About Open Government Requirements
Florida enjoys an exceptionally broad public records law. Open Government, or Government-in-the-Sunshine, provides a right of access to governmental proceedings at both the state and local levels. It is applicable to both elected and appointed boards and has been applied to any gathering of two or more members of the same board to discuss some matter which will foreseeably come before that board for action.
There is also a constitutionally guaranteed right of access to meetings of collegial public bodies. Virtually all state and local collegial public bodies are covered by the open meetings requirements with the exception of the judiciary and the state Legislature which have their own constitutional provisions relating to access.
As such, the HCDA publishes meeting materials and frequently requested documents on this site and updates the documents regularly. To learn more about confidentiality regarding economic development projects and public records requests visit Enterprise Florida’s website. In addition, all non-confidential incentive information and redacted contracts are posted on the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s Incentive Portal. Additional Hamilton County specific information can be requested through a public records request by contacting the HCDA office by phone or email.