Not cheating the Alachua County taxpayers out of their money was the main topic for a joint Alachua County and Gainesville City commission meeting this week.

Last month, voters passed a half-cent sales tax that over two years is estimated to bring in almost 40 million dollars. It's money that will be spent on land conservation and parks and recreation projects.

Two citizens who headed up the wild spaces and public places campaign presented their four recommendations to the joint commissions... recommendations based on language that was on the ballot. That includes an annual independent audit and a citizen oversight committee. one of the biggest emphases made is to try to get those projects rolling as soon as possible and that includes the largest project in the initiative... The Senior Center that recently received 2 million dollars in state money.

Regardless of the sales tax money coming in, to get the two million in state money, the city and county need to allocate one and a half million dollars each toward the senior center.

Leaders are still unsure exactly how big the facility will be with the extra cash coming in.

County and city leaders voted to put together an agreement in the next 45 days that will make elder care of Alachua County the project manager... to work with city staff in developing The Senior Center.