April 10, 2024

These highlights will give residents a quick review of the commission meeting and provide video, agenda, and other useful links.

Single-member districts

The County Commission requested staff bring back information in May on placing a ballot referendum on the November 2024 ballot on how to amend the county’s charter to institute “at large” voting for County Commissioners. If approved next month, voters will decide if county commissioners should be elected at-large.

A group of citizens spoke at Tuesday’s meeting during general public comment to advocate for the ballot referendum. Many cited a questionable campaign that advocated for single-member districts in 2022. The referendum narrowly passed with 51.5% support.

Since single-member districts were implemented, residents can only vote for the one member of the County Commission who lives in their district. The reversal would allow voters to elect and be represented by all five commissioners.

Read the complete highlights for this meeting.

For many years, Alachua County residents have voluntarily taxed themselves to ensure the acquisition of high-quality conservation land and to support our park system. With the voter approval of the 2022 version of Wild Spaces Public Places (WSPP), roads and affordable housing have been thrown into the mix.

It all began with the passage of the Alachua County Forever program in 2000, which raised almost $30 million and enabled the protection of tens of thousands of acres of environmentally sensitive land, along with the resources, water and wildlife habitats that come with them. Then came the first two issues of the WSPP half penny surtax in 2008 and 2016, which continued to fund the Alachua County Forever program and added funding for parks.

Read the full story.

On Tuesday, April 2, Alachua County Fire Rescue held a ribbon cutting for the new ACFR Training Center, located in the old Tax Collector Building off of 441. This new state-of-the-art center will provide training space for the next generation of Fire Rescue recruits and help keep the citizens of Alachua County safe.

A class of 29 new recruits started their training there last week.

Watch a short video about the training center and the ribbon cutting event.

Alachua County offers residents a unique opportunity to take a deep dive into various aspects of local government through its Citizens Academy. Run by Strategic Performance Manager Donna Bradbrook, the eight-week educational course partners with local constitutional officers, judicial officers, library district, school board and health department and provides transparency by giving participants a behind-the-scenes look at the performed daily by some of the county’s top officials.

As a newer hire at Alachua County, I opted to join the Citizens Academy and share weekly updates on my experience to encourage others to sign up in the future.

Read the full story.

The theme for Earth Day 2024 is "Planet vs. Plastics." To celebrate this year, Alachua County, the City of Gainesville, University of Florida, Santa Fe College,and other organizations have planned a wide variety of events for the community to enjoy.

Learn about the upcoming events.

Jill McGuire Park Dedication Ceremony

On Saturday, April 13, 2024, at noon, the Alachua County Commission is holding a ceremony to celebrate the renaming and dedication of the Jill McGuire Lake Santa Fe Park (24500 NE SR 26, Melrose). The ribbon cutting is open to the public, and the Santa Fe Lake Dwellers Association will serve refreshments.

The event's program includes comments from the Master of Ceremonies Commission Chair Mary C. Alford, Commissioner Ken Cornell, Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler, Parks Director Jason Maurer, President of the Santa Fe Lake Dwellers Association Carl Bennett, and President of the Putnam Land Conservancy Timothy Keyser.

Jill McGuire was an environmental icon, a well-known and respected community leader, and longtime president of the Santa Fe Lake Dwellers Association. Jill fought to protect the natural environment and water resources throughout North Central Florida. In 2023, the County Commission unanimously voted to name this park the Jill McGuire Santa Fe Lake Park in recognition of Jill's decades of advocacy for protecting the Santa Fe Lakes, Swamp, and River.  

Jill loved this lake, used this park frequently, and lobbied for many of the improvements we enjoy today. Appropriately, the park has been named in her honor to recognize her life's work advocating for environmental protection.

In the past, citizens in Alachua County had to subscribe to or purchase newspapers to access the County’s public notices. Now, they can visit the Alachua County homepage to stay informed about government projects and meetings and provide input if they wish. 

Previously, county property owners, residents, and interested parties relied on local newspapers to view published public notices and legal advertisements, often at a cost. However, with the update to Florida Statutes in 2022, counties gained the option to publish these notices on publicly accessible websites. Alachua County saw this as an opportunity to enhance citizen accessibility, streamline its notice practices, and reduce government costs. This transition, facilitated by the Public Notices Program developed and maintained by Alachua County staff, saves money and provides quicker and simpler access to government information for all citizens. Ultimately, this move enhances transparency and encourages citizen engagement in county affairs.

Visit the Public Notice page.

County Offers Indoor and Outdoor Rental Spaces

Looking to book your next corporate event? How about an adventurous getaway with a group of friends? Whatever the case, Alachua County offers a variety of indoor/outdoor rental spaces to host your next planned gathering.

Indoor spaces are available at:

• The Auditorium - 22716 W. Newberry Road, Newberry
• The Cuscowilla Lodge - 210 SE 134th Ave., Micanopy
• The Poe Springs Lodge - 28800 NW 182nd Ave., High Springs
• The Freedom Community Center - 7400 SW 41st Place, Gainesville

Open-air pavilions are available at:

• Copeland Park - 7020 NE 27tg Ave., Gainesville
• Cynthia Moore Chestnut Park - 2315 SE 35th St., Gainesville
• Earl P. Powers Park - 5910 SE Hawthorne Road, Gainesville
• Jill McGuire Santa Fe Lake Park - 24500 NE SR 26, Melrose
• Jonesville Park - 14100 NW 32nd Ave., Jonesville
• Monteocha Park - 803 NW 192nd Ave., Gainesville
• Newnan's Lake - 8635 NE 69th Ave., Gainesville. FL
• Owens-Illinois Park - 11309 SE 16th Ave., Gainesville
• Poe Springs Park - 28800 NW 182 Ave., High Springs
• Squirrel Ridge Park - 1603 SW Williston Road, Gainesville
• Veterans Memorial Park - 7400 SW 41st Place, Gainesville

Learn more and check availability.

A special event permit may be required for larger events to ensure adequate restroom facilities, trash collection, parking and security.

For more information or reservations, contact the Alachua County Parks and Open Spaces Department at 352-264-6847 or [log in to unmask].

The UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County Office is pleased to announce that the April “Plant of the Month” are oranges.

Oranges are a good source of Vitamin C, but they are also excellent sources of fiber, thiamin, folate, potassium, and antioxidants. One medium orange contains 6% of your daily recommended amount of calcium.

"To me, Florida oranges are sunshine transformed into sweetness,” said County Commission Chair Mary Alford. "Their abundance of vitamins and antioxidants underscores their role in promoting wellness and vitality."

April is a good time to grow oranges in North Central Florida. Check the Plant of the Month website for information on planting, harvesting, recipes, and more. Listen to the Extension Cord Podcast to get further insights on the Plant of the Month.

The Plant of the Month program is a collaborative effort between Alachua County Board of County Commissioners, UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County, Alachua County Master Gardener Volunteers, Alachua County Public Library, and Working Food.