Announcements
County Manager Michele Lieberman and Tourism Development Director Jessica Hurov narrated a slideshow about their recent visit to the World Masters Athletics Outdoor Championships in Sweden.
Communications Mark Sexton also announced that a FEMA disaster recovery center has opened in Alachua County at the Millhopper Library, 3145 NW 43rd St. in Gainesville, to help residents who were impacted by Hurricane Debby.
Watch the discussions.
Tentative budget and property taxes
The County Commission gave the first of two needed approvals for its tentative budget and millage rates for fiscal year 2024-25.
The general fund millage rate is set at 7.6180. The Municipal Service Taxing Unit (MSTU) – law enforcement millage rate is set at 3.5678.
Following the second approval at the Sept. 24 meeting, this will mark the eighth year in a row the county has lowered its millage rate.
Watch the discussion.
Assessment rates
The commission set the assessment rates for fire services, solid waste and stormwater for fiscal year 2024-25.
The fire service assessment will generate approximately $23.3 million in revenue to provide funding for firefighter wages, equipment, fire engines and fire stations.
The solid waste assessment will generate approximately $12.8 million to fund universal curbside collection, rural collection centers and solid waste management programs.
The stormwater assessment will generate approximately $3.6 million in revenue that will be used for stormwater management services.
Watch the discussion.
Food System Workforce Development Program
The commission heard a mid-project update for its Food System Workforce Development Program. The two-year, $250,000 program establishes new and growing existing programs that build greater food system resilience and create employment and business opportunities in disadvantaged communities.
The programs are designed to respond to the negative economic impacts of the pandemic, create opportunities for youth to learn technical job skills and support capacity building for farmers.
During its first full year, the youth team completed the first round of Young Chefs programming (ages 8-17). The first cohort of Youth Food Systems Leadership interns completed the first five months of their seven-month internship, and the kitchen team completed set up and onboarding for the first round of farmers. The second round of Young Chefs classes will begin in October 2024 and end in May 2025.
The program also includes a farmer value-added production element that provides local growers discounted and complimentary access to kitchen facilities, equipment, and storage, along with personalized business consulting to support their expansion into the production and packaging of farm products. The pilot offers farmers free consulting to navigate product regulations and inspections.
Watch the discussion.
Agricultural land protections
The commission heard an update for its agricultural land protection strategy heading into fiscal year 2025.
Commissioners adopted a resolution to codify its mission and ranking matrix to allow agricultural lands to be better included in the acquisition process. The board also allocated $10 million in Wild Spaces Public Places (WSPP) funding to the acquisition of agricultural land easements and directed staff to prioritize projects with cost-sharing from partners or landowner donations.
Staff will come back next year with recommendations for amendments after the initial implementation, including the reevaluations of small farms and climate action plan.
Watch the discussion.
WSPP in Archer
The commission approved a pair of partnership grant funding applications from the City of Archer with the WSPP surtax dollars.
The WSPP project calls for the construction of the Holy Hills Community Center at Maddox Park. The estimated cost is about $1 million. The county will contribute up to $333,333 for the project to go with a $500,000 grant the city has already been awarded. The facility will include meeting spaces and basketball and volleyball courts. The center will be open to the public for free.
The county will also contribute $80,000 in WSPP surtax funding for a mill and resurface for part of Southwest 143rd Street, and place millings on Southwest 141st Lane, Southwest 141st Street and Southwest 174th Street. The total projected cost for the projects is $160,000.
Watch the discussion.
Proclamations
Commissioner Mary Alford proclaimed September 2024 as National Suicide Prevention Month in Alachua County.
In honor of suicide prevention month, Alachua County Crisis Center Director Ali Martinez reminded residents that they are holding a virtual mental health and wellness symposium on Sept. 16-18. The symposium is called “Writing Our Own Stories of Wellness and Healing” and will be held in the evenings between 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Attendees can register online before Sept. 15.
Read the proclamation.
Watch the presentation.
See the full Sept. 10 video and agenda.
See the Sept. 10 evening video and agenda.
