COVID Relief Fund - applications due Dec. 15
The City of Gainesville's Coronavirus Relief Fund Assistance program expands local relief and recovery efforts through direct assistance to neighbors negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CRF assistance program is designed to provide temporary financial assistance to Gainesville neighbors in extremely low-, very low- and low-and-moderate-income households. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. Funds are available on a first-come basis for:
- rent
- mortgage
- electric, gas
- cable, internet
- telephone
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Free drive-thru COVID-19 testing and free flu shots this Saturday
The Alachua County Health Department, together with the COVID-19 Student Service Corps at UF, are providing free drive-thru COVID-19 testing and free flu shots this Saturday at the City of Gainesville’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Multipurpose Center.
When: 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday Dec. 12
Where: Martin Luther King, Jr. Multipurpose Center (enter at 1150 NE 13th St.)
Who: All age groups are invited. Children 17 and under may get tested when accompanied by a parent or guardian.
No doctor’s note is required. The Alachua County Department of Health will provide 500 free COVID-19 oral swab tests, and the COVD-19 Student Service Corps at UF will administer the tests on a first-come, first-served basis.
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Close the gap in health care access in Gainesville
It's been an ongoing conversation in Gainesville for more than a decade, with little to no action for the most vulnerable and underserved members of our community. A lack of accessible health care options has plagued the residents of east...
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www.gainesville.com
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Advisory board and committee openings - Applications due Dec. 31
Get involved in your community by volunteering to serve on one of these advisory boards/committees! The Gainesville City Commission is accepting applications for consideration to the following boards/committees. Apply by Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020 at 5 p.m. (11:59 p.m. if online) at http://bit.ly/2p8huvo.
- Development Review Board, Historic Preservation Board, Student Community Relations Board, City Beautification Board, Fire Safety Board of Adjustment, Gainesville Cultural Affairs Board, Nature Centers Commissions, Pension Review Committee, Public Recreation Parks Board, Tree Advisory Board
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Apply to the Police Advisory Council - Jan. 4 deadline
The Gainesville City Commission is accepting applications for its Police Advisory Council (PAC). The PAC serves as a community advisor to the commission on policy matters related to the Gainesville Police Department. The city commission will appoint 11 members to the council. The members should live in city limits, and reflect of the racial, age, socio-economic and geographic diversity of the city. It is the intent of the city commission to create, empower, staff, and fund a police advisory council whose purpose is to study the city’s police department, gather information, receive community input concerning public safety issues and law enforcement needs and concerns, and make policy recommendations to the city regarding all aspects of the delivery of public safety services with the goal of maintaining a safe city that enjoys a strong, positive and trusting relationship between the community and the city police department.
Applications may be submitted online through the City of Gainesville website through 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 4, 2021. Paper applications must be completed and mailed to City Hall c/o Clerk of Commission with a postmark on or before Mon., Jan. 4, 2021. To request a paper application, contact Kristen Bryant at 352-275-8307 or bryantk1@cityofgainesville.org.
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Housing Action Plan - feedback sought
The Florida Housing Coalition has coordinated with the City of Gainesville to develop a Housing Action Plan containing strategies and recommendations to expand access to affordable housing in the City of Gainesville. Please send questions and/or comments about the City of Gainesville Housing Action Plan to the city's Housing Program Coordinator Phimetto Lewis via email at lewispd@cityofgainesville.org or by mail: City of Gainesville, Housing and Community Development, Attn.: Housing Action Plan, P.O. Box 490, Station 22, Gainesville, FL 32627-0490.
The draft Housing Action Plan is currently scheduled to be formally considered by the City Commission in February 2021. Questions and comments received by 5 p.m. on Monday, January 25, 2021 will be included with the material provided to the City Commission.
New Business Improvement Grant Program is Accepting Applications
Gainesville business owners within the new, single-district Community Reinvestment Area are invited to apply for financial incentives to help improve their storefronts. The Business Improvement Grant Program, offers a 50 percent matching grant, paid as a reimbursement, for eligible improvements to business exteriors. The program replaces the former Façade Improvements Incentive Program for Existing Commercial Buildings.
The award amount is based on a tiered system that allows recipients meeting certain criteria to receive up to $100,000. Buildings within the GCRA district that have a historic designation are eligible for up to $150,000. The Business Improvement Grant Program will provide public benefits including but not limited to enhanced corridor aesthetics and improved accommodations for pedestrian comfort and safety. The GCRA has allocated $250,000 in funding towards this program for this fiscal year.
Seeking nominations for the Michelle Park Family Recreation Scholarship
We are seeking nominations for the Michelle Park Family Recreation Scholarship, which provides a $1,500, one-year scholarship to a low-to-moderate income family, to participate in nature, recreation and cultural activities provided by the city and other providers in the community. The deadline for scholarship applications is Friday, December 18, 2020.
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Gainesville among best in state for LGBTQ+ inclusivity
The country's largest human rights organization has listed Gainesville as one of the most LGBTQ+ inclusive cities in the state. Thursday, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation named Fort Lauderdale, Gainesville, Oakland Park, Orlando, St....
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www.gainesville.com
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Sweetwater Annual Passes Make Great Gifts
Give your family members and friends the present of amazing birdwatching and spectacular views! Sweetwater Wetlands Park is not only a place to connect with nature, it is also a way to protect our environment. Enjoy Sweetwater Wetlands Park all year with an annual pass. The annual pass costs $78, and is valid for one year from the date of purchase. Passes allow a vehicle to enter the park with any number of persons in the car. To purchase an annual pass, please call 352-334-5067.
Now registering for Winter Break Camp
We are currently registering for camp for the winter break. Camp is available Dec. 21-23 and Dec. 28-31. The kids will enjoy fun, winter-related activities, and are sure to have a blast. For more information, please call 352-334-5067.
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Let there be lights! 🎁 ⛄️
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The City of Gainesville is displaying hundreds of thousands of outdoor holiday lights at Bo Diddley Community Plaza, City Hall Plaza, Depot Park, the Historic Thomas Center & Gardens and throughout downtown.
For the first time, the gardens at the Historic Thomas Center glow with white and blue outdoor holiday lights. Red, white, blue and gold lights illuminate Bo Diddley Plaza and Depot Park is showcasing a festive candy-cane theme with red and white lights. We invite you to check out all the holiday cheer at our many light-filled locations!
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Photo by Cultural Affairs Board member Don Niemann
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Recycle your old holiday lights
Are you looking to refresh your holiday decorations but don’t know what to do with all those old, broken, burned-out, impossibly tangled sets of holiday lights leftover from last year? Good news! We are ready to help you recycle those old sets of holiday lights. You may drop off old sets of holiday lights for recycling at the city's Public Works building (405 NW 39th Ave.) until Jan. 29. No set is too tangled to be recycled! Holiday lights may also be recycled at any one of the five Alachua County Rural Collection Centers and the Alachua County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center.
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Accepted: Light strings with incandescent, LEDs and “icicle” lights, along with wires and attached bulbs.
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What is the Community Resource Paramedicine program?
The Community Resource Paramedic (CRP) Program created by Gainesville Fire Rescue answers the nationwide call for a new paradigm for delivering medical and behavioral health services, as well as improving health equity. The goal of this coordinated effort is to reduce avoidable hospital visits, reduce 911 calls, and improve the quality of life for Gainesville residents with chronic medical problems. Ultimately, the CRP program has become a nexus in Alachua County, connecting patients to social and medical services while fostering relationships, ensuring a safety net for self-management of chronic disease, and decreasing hospital admissions/911 calls.
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City Commission Meeting Updates
Individuals wishing to comment on specific agenda items are invited to comment live during the meeting via the public participation line at 1-800-876-7516. Neighbors may also submit written comment on agenda items in advance of the meeting using the e-comment feature on the city website.
The Gainesville City Commission will begin taking general public comment for City Commission meetings by voicemail recording. Neighbors may leave their 3-minute general public comment by dialing 352-334-5003. General public comment periods will end at 12 p.m. the Wednesday before the commission meeting. All voice recordings submitted before the deadline will be played during the designated General Public Comment period of the City Commission meeting. Voice recordings will be played in subsequent order until all comments have been played or the 30-minute time limit has been reached.
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At the time of publication, the following City Commission meetings/workshops have been scheduled:
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Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 3 p.m.: Joint City/County Commission meeting
Please note, the commission will be in recess Dec. 17-Jan. 3.
For a listing of other board/committee meetings and agendas, please click here.
Live meeting coverage is available on Cox Cable Channel 12 and the City of Gainesville website.
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