Beaches Watch News & Updates |
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Upcoming Events & Important Dates |
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STATE OF OUR SCHOOLS
Wednesday, September 6 at 7pm
LOCATION:
Beaches Branch Library
600 3rd St N, Neptune Beach
Guest Speakers:
April Carney, District 2 School Board Representative
Dr. Dana Kriznar, Interim Superintendent of Duval Schools
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RENEW YOUR 2023 MEMBERSHIP NOW!
Yearly memberships January thru December
Thank you for your continued support!
CITY MEETING DATE CHANGES DUE TO LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
Jacksonville Beach City Council: Tuesday, September 5 at 6pm
Neptune Beach City Council: Tuesday, September 5 at 6pm
BEACHES PRAYER VIGIL FOR DOLLAR GENERAL VICTIMS
Tuesday, September 5 at 6pm
Location: St. Pauls by the Sea Episcopal Church, 465 11th Ave N, Jax Beach
ATLANTIC BEACH BUDGET MEETINGS
- Sept. 13 First of two City Commission public hearings and votes on the budget/millage rate
- Sept. 25 Second of two City Commission public hearings and votes on the budget/millage rate.
JACKSONVILLE BEACH BUDGET MEETINGS
Public Hearings for budget adoption:
- Tuesday, September 5 at 5:30pm
- Monday, September 18 at 5:30pm
ATLANTIC BEACH CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETING: 4th Wed. at 6pm
Wednesday, September 27 at 6pm
Location: City Commission Chambers
SATURDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS, 10AM - 2PM
Beaches Green Market
Location: Penman Park, 321 Penman Rd, Jacksonville Beach
SUNDAYS, 10AM - 2PM
Atlantic Beach Farmer's Market
Location: Jack Russell Park, 850 Seminole Rd, Atlantic Beach
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"State of Our Schools" Meeting Scheduled for
Wednesday, September 6
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Beaches Watch will host a “State of Our Schools” meeting on Wednesday, September 6 at 7:00 p.m. at the Community Room of the Beaches Branch Library, 600 3rd St., Neptune Beach. The meeting is open to the public.
Guest speakers will be April Carney, the beaches District 2 School Board representative, and Interim Superintendent Dr. Dana Kriznar. Topics to be discussed include: updates on District 2 schools, the half cent sales tax, hiring of the new superintendent, the Duval Schools budget, teacher recruitment, student enrollment and school safety. There will also be an opportunity for the audience to ask questions.
Since 2004, Beaches Watch has been educating beaches citizens on local issues with informational speakers at their monthly meetings, candidate forums for area elections, and special community programs.
“Beaches Watch promotes educated citizen involvement in state and local issues that impact our quality of life. This important meeting will educate and engage beaches citizens in the Duval County School Board issues that impact our beaches schools,” said Beaches Watch President Maria Mark.
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Nominations Sought for 2023 Give-Back Donation
Deadline: November 5
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The Beaches Watch Board of Directors is requesting the submission of nominations for the 14th Annual Beaches Watch Give-Back donation. This $500 donation recognizes a nonprofit organization that helps enrich the lives of beaches residents. Nominated organizations must be a registered Florida nonprofit that primarily serves the beaches communities of Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach and/or Neptune Beach. Prior recipients are not eligible for consideration for 3 years after they received the Give-Back donation.
Prior recipients have been Dial-A-Ride, Beaches Council for the Disabled, the Ish Brandt Beautification Committee, Lend An Ear Outreach Ministries, Beaches Community Kitchen and Beaches Fine Arts Series, Deck the Chairs and the American Red Cross Lifesaving Corps, the Coastal Marine Science Service Club, BEAM Grace Garden, Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol, Beaches Go Green, Our Father's Housewares, BEAM and Beaches Council on Aging.
Please submit nominations by midnight Sunday, November 5, 2023.
"As we approach the season of giving, Beaches Watch is proud to present our 'Give Back' donation to a worthy nonprofit organization at the beach to show our appreciation for all they are doing to enhance the quality of life for our beaches citizens," said Beaches Watch interim President Maria Mark.
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Watch the Town Hall with Jacksonville City Council President and At-Large Council Members |
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On Wednesday, August 2, Beaches Watch hosted a Town Hall with the Jacksonville City Council President and At-Large Council members. The At-Large Council members also represent the beaches and this Town Hall gave beaches citizens an opportunity to meet the Jacksonville At-Large Council members, hear their priorities for the coming year and discuss issues important to the beaches. Council President Ron Salem also had an opportunity to discuss his priorities as Council President and how those priorities affect the beaches.
If you were unable to attend the Town Hall, you can watch the meeting video here:
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Beaches Budget Hearings Scheduled |
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The beaches municipalities have developed their budgets for fiscal year 2023-24 which begins October 1, 2023. Prior to approval of the new budget, the City Commission/Council held workshops to review the proposed budgets. Now the cities will hold public hearings to approve their 2023-24 budgets.
ATLANTIC BEACH BUDGET HEARINGS
- Monday, Sept. 11: First of two City Commission public hearings and votes on the budget/millage rate
- Monday, Sept. 25: Second of two City Commission public hearings and votes on the budget/millage rate.
JACKSONVILLE BEACH BUDGET PUBLIC HEARINGS
Tuesday, September 5 at 5:30 PM: First Public Hearing
Monday, September 18 at 5:30 PM: Second Public Hearing
Budget Highlights Include:
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The proposed budget has been prepared using an unchanged millage rate of 3.9947 per $1,000 of assessed taxable value, 18.9% lower than the statewide average of 4.9275.
- The City’s total proposed budget is $212,809,512. The budget is $10,644,895 or 4.8% lower than the current year.
- The General Fund’s proposed budget is $28,677,150. Property taxes represent 57.2% of General Fund revenues. 51% of the General Fund’s total budget is used to pay for police and fire services.
- Using the proposed millage rate, a homeowner in Jacksonville Beach with an assessed median value of $285,780 (and a homestead exemption of $50,000) can expect to pay $4,314 in property taxes. Of that amount, $942 (or $78.49 per month) will be paid to the City of Jacksonville Beach.
- City-wide total taxable property values increased by $501,727,508 or 10.5%, which includes new construction of $48,253,648. Taxable values in the redevelopment districts increased by $114,269,695 or 9%; taxable values for the rest of the City increased by $387,458,813, or 10.2%
- This budget makes it possible to continue to provide a level of services that our citizens expect and to set aside funds for longer-term projects such as facilities and park maintenance.
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SERVE ON THE BEACHES WATCH BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
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If you are interested in serving on the Beaches Watch board, we are currently seeking persons with any of the following experience:
- Finance/accounting
- Membership recruitment/retention
- Public relations/Marketing
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Beaches Watch Memberships
Memberships are valid from January thru December and available to residents of Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach.
Your membership fees and donations will be used to support the following Beaches Watch programs for 2023:
- Costs for virtual Zoom meetings
- Friend of the Beaches Award
- Fland Sharp Memorial Scholarship awarded to a deserving Fletcher High senior
- Give Back Donation for a worthy beaches nonprofit
- Candidate forums so beaches citizens can learn about the candidates who will represent them in elected office
- Monthly meeting programs
Membership fees:
- $15 for individual
- $20 for family
- $5 for student
- $15 for non-resident supporter (for supporters who don't live in Atlantic Beach, Jax Beach or Neptune Beach)
PAY ONLINE
To make it easier, you can pay your membership securely online through Paypal. It only takes a few minutes and will help save money and be kind to the environment.
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DONATIONS
In addition to your membership fee, donations are also appreciated to support the programs Beaches Watch provides to enrich our quality of life at the beaches.
DONATE TO THE FLAND SHARP MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND:
A Jacksonville Beach native and graduate of Fletcher High School, Fland Sharp was a life-long resident of the beaches who loved his community and enriched the beaches quality of life through his community involvement and public service. The Beaches Watch Board of Directors believes the Fland Sharp Memorial Scholarship will serve to inspire a deserving Fletcher High School senior to follow in Fland's footsteps of dedicated community involvement.
Your donation will be used in its entirety to provide a monetary scholarship to a deserving Fletcher High School senior.
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MAIL YOUR MEMBERSHIP AND DONATION
If you would prefer to mail us your support, CLICK HERE to download the membership form.
With your support, you will help us continue our mission to promote and facilitate educated and productive citizen involvement in local and state decisions that affect the quality of life of our beaches communities in Duval County.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!
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Beaches Watch is a non-profit, non-partisan civic organization whose mission is to promote and facilitate educated and productive citizen involvement in local and state government decisions that affect the future of our northeast Florida beaches communities. We achieve this by raising, monitoring and researching issues; providing factual issue information to the general public and government officials; encouraging citizen participation in the solutions to beaches growth and quality of life issues and organizing citizens for action. |
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BEACHES WATCH,INC. REGISTRATION # CH18582
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
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