Beaches Watch News & Updates
Get Involved!
Citizen Involvement is Key to Good Government!
August 1, 2023
Upcoming Events & Important Dates
TOWN HALL WITH JACKSONVILLE COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND
AT-LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS

Wednesday, August 2 at 7pm

LOCATION:
Beaches Branch Library
600 3rd St N, Neptune Beach

Guest Speakers:
Ron Salem, Jacksonville City Council President
Matt Carlucci, At-Large City Council
Terrance Freeman, At-Large City Council
Nick Howland, At-Large City Council
Chris Miller, At-Large City Council
RENEW YOUR 2023 MEMBERSHIP NOW!
Yearly memberships January thru December
CLICK HERE to renew/join!
Thank you for your continued support!

DISTRICT 13 COMMUNITY CONVERSATION WITH MAYOR DEEGAN
Tuesday, August 15 at 6-8pm
Location TBD

PENMAN ROAD COMMUNITY MEETING
Wednesday, August 16 at 5:30pm
Jacksonville Beach City Council Chambers

ATLANTIC BEACH BUDGET WORKSHOPS & MEETINGS
  • Aug. 7   Budget workshop; 5:30 p.m.
  • Aug. 24  Budget workshop (if necessary); 5:30 p.m.
Public Hearings for budget adoption:
  • 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 WORKSHOPS
Workshops Location: City Hall Training Room
  • Tuesday, 8/1 5-7pm: Police, Parks and Beaches Energy
  • Monday, 8/7 4-6pm: Public Works, Planning & Development, CRA
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, August 23 at 6pm
Location: City Commission Chambers

Will be held Thursdays, August 24 to November 16, 6:30 - 9:30pm
Jacksonville Beach Police Department
Anyone can apply to attend: CPA APPLICATION

SAVE THE DATE: State of Duval Schools
Wednesday, September 6 at 7pm
Location: Beaches Branch Library
Guest speakers: April Carney, District 2 School Board Representative and Dr. Dana Kriznar, Interim Duval Schools Superintendent

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
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Town Hall with Jacksonville City Council President and
At-Large Council Members - Wednesday, August 2
On Wednesday, August 2 at 7pm, Beaches Watch will host a Town Hall with the Jacksonville City Council President and At-Large Council members. The meeting will be held at the Beaches Branch Public Library, 600 Third Street, Neptune Beach, Florida and is open to the public. 
As a result of the 2023 elections, Jacksonville has new At-Large council members who were elected to represent all of Duval County. The Jacksonville Council also has a new Council President, Ron Salem, who is also an At-Large Council member. Because the At-Large Council members represent the beaches, this Town Hall will give 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 will also have an opportunity to discuss his priorities as Council President and how those priorities affect the beaches. All five At-Large Council members have confirmed their participation in the Town Hall: Council President Ron Salem and At-Large Council members Matt Carlucci, Terrance Freeman, Nick Howland and Chris Miller. There will also be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions.  
Beaches Watch President Maria Mark said, “This Town Hall is important because the At-Large Council members who represent all of Duval County need to get to know the beaches and our beaches citizens need to get to know them. The beaches need to have an open line of communication with our Jacksonville representatives to ensure our beaches communities are being heard with regard to Jacksonville issues that would impact the beaches.”
Penman Road Community Meeting Scheduled for
Wednesday August 16
Plan to attend this important Penman Road Community Meeting on August 16th!

The Penman Road Study and proposed concept for safety improvements will be discussed and will feature:
  • A representative from Council member Rory Diamond's Office
  • A representative from Engineering and Construction Management
  • A representative from Traffic Engineering
  • A representative from Peters And Yaffee, Inc.

The meeting will be at Jacksonville Beach City Hall Council Chambers from 5:30-7:00 PM.

At the July 10 Jacksonville Beach City Council Briefing, the City Engineer for the City of Jacksonville provided a presentation to the City Council about the proposed safety improvements. 

You can see the presentation: PENMAN ROAD PRESENTATION

You can see the proposed improvements for the entire length of the roadway here: PENMAN ROADWAY CONCEPT

To hear the City of Jacksonville presentation about the proposed: LISTEN TO THE JULY 10 CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING AUDIO 

It is important that citizens plan to attend this meeting to learn more about the proposed safety improvements and provide your feedback.
Applications Being Accepted for the
Jax Beach Citizen Police Academy
JACKSONVILLE BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY
Session XLIX

WHEN: August 24, 2023 – November 16, 2023
HOW OFTEN: Every Thursday Night from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
WHERE: Jacksonville Beach Police Department 101 Penman Road South, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
COST: $25 (Cash, Check, or Money Order)

THE ADVENTURE BEGINS! You are invited to join Session XLIX of the Citizen Police Academy (CPA) to find answers to common questions about law enforcement. You might also be asking…Why should I spend my free time listening to cops talking about their jobs? That is a fair question, but here is just a small sample of the many benefits you will receive from attending the CPA:

  • Classy-looking golf shirt with the CPA logo;
  • Notebook explaining police lingo, various laws, real crime reports, etc.;
  • In-depth examination of a real-life homicide;
  • Hands-on crime scene processing with our own C.S.I. expert;
  • Ride in the front seat of a police car (prisoners ride in back!);
  • Shoot a police officer’s gun at the firearms range;
  • Up-close look at a SWAT Team in operation; and
  • Free snacks each week.

When you attend the Jacksonville Beach Citizen Police Academy, you step into the real world of 21st century policing. Hint…it is not what you see in the media! We open the doors and shine a light on every aspect of the police department. On November 16th, the only question you will have left is, “What will I do with my Thursday nights now that the academy is over?!?”

If you want to be a part of this dynamic experience, complete and return the CPA APPLICATION by August 17, 2023, along with the $25 registration fee, to the attention of:

Eden Meyer
c/o Jacksonville Beach Police Department
101 Penman Road South
Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250

Please call Eden directly at 904-877-1016 with any questions. The class is limited to 28 people, so send in your application today. Please write legibly as we will contact you upon acceptance into the class.
Beaches Budget Meetings Scheduled
The beaches municipalities will be developing their budgets for fiscal year 2023-24 which begins October 1, 2023. Prior to approval of the new budget, the City Commission/Council will hold workshops to review the proposed budget. This is a great opportunity for citizens to learn about the proposed budget for fiscal year 2023-24 so you can provide your input prior to approval of the budget in September.

ATLANTIC BEACH BUDGET WORKSHOPS & MEETINGS

Atlantic Beach workshop and public hearing calendar, which is subject to change:

  • Monday, Aug. 7, 5:30pm: Budget workshop
  • Thursday, Aug. 24, 5:30pm: Budget workshop (if necessary)
  • 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.

For more information, you can view the CITY MANAGER'S JULY 25 PRESENTATION TO THE COMMISSION

For more information, and to provide input to City staff, call (904) 247-5804 or email info@coab.us. To provide input to the City Commission, email electedofficials@coab.us.


JACKSONVILLE BEACH BUDGET WORKSHOPS & PUBLIC HEARINGS

Workshops Location: City Hall Training Room

Tuesday, 8/1 5-7pm: Police, Parks and Beaches Energy
Monday, 8/7 4-6pm: Public Works, Planning & Development, CRA

Public Hearings to Adopt the Jax Beach 2024 Budget:
9/5, 5:30 PM: First Hearing
9/18, 5:30 PM: Second Hearing

**August 8, 5:00 - 7:00 PM, is being held as a tentative meeting date should the need arise for further discussion regarding the budget.

To review the proposed budget for FY2024: PROPOSED JAX BEACH FY2024 BUDGET

Budget Highlights Include:
  • 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.
Watch the Annual Beaches Police Panel Meeting Video
On Wednesday, July 12, Beaches Watch hosted the annual Beaches Police Panel to help our beaches residents understand not only what they need to know about police issues at the beaches but why they need to know that information.

Jacksonville Beach Police Chief Gene Paul Smith, Neptune Beach Commander Michael Key and Atlantic Beach Commander Tiffany Layson and Commander David Cameron provided updates about their respective departments. Issues they addressed included successes and challenges in the past year, information on guns, gangs, and drug activities at the beaches, updates on recent large events such as July 4th, hiring and retention, mass shooting preparations, and how citizens can support their police departments.

If you weren't able to attend the meeting, you can watch the meeting video here:
SERVE ON THE BEACHES WATCH BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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

Learn more about board member expectations, the vision, mission and core values of Beaches Watch and the history of the organization: Board Member Expectations and Information

If you are interested in serving on the Board, please complete the Beaches Watch Board Application.
JOIN OR RENEW FOR 2023!
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. 
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.
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!
What is Beaches Watch?
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.
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.