August 27, 2025

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE AUGUST 26, 2025

COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING

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

Sports and Event Center transition

The County Commission approved a transition plan that would bring operations and management of the Alachua County Sports and Event Center under the Department of Tourism and Economic Development.

The county will now oversee staffing, programming, booking, maintenance, and management of the 130,000-square-foot facility.

The operations of the facility are projected to cost nearly $2.16 million, which will be funded by a combination of revenue from events and rentals, and the tourist development tax (collected from visitors, not residents).

The commission also approved adding three positions to operate the facility, including a sports tourism and events manager.

Read the complete highlights for this meeting.

Alachua County urges residents to sign up for Smart911, use Text-to-911

Alachua County Fire Rescue’s 9-1-1 Office, in partnership with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department, Gainesville Fire Rescue, and the Combined Communications 9-1-1 Center, is proud to introduce Smart911, a free and secure public safety tool available to all residents.

Smart911 allows individuals and families to create a personalized safety profile at www.smart911.com. When someone calls 9-1-1 from a registered phone number, the profile automatically displays to operators, providing details about the caller, household members, medical needs and even pets or vehicles. Officials said the information helps first responders respond more quickly and effectively in emergencies.

“This service allows residents to plan for an emergency,” said Alachua County 9-1-1 Section Chief A. Keith Godwin. “The more information first responders have before arriving, the quicker they can provide lifesaving help.”

Learn more about Smart911.

Labor Day Schedules and Waste Collection

All Alachua County government offices (except emergency services) will be closed on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Residential curbside collection service for solid waste, recycling, and yard trash will not be affected by the Labor Day holiday. In addition, the Hazardous Waste Collection Center and the Leveda Brown Environmental Park and Transfer Station will be open during regularly scheduled hours on Monday, Sept. 1.

The five Alachua County Rural Collection Centers and the Office of Waste Collection will be closed on Monday, Sept. 1. They will resume normal schedules on Tuesday, Sept. 2.

For more information, contact Alachua County Solid Waste and Resource Recovery Director Gus Olmos at 352-338-3233.

The holiday does not affect the Alachua County Animal Resources schedule. The office and shelter are closed on Monday, per their regular schedule.

Animal Resources Officers respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays, to matters affecting public safety and animals in immediate danger. Citizens should dial 911 to report such emergencies on Sundays, holidays, and between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m.

Alachua County Animal Resources can be reached at 352-264-6870 during regular hours (Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., excluding holidays).

DOH-Alachua Issues Mosquito-Borne Illness Advisory

The Florida Department of Health in Alachua County (DOH-Alachua) advises residents that there has been an increase in mosquito-borne disease activity in areas of Alachua County. Several sentinel chickens have tested positive for West Nile virus infection. DOH-Alachua, Alachua County, and local municipal mosquito control departments are coordinating surveillance and prevention efforts by continued monitoring, larviciding breeding sites, and adulticiding certain areas within the county.

Find out more about the advisory.

County Seeks Input on Commission District Maps

The Alachua County Commission invites citizens to share proposed maps for how County Commission districts should be drawn. This process provides an opportunity for residents to help shape the boundaries for the county.

Citizens are encouraged to submit maps that meet the following minimum requirements:

Five Districts: Maps must contain exactly five districts, and all geographic areas of Alachua County must be included in one — and only one — district.
Equal Population: Districts should be generally equal in population to ensure fair representation.
Boundary Alignment: District boundaries must follow the edges of current Supervisor of Elections voting precincts or 2020 U.S. Census Blocks.
File Format: Submissions must be provided in shapefile or KML/KMZ file formats.

The deadline for submissions will be Sept. 5, 2025.

Citizen should submit their maps online.

View relevant GIS data.

Any data submitted will become the property of Alachua County and will be subject to Florida Public Record laws (F.S. 119).

Local Mitigation Strategy Working Group Meeting

acAlachua County Emergency Management invites the public to participate in the Alachua County Local Mitigation Strategy Working Group meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, from 2 to 4 p.m. The meeting is in person at the Alachua County Emergency Operations Center (1100 SE 27th St., Gainesville).

This meeting continues the multi-step process of updating the county’s Local Mitigation Strategy Plan, which is updated on a five-year cycle. This meeting will review the draft version of the plan.

“This working group is responsible for maintaining the Local Mitigation Strategy Plan,” said Alachua County Emergency Management Director Jen Grice. “The document is intended to guide efforts to protect life, property, and the environment from natural or technological hazards.”

UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County names new family and consumer sciences agent

UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County has named Ebony Griffin as its new family and consumer sciences agent.

Griffin joined UF/IFAS Extension in 2018 through the Family Nutrition Program in Broward County, first working as a part-time office assistant before becoming a nutrition educator.

She later served as extension program manager for the North Central Region, where she supervised six nutrition educators across seven counties. In 2024, she joined the state team as a youth program specialist.

Griffin holds a master’s degree in education from Nova Southeastern University. She spent nearly a decade teaching K–12 general education and theater in Broward County schools and community youth programs. A certified chef and graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, she specializes in American and French cuisine. She also has experience in radio, publishing and online cooking content.

In her new role, Griffin will lead programs in food preservation, food safety, culinary arts, food entrepreneurship and community outreach.