February 20, 2023

The Alachua County Commission will hold a Special Meeting on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, to discuss the proposed Newberry Meat Processing Facility. The meeting begins at 5 p.m. in the Jack Durrance Auditorium on the second floor of the County Administration Building (12 S.E. 1st Street, Gainesville).

In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Federal government provided Alachua County funding through the American Rescue Plan. Alachua County has budgeted $2.5 million to construct a USDA-certified meat processing facility/workforce training center.

Learn more about the meeting.

A new episode of Alachua County Talks featuring an interview with Alachua County Fire Rescue Chief Harold Theus is now available. The interview takes a detailed look at the services provided and accomplishments achieved by the men and women of Alachua County Fire Rescue.

Watch the interview.

In speaking of the interview, host Mark Sexton said, “Chief Theus has been a dedicated employee and public servant for the people of Alachua County for nearly 30 years. In his time as Fire Rescue Chief, the department has been through major changes and improvements.”

For more information about the Department visit Alachua County Fire Rescue.

Over the years, Alachua County has produced many videos highlighting the challenges and contributions of Black Americans. In honor of Black History Month, we will be replaying them throughout February on social media.

View some of these videos on the Alachua County Truth and Reconciliation website.

On June 26, 2018, the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners began a discussion of a process for Truth and Reconciliation to recall our history of racial injustice and repair what we can. The process was prompted by research completed by the Alachua County Historical Commission in response to the national Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) lynching research, including Alachua County. Local research confirmed the EJI list and more (since EJI begins at the end of Reconstruction in 1877), documenting 46 lynchings that occurred between 1867 and 1926.

Learn more about the Alachua County Truth and Reconciliation effort.

It takes a lot of work to become a firefighter. After over a month of training, Alachua County Fire Rescue held its largest-ever pinning ceremony. Nearly 45 new firefighters and EMTs were sworn in and will take to the road to help keep Alachua County safe.

Watch a video of the Pinning Ceremony.

Alachua County Forever, the County’s environmental land acquisition program, has closed on purchasing 189 acres of land from Betty and Joel Matthews. The closing was held on Friday, February 10, 2023, and protects over half a mile of frontage on the Santa Fe River. The voter-approved Wild Spaces and Public Places one-half-cent sales tax provided funding for this $841,798 conservation land purchase.

“Protecting family land through conservation provides an exciting way to combine a family legacy and love for their land with a healthier and more sustainable future for the next generations of Alachua County citizens,” said Alachua County Land Conservation and Management Program Manager Andi Christman.

Find out more about the purchase.

The Energy Efficiency and Weatherization of Affordable Housing Grant Program is designed to help lower utility bills for Alachua County residents by creating a fund to improve the energy efficiency of rental units. Participating units can request home upgrades ranging from better attic insulation to more energy-efficient electrical appliances such as stoves and air conditioners. This program is for renters in the unincorporated areas of Alachua County, and the County’s smaller municipalities.

Participants can receive up to $15,000 per rental unit. Participating property owners will be asked to commit to maintaining the unit's affordability for a length of time, depending on their chosen award amount. Participation in the program requires the consent of both the renter and the property owner.

Learn more about the program eligibility and read frequently asked questions.

View information on a similar program run by the City of Gainesville.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Alachua County $262,500 for implementing the "Alachua County Safe Streets and Roads for All Action Plan." The Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program is a new funding category created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Alachua County applied for the Grant in September 2022, and awards were made public on February 1, 2023.

The Safe Streets and Roads for All Action Plan will help Alachua County identify systemic safety deficiencies in our transportation network, develop policies and plans to address those deficiencies, and create a safer transportation system for all users. The Plan will include substantial outreach to all system users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers of motor vehicles. Additionally, the County will collaborate with its municipalities to develop equitable solutions to transportation safety concerns within those communities.

Learn more about the action plan.

On January 31, 2023, Alachua County and Alachua Conservation Trust partnered to protect 128 acres of conservation land along the Upper Santa Fe River. Through the $441,385 purchase of the Santa Fe River-Bell property, two-thirds of a mile of frontage on the Santa Fe river was acquired (with ACT purchasing 21 acres in Bradford County on the north side of the river and Alachua County purchasing 107 acres in Alachua County on the south side of the river).

Read more about the recent acquisition.

At their February 7, 2023, Meeting the Alachua County Commission approved two transformational 10-year plans: the ALACHUA COUNTY FOREVER Land Conservation and Management Program 10-Year Plan and the Alachua County Parks and Open Space Master Plan. The voter-approved Wild Spaces Public Places Surtax (WSPP) ½ penny will provide a projected $188 million for these efforts over the next ten years. The Commission decided on an 80%/20% split over the ten years, with Conservation Lands receiving $151 million and Parks and Open Spaces receiving $38 million.

Find out more about the plans.

The Alachua County Arts Council is pleased to announce the second annual Artists Conference, scheduled on Friday, May 5, 2023. This year’s conference is free to all attendees and will be held at Cuscowilla Nature and Retreat Center (210 S.E. 134 Ave, Micanopy). 

Those wishing to attend should complete and return the 2023 Artists Conference Registration Form to [email protected] by Friday, April 21. 

Learn more about the Artists Conference.

Alachua County, the St John’s Water Management District, and the Florida Nursery, Growers, and Landscape Association (FNGLA) are offering Florida Water Star Accredited Professional (FWS AP) training for the irrigation industry.

The free FWS AP training will be held at the UF/IFAS Alachua County Extension office (22712 W. Newberry Rd., Newberry) on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (lunch is provided by Site One Landscape Supply). Continuing education credits are available for Landscape Architects, FNGLA Certified Professionals, and Florida Water Star Professionals. While this training is free, participants must register online.

“Landscape irrigation is one of largest water uses in Alachua County,” said Alachua County Environmental Protection Department Water Resources Program Manager Stacie Greco. “We all need to do our part to use less water every day. One of the best ways to make sure we have enough groundwater to replenish our springs and for future generations to use is to reduce landscape irrigation and to ensure that irrigation systems are designed as efficiently as possible.”

Read more about the training.