September 9, 2026

Highlights from the Sept. 8, 2026 County Commission Meeting

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

Millage Rates

The County Commission gave the first of two needed approvals to adopt the millage rates for Fiscal Year 2027.

The county is adopting a rollback rate of 7.2107 mills, a reduction of 0.3893 mills, generating an estimated $83.9 million. The reduction marks the 10th consecutive year the county has reduced the millage rate, going down 1.7183 mills (19.24%) over that period.

The Municipal Service Taxing Unit (MSTU) – Law Enforcement will remain the same at 3.5678 mills, generating an estimated $37 million.

Read the complete highlights for this meeting.

Residential Curbside Collection Changes Begin Oct. 1

Alachua County residents living in the unincorporated area will soon see changes to their residential curbside collection service as part of a new agreement with GFL Solid Waste Southeast, which takes effect Oct. 1, 2026.

Changes include collection day schedules and new limits for yard trash, bulky items and large appliances. These changes will rebalance collection routes to improve service.

Understanding TRIM Notices: What Alachua County Government Actually Charges

TRIM notices include taxes and assessments from several different taxing authorities. Alachua County government is not responsible for the entire tax bill.

The county’s 2025 millage rate was 7.6000 mills. For 2026, the County Commission has proposed the rollback rate of 7.2107 mills. This marks the 10th consecutive year the County Commission has lowered the countywide millage rate.

For this property, even though the taxable value increased by nearly $7,000, the County General property tax decreased from $1,754.79 to $1,714.76 — a reduction of $40.03.

Learn more about TRIM notices.

Florida Water Star Training for the Irrigation Industry

Alachua County is partnering with the St. Johns River and Southwest Florida water management districts, the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA) and Irritech Training to offer Florida Water Star Accredited Professional (FWS AP) training for irrigation industry professionals.

The FWS Accredited Professional training will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the UF/IFAS Alachua County Extension Office (22712 W. Newberry Road, Newberry). Lunch will be provided. Continuing education credits are available for landscape architects, FNGLA Certified Professionals and Florida Water Star Professionals.

“Landscape irrigation is one of the largest water uses in Alachua County,” said Eliana Bardi, senior planner with the Alachua County Environmental Protection Department. “We all need to do our part to use less water every day and eliminate water waste. Alachua County is currently experiencing an extreme water shortage. Ensuring irrigation systems are designed as efficiently as possible, regularly maintained and free of leaks is essential to protecting our groundwater supply, which also feeds our springs and rivers.”

Find out more about the Florida Water Star training.

Volunteers Needed for Advisory Boards

Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity that allows you to give back to your community and participate in your county's decision-making process? Serving on an Alachua County advisory board offers you this chance. The Alachua County Commission relies on input from these boards to make informed decisions and set policies.

Over 250 citizens serve on the advisory boards advising county government and local agencies on many topics. They include affordable housing, economic development, environmental protection, human rights, county finances, and many other issues. The County Commission seeks citizen volunteers to serve on several advisory boards.

For example, the Citizen’s Climate Advisory Committee has three vacancies. The committee provides an opportunity for citizen involvement in climate change issues and concerns affecting Alachua County, the City of Gainesville, and the surrounding municipalities.