Blog Archives - The County Insider

The County Insider

Mega Pet Adoption Event April 17-April 19

3/31/2015

Are you currently looking for a four-legged friend? If so, you may want to attend the Mega Adoption Event taking place Friday, April 17th - Sunday, April 19th at the Jacksonville fairgrounds. There will be over 1,000 pets available for adoption, including many of the animals currently at Nassau County Animal Services.

All adopted pets come with free spay/neutering, microchip, vaccines, and City/County licenses. There are thousands of furry faces looking for their forever home, so don't forget to mark your calendar to come meet them!

-Sabrina Robertson
County Manager's Office

Nassau County's Health Rankings Increased in 2014

3/31/2015

According to a Press Release issued by the Florida Department of Health, Nassau County has moved up in the county health rankings in 2014 from 30 overall to 24 in the State of Florida. These rankings reflect a collaboration with local governments, non-profit organizations, health care facilities, business groups, schools, faith-based organizations and many other stakeholders dedicated to improving the health of Nassau County residents. The rankings compared data to physical environments, social and economic factors, health behaviors, and clinical care.

To view learn more about Health Department Initiatives and to view the Press Release, please click here.

-Sabrina Robertson
County Manager's Office

Totally Toxic & Electronics Recycling Event Scheduled

3/27/2015

Keep Nassau Beautiful and the Florida Department on Environmental Protection have partnered to host the annual Totally Toxic & Recycling Electronics Event on Saturday, April 18th. The event will take place in the Home Depot Parking Lot beginning at 9:00 a.m. The trucks will remain until 2:00 p.m., or until the trucks are full (whichever comes first).

This is a great opportunity for you to begin your spring cleaning by getting rid of those old electronics, paints, batteries, and fluorescent light bulbs. Please see the flyer on the left for a complete listing regarding the types of items that will be accepted. For more information, please contact Keep Nassau Beautiful at (904) 261-0165 or toll free at 1-800-977-0162.

-Sabrina Robertson
County Manager's Office

Town of Hilliard Donates $8,000 to the Friends of the Hilliard Branch Library

3/25/2015

The Town of Hilliard recently donated $8,000 to the Friends of the Hilliard Branch Library. These funds will be used to purchase books, magazines, and equipment for the Hilliard Branch. A big thank you to the Town of Hilliard for this much needed donation!

Pictured left to right: Library Branch Manager, Rosemary Szczygiel; Hilliard Town Mayor, David Buchanan; President of the Friends of the Hilliard Branch Library, J.W. Goodwin; Library Director, Dawn Bostwick; Friends of the Hilliard Branch Library Member, Donna Jennings; and Assistant Library Director, Janet Loveless.

-Sabrina Robertson
County Manager's Office

Nassau County Public Library Awarded Early Literacy Stations

3/24/2015

The Nassau County Public Library has received a grant from the State Library of Florida that provided them with 8 AWE Early Literacy Stations. Of the 500 public libraries in the State, only 34 were awarded these early literacy tools. These stations feature more than 70 educational software programs with over 4,000 educational games on subjects such as math, writing, geography, music and more. The systems contain a touchscreen device so they are easy for children to use, and because they do not require an Internet connection, they are safe to use.

The Library now has these systems at the Fernandina Beach Branch, the Callahan Branch, and the Hilliard Branch. To learn more about the AWE Early Literacy Systems, please visit the website. Or contact Library Director, Dawn Bostwick, at (904) 277-7365 or via e-mail at [email protected].

-Sabrina Robertson
County Manager's Office

Notice of Road Closure for Section of Bonnieview Road

3/24/2015

Please be advised that the segment of Bonnieview Road between Clinch Drive and Bonnie Oaks Drive will be closed to through traffic beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, March 30, 2015 for a cross drain repairs and will remain closed for approximately 45 days.

The Bonnieview Road Cross Drain Repair Project includes replacement of the cement headwalls, cleaning of the interior of the existing pipes, and sealing any cracks on the surface of the pipes in an effort to minimize potholes and maintain a smooth riding surface for motorists. It is anticipated that these repairs will extend the life of the drainage system by approximately 15-20 years. This segment of Bonnieview Road will also be resurfaced once the drainage project is complete.

We appreciate your patience and hope you will accept our apologies for any inconvenience this closure may cause. If at anytime you have questions, please feel free to contact to the contractor, Peter B. Kirby, President of Kirby Development, at (904) 821-5010 or via e-mail at [email protected]. You may also contact Nassau County Engineering Services at (904) 491-7330.

-Sabrina Robertson
County Manager's Office

2nd Annual Government Day Featuring Egg Hunt, Kids Zone, and Charity Softball Tournament

3/20/2015

Please join us for the 2nd Annual Government Day taking place on Saturday, April 4, 2015 at the Yulee Sports Complex. The gates will open to the public at 3:00 p.m. with various events scheduled throughout the afternoon. There will be a FREE kids zone complete with bounce houses, games, fun photos, and special appearances by Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and other surprise guests. Various organizations will be selling your favorite snacks such as hotdogs, soda, popcorn, snow cones, cotton candy, and more.

At 3:30 p.m., take your kids over to the football field for an Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the Nassau County School Board. There will be two age groups, ages 2-5 and ages 6-8, and prize baskets will be awarded for each age group. Don't forget to bring an Easter Basket or bag for your child to collect the eggs with.

At 4:00 p.m., head over to the softball field and watch the Nassau County Sheriff's Office and the Nassau County Property Appraiser's Office compete for this year's championship title. Will the Property Appraiser's Office be able to keep their title from last year, or will the Sheriff's Office prevail?

This is sure to be a fun and exciting day and you will not want to miss it. All proceeds will benefit four amazing charities: The Katie Ride & Walk, United Way of Northeast Florida, The James S. Page Scholarship Fund, and The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

For additional information, please contact Justin Taylor at (904) 491-7304 or via e-mail at [email protected].

-Sabrina Robertson
County Manager's Office

Flags at Half-Staff

3/17/2015

The County has received notice from Governor Rick Scott that all flags throughout the State of Florida shall be flown at Half-Staff through Friday, March 20, 2015, in respect of the seven U.S. Marines and four Louisiana Army National Guard Soldiers who lost their lives on a helicopter crash on Tuesday, March 10th. To view the memorandum from Governor Scott, please click here.

-Sabrina Robertson
County Manager's Office

Public Meeting Regarding the Baldwin Bypass at the I-10/US 301 Interchange

3/16/2015

The Florida Department of Transportation is holding a Public Meeting to discuss the proposed Baldwin Bypass and I-10/US 301 Interchange Projects in Baldwin and Duval County. The Baldwin Bypass Project will provide a new connection to the I-10/US 301 Interchange and a new roadway alignment that will bypass on-going congestion with the Town of Baldwin. The proposed project will consist of reconstructing ramps, building new ramps and bridge structures over US 301 and CSX Railroad. For up-to-date information regarding this project, visit www.US301northflorida.com.

The meeting will be held on Thursday, April 2, 2015 at the Baldwin Senior Center located at 850 North Center Street, Baldwin, FL. There will be an Open House beginning at 4:30 p.m., however the official meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Anyone with questions or concerns should contact the FDOT Project Manager, Jeff Daugharty at (904) 360-5575 or via e-mail at [email protected].

-Sabrina Robertson
County Manager's Office

Special Hazards Operations Team Completes Confined Space Course

3/12/2015

Nassau County Fire Rescue Special Hazards Operations Team (SHOTS) members completed their confined space course that was held January 29th through January 30th. Team members gained knowledge and expertise that will be used in the event someone becomes trapped in a area that requires a confined space permit to enter. The class was paid for by the International Association of Firefighters.

Nassau County Fire Rescue would like to give a special thanks to Rayonier for allowing the team to train on site in order to better prepare them for the realities that they may face during a rescue.

-Megan Sawyer
Office of Management & Budget