04/27/17 @ 10:00 a.m. - The Office of State Representative Cord Byrd, Farm Share, and various First Responders have partnered to host a Free Food Giveaway on Saturday, May 13th from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Florida State Community College (FSCJ) in Yulee.

Their goal is to feed 1,000 families and they will be offering bags of healthy groceries on a first come, first served basis. There is no eligibility or income requirements. Interested persons should check the weather to ensure they are prepared to wait in line comfortably and people with problems standing should bring a folding chair. Don't forget to bring something to help you carry bags of groceries!

If you have any questions, please contact Representative Byrd's Office at (904) 548-9333.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

On Thursday, May 11, 2017, West Nassau High School's Best Buddies Club will be hosting the 3rd Annual Battle of the Badges Event where members of the Nassau County Sheriff's Office and City of Fernandina Beach Fire Department will face off against Nassau County Fire Rescue and the City of Fernandina Beach Fire Department.

The event will begin at 6:00 p.m. with Special Olympics athletes competing in a pre-game event, followed by the main game at 7:00 p.m. There will also be half-time activities and surprises throughout the night.

Admission is $5 at the door, however kids 10 and under are free. There will also be concessions for sale before and during the games. All proceeds will benefit the Special Olympics.

Come show your support of your local firefighters and law enforcement while raising money for a great cause!

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

4/26/17 @ 11:05 a.m. - The Nassau County Library System will be hosting a series of discussions related to Florida's history. Participants will learn about discoveries that have been made throughout the State, as well as significant milestones in the past and present.

Each series will take place at Florida State Community College - Nassau Campus in the David Yulee Room. Please see below schedule of events or view the attached flyer:

Monday, May 1, 2017 from 2:00-3:00 p.m.
The State of Research in Northeast Florida History, presented by David Michael Holt, FSCJ Department of History.

Monday, May 22, 2017 from 3:00-4:00 p.m.
John Muir's Footsteps in Florida, 150th Anniversary, presented by John Hendricks, West Nassau Historical Society.

Monday, June 12, 2017 from 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Fantastic Archaeology: Florida Frauds, Myths & Mysteries, presented by Emily Jane Murray, Florida Public Archaeology Network.

Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations in order to participate should contact the FSCJ library at (904) 548-4467 or Florida Relay Service at (800) 955-8771 at least 5 days in advance to request accommodations.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

Though the last Burn Ban was issued through Wednesday, April 26th, the Board went ahead and approved a new Resolution extending the Burn Ban through May 1, 2017 in lieu of having a Special Meeting on Wednesday to extend it. Florida Statute, Chapter 252.28(3)(5) only allows for local governments to issue Burn Bans in 7 day increments. Attached is a copy of the new Resolution No. 2017-85.

The Burn Ban still applies to burning of yard debris and trash and does not pertain to cooking on monitored barbeque equipment or permits issue by the Florida Forest Service.

If you suspect someone of burning, please call 9-1-1. Any calls related to the Burn Ban should be directed to Nassau County Fire/Rescue at (904) 530-6600.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

4/25/17 @ 8:45 a.m. - The Friends of the Library will be holding a book sale this weekend and all proceeds will benefit the Fernandina Beach Library. The sale will be held in the Peck Gymnasium located at 516 South 10th Street in Fernandina Beach and will feature thousands of books, CDs, DVDs, and audio books.

The event begins on Thursday, April 27th from 5:00-7:00 p.m. with a special preview for Friends of the Library members. If you are not a member but wish to get a sneak peak of all the great things they have to offer, you can join at the door!

The doors will open to the general public on Friday, April 28th from 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, April 29th from 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

If you have any questions, please contact the Fernandina Beach Library at (904) 530-6500.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

4/24/17 @ 11:05 a.m. - Each year, the Board of County Commissioners select a volunteer to be recognized at the Nassau County Volunteer Center's Annual Awards Luncheon. Nominations are submitted from the various County departments that utilize volunteers, as well as from employees wishing to nominate co-workers who volunteer their time in the community.

We are pleased to announce Nassau County's 2017 Volunteer of the Year, Tiffanie Tudor! In addition to being a full-time student at UNF, Tiffanie donated over 1,000 to Nassau County Animal Services last year. Her commitment to the animals at the shelter has been outstanding. Tiffanie implemented the Forget Me Not Program which encourages high school students to earn volunteer hours for Bright Future Scholarships by volunteering at the shelter. Since inception of the program, Nassau County Animal Services has seen a drastic increase in high school aged volunteers. One recent Saturday, there were actually more volunteers than dogs to walk!

Tiffanie photographs all the pets at the shelter and promotes them through local rescue groups, fundraising events, and through social media. Tiffanie also manages Animal Services’ Instagram page and since she took over, there has been a large increase in followers. All of these efforts lead to extra exposure of the adoptable pets at the shelter and ultimately leads to more pets finding a home.

Tiffanie has earned respect and gratitude of the employees and volunteers of Animal Services, as well as the high school students in which she leads to volunteering their time at the shelter. When asked why she volunteers, Tiffanie stated that it brings her joy providing animals with the love they deserve while waiting to be adopted and that she aspires to be a glimmer of hope for each shelter animal that she interacts with. Animal Services Director, Tim Maguire stated that “We truly appreciate all Tiffanie does and we are certain that if animals could talk, they would express their love and gratitude to Tiffanie as well!”

Congratulations Tiffanie on being selected as Nassau County's Volunteer of the Year for 2016. We appreciate all that you do!

Note: Tiffanie was recognized at the Volunteer Luncheon on Thursday, April 20th, and she will also be recognized with a Resolution at tonight's Board of County Commissioner's meeting. Anyone wishing to see this presentation by the Board can watch the meeting live on our website, or can watch the archived video which will be available upon conclusion of the meeting.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

4/21/17 @ 2:00 p.m. - The Florida Department of Transportation has provided the below lane closure information for the week of April 22 - April 28, 2017. Please note there is a daytime lane closure beginning Sunday, April 23rd at 5:00 p.m.

SUBJECT: LANE CLOSURE INFORMATION 
Job Description: SR-200 Reconstruction (W of Rubin Rd. to E of CR 107 Scott Rd.)
Financial Project Number: 210712-4-52-01 & 210712-4-56-01
Federal Aid Project Number: 4881064P
Contract Number: T2579
County - Section Number: Nassau - 74060
 
SPECIFIC LOCATION OF THE CLOSURE:
 
Daytime/Nighttime

• SR 200 EB Right Lane/WB Left Lane from Chester Rd to Blackrock Rd; Sunday, 04/23/17, 5:00 PM – 6:00 AM

 
Nighttime:    

• SR 200 EB Left Lane/WB Left Lane from Chester Rd to Blackrock Rd; Monday, 04/24/17 & Tuesday, 04/25/17, 9:00 PM – 6:00 AM
• NB St. Peter Blvd at SR 200; Monday, 04/24/17 & Tuesday, 04/25/17, 9:00 PM – 6:00 AM
• SR 200 EB Right Lane from Chester Rd to Blackrock Rd; Wednesday, 04/26/17 – Friday, 04/28/17, 9:00 PM – 6:00 AM
• SB St. Peter Blvd at SR 200; Wednesday, 04/26/17 & Thursday, 04/27/17, 9:00 PM – 6:00 AM
• SR 200 EB Right Lane from Miner Rd to St. Peter Blvd; Friday, 04/28/17, 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM

 
REASON FOR THE CLOSURE (Type of Construction Maintenance Activity):
Utility Crossing
Asphalt Paving
Install Low Profile Barrier Wall
 
PROJECT ENGINEER OR CONTACT PERSON AND TELEPHONE NUMBER:
ETM                                        
Carrie Smithheart, PA              
Office: (904) 265-3170          
Cell: (904) 509-9007     

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office       
 
 
 

  

  

    

    

    

    

4/21/17 @ 11:45 a.m. - On Saturday, April 15, 2017, the Board of County Commissioners hosted the 4th Annual Government Day Event at the Yulee Sports Complex. The event included a free egg hunt sponsored by the School Board, kids zone with bounces houses and slides, $1 snacks, and three exciting games of softball played by County employees.

Each team represented one of the four charities benefitting from the event: Team James Page Scholarship (Yellow); Team JDRF (Red); Team United Way (Green); and Team Katie Ride (Blue). Team JDRF and Team United Way won their first game and faced each other in the main feature game, however it was Team United Way who won the tournament with a final score of 22 to 14.

We are happy to report that a total of $2,136.80 was raised and will be divided equally between all four charities! A big thank you to all the employees who donated their time to this event, to Fire/Rescue Professionals Local 3101 for cooking, and to the public who came out and supported us.

And a big thank you to all the event sponsors:

• AMC Movie Theatre
• CBC National Bank
• First Coast Community Bank
• First Federal Bank
• Flash Foods
• Florida Public Utilities
• Gate
• Harden & Associates
• Jan Vann
• Justin Taylor
• Publix
• Rick Keffer Dodge
• RPM Lumber
• Shucker's Oyster Bar
• The House of Bounce
• The OMNI Amelia Island Plantation
• The Residence Inn
• The Ritz Carlton

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

4/20/17 @ 2:30 p.m. - On Wednesday, April 19, 2017, the Board of County Commissioners approved the attached Resolution commending governmental agencies, businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and individuals for the assistance and support provided during the Bryceville Wildfire that occurred on March 22, 2017.

Chairman Leeper began by reading the Resolution and then asked each group to stand when called upon until everyone that provided assistance was recognized. There were hundreds of people in attendance, a majority of which were men and women in uniform from Nassau County Fire/Rescue, the Sheriff's Office, surrounding counties, cities and towns, State agencies from Florida and Georgia, and local volunteer fire departments. It was an amazing site to see! Chairman Leeper commended all safety personnel for all they did to keep the Bryceville residents safe, as well as for what they do to keep all the citizens safe on a daily basis. Chairman Leeper stated, "This is just a small token of appreciation for a job well done. Many times we tend to focus on loss, but let's celebrate what was saved".  

Chairman Leeper then asked if anyone in the audience had any comments or stories they would like to share. First to appear at the podium was Emergency Management Director, Billy Estep, who commended emergency personnel and expressed his gratitude to the faith based groups and individuals who have been going to door to door to make sure unmet needs are being taken care of. He indicated that these efforts "speak volumes about our community". Pastor Terry Darby of the Bryceville First Baptist Church echoed Chairman Leeper's comments and said it was "truly amazing to see all the homes that were spared".

Next, Assistant Fire Chief, Scott Hemmingway, came forward to thank the Board for supporting Nassau County Fire/Rescue, and gave a special thank you to all the agencies that assisted Nassau County by sending first responders and for allowing us to utilize their equipment to contain the fire.

District Manager for the Florida Forest Service, Jennifer Hart, stated that the continued flow of response was a result of cross training and communication between the agencies. She thanked the Board for supporting training events that allow agencies to work together and to practice response techniques for a real emergency.

Last to approach the podium was Sheriff Bill Leeper who stated, "I truly appreciate all that these men and women have done. No one agency can do this alone and we are thankful for the surrounding agencies that lent their assistance".

The recognition ceremony reminded everyone in attendance that we are fortunate to live in a community where people are always willing to be above and beyond to help a neighbor in need. Board of County Commissioner meetings are recorded and can be streamed on the County's website. If you would like to watch this special recognition ceremony, please click here.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

At the Board of County Commissioner's meeting held this morning, the Board approved the attached Resolution extending the Burn Ban through April 26, 2017. Please note that the Special Meeting scheduled for tomorrow to extend the Burn Ban has been cancelled since this issue was handled today at the Board's regular meeting.
 
To report burning of yard debris or trash, please call 9-1-1. If you have any questions related to the Burn Ban, please contact Nassau County Fire/Rescue at (904) 530-6600.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

4/20/17 @ 9:30 a.m.- On Thursday, April 13, 2017, the Nassau County Extension Office held their annual Volunteer Luncheon to recognize individuals in the County who donate their time to Extension programs. In 2016, these volunteers gave nearly 4,000 hours facilitating plant and landscape classes to teach homeowners how to care for their plants, how to identify diseases, and how to select plants that will flourish in their landscape. Nassau County residents saved over $87,000 utilizing these services in lieu of hiring professionals. Volunteers also provided nearly 3,000 hours working with Nassau County youth through the 4-H program. Examples of services provided include food and fitness classes in the schools, teaching youth how to care for livestock, organizing 4-H clubs, and serving as counselors for summer camps.

During the Volunteer Luncheon, 14 individuals were recognized for providing more than 100 hours each last year. Those individuals are: Carol Ann Atwood, Janet Barnes, Shirley Lohman, Georgiann Leahy, Sue Ray, Elaine Roblez, Susanne Schlaifer, Karl Shaffer, Joseph Smith, Joanne Templeton, Kathy Warner, Claudie Witcher, Bea Walker, and Sandy Barron.  

Several County Officials were in attendance including Commissioner George Spicer who led the prayer, and Commissioner Justin Taylor who spoke on the importance of volunteerism. The program ended with employees singing their own version of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", using lyrics specific to the Extension Office and falling in line with this year's event theme, "It's a Jungle Out There".  

The Board of County Commissioners would like to commend County Extension staff for a job well done! They also extend their gratitude to all of the volunteers, especially the 14 individuals who went above and beyond to help the citizens of Nassau County. The dedication you have demonstrated and the commitment you have made to improve the quality of life for your fellow citizens reflects great credit upon you. Thank you for all you do!

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

4/19/17 @ 10:00 a.m. - Nassau County Animal Services and the Nassau Humane Society have partnered to bring you the Adopt-A-Palooza Event this Saturday, April 22, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. This event will take place simultaneously at both locations, each featuring their own fun activities.

Please see below for additional information.




Nassau County Animal Services Event:
86078 License Road, Fernandina Beach

- Friends of Animals in Nassau & Cats Angels will be hosting a Ribbon Cutting for the new outdoor cat enclosure
- Receive one raffle ticket for each bag or case of pet food donated to win a prize!
- Free Face painting and more

Nassau Humane Society Event:
639 Airport Road, Fernandina Beach

- Free entry to dog park (must show proof of UTD Rabies, Distemper, Bordetella vaccines)
- Receive one raffle ticket for each bag or case of pet food donated to win a prize!
- Local vendors
- Fun activities and more

Admissions and parking for both events is free and will feature the above activities and refreshments. There will be many adoptable pets available with special pricing starting at $25 for dogs and $10 for cats. All pets are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and micro-chipped.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

4/18/17 @ 10:30 a.m. - The Nassau County Extension Office will be providing a nutrition and movement program for second grade students at Southside Elementary as part of Every Kid Healthy Week which is observed the annually during the last week of April. This YUM (Youth Understanding MyPlate) event will take place on Wednesday, April 26th and will involve a six lesson curriculum designed to teach children the message of MyPlate, a national initiative which focuses on adding healthy choices to your plate for every meal. Attached is a flyer with additional information.

In addition to the special event at Southside Elementary, the Florida Department of Health WIC Program is promoting healthy eating and physical activity to parents with young children that participate in the WIC Program. For additional information about this program, please call Tiffanie Newman Kennedy at (904) 530-6873.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

4/13/17 @ 4:40 p.m. - Just a reminder that the 4th Annual Government Day will be held this Saturday, April 15th at the Yulee Sports Complex. This event will feature a FREE Easter Egg Hunt with approximately 1,000 eggs with prizes, and a kid's zone with bounce house, slide, face-paining and other exciting activities, all for a one time entry fee of $5. There will also be $1 hotdogs, drinks, and snacks. All proceeds benefit four wonderful charities: The United Way, The James Page Scholarship Fund, the Katie Ride and Walk, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Schedule of Events:
The gates will open at 11:00 a.m. and the Easter Egg Hunt will take place at approximately 11:10 a.m., immediately following welcome messages from State Representative Cord Byrd and Senator Aaron Bean. Please don't forget to bring a basket for your child to collect eggs!

County employees will play in three softball games with Elected Officials serving as umpires and commentators. The first two games will begin at approximately 11:30 a.m. and the championship game will take place at 1:00 p.m.

We look forward to seeing you there!

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

4/13/17 @ 3:35 p.m. - At a Special Meeting held today, the Board of County Commissioners approved the attached Resolution extending the Burn Ban through April 20, 2017. Another Special Meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. for the Board to determine whether or not the Burn Ban will need to be extended. By Florida Statute, Section 252.38(3)(5), Burn Bans can only be declared locally for seven days at a time, but can be extended as needed in seven day increments.

The Burn Ban prohibits burning of yard debris and trash. It does not pertain to cooking on attended and monitored barbeque equipment or to permits issued by the Division of Forestry.  If you need to report someone for burning, please call 9-1-1. Questions related to the Burn Ban should be directed to Fire/Rescue Headquarters at (904) 530-6600.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office