5/11/17 @ 4:40 p.m. - The Emergency Operations Center is currently at a Level 2 activation which means that EOC Command and General staff are represented at the EOC and are continuously monitoring the potential for wildfire in our County.

Residents west of County Road 121 and south of County Road 108 to the Duval line were advised yesterday to begin making preparations for a possible evacuation. If you have not yet signed up for citizen alerts, please take the time to do that now. The EOC will be staffed around the clock so please call (904) 548-0900 for updates anytime of day or night. You can also check their webpage and FaceBook page for continuous updates throughout the evening.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

5/11/17 @ 1:30 p.m. - In April 2017, the Board of County Commissioners awarded a bid for painting of the interior and exterior of the restrooms at Peters Point and Burney Park. Above are pictures of Facilities Maintenance employees Josh Powell and David Mellecker removing the rusty hurricane straps at Peters Point in preparation of the painting project. It is anticipated that both projects will be completed in late August.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Parks & Recreation Department at (904) 530-6120.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

5/11/17 @ 11:00 a.m. - The Florida Department of Transportation has provided the attached monthly status report for the State Road 200/A1A Widening Project. The report gives an overview on activities that have taken place since the project began in September 2014, as well as the activities that are expected to take place this month.

If you have any questions, please contact Odette Struys, Public Information Officer for FDOT, at (904) 360-5582 or via e-mail at [email protected].

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

5/10/17 @ 4:00 p.m. - The Nassau County Health Department has issued the attached Press Release reminding everyone about the health effects of wildfire smoke including scratchy throat, coughing, headaches and irritated nose, as well as worsening of chronic lung and heart conditions. Please review the Press Release for information on ways to protect yourself and family.

If you have any questions, please contact Kim Geib with the Nassau County Health Department at (904) 875-6100 or via e-mail at [email protected].

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

5/10/17 @ 3:15 p.m. - The Nassau County Board of County Commissioners is pleased to update that the Household Hazardous Waste Clean-up Event held April 22, 2017 at the Home Depot parking lot in Yulee, FL was a huge success. A total of 400 households participated in the event. A total of 31,920 pounds of toxic waste was collected for proper management, recycling and disposal.
 
Flammable Liquids (including stains, solvents, gasoline)      445 lbs
Flammable Solids (roof tar)                                   994 lbs
Latex paint                                                  8377 lbs
Aerosol Cans                                                  457 lbs
Used oil and other lubricants                                4640 lbs
Used oil filters                                               75 lbs
Pesticides, insecticides & poisons                           1476 lbs
Antifreeze                                                    620 lbs
Fluorescent lamps                                             285 lbs
Automotive batteries                                          490 lbs
Rechargeable, NI-cad, alkaline batteries                      330 lbs
Propane tanks                                                1100 lbs
Corrosive liquids/solids (acids)                              524 lbs
E-scrap (TV’s, computers) shipped to UNICOR                  9173 lbs
Oxidizers (liquids/solids)                                     31 lbs
Mercury devices                                                 5 lbs
Poison solids, medications                                     48 lbs
Cooking oil, ammo, sharps, ballasts                           323 lbs
Alkyd paint                                                  2527 lbs
TOTAL                                                      31,920 lbs
 
Thank you to all the citizens that participated, and to Keep Nassau Beautiful, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and Alachua County for sponsoring this event.  

For additional information, please contact Keep Nassau Beautiful at (904) 321-7828.


-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

5/10/17 @ 10:25 a.m. - The Florida Department of Transportation issued the below notice regarding nighttime lane closures beginning tonight:

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:    None
 
Nighttime:  
 

• NB Santa Barbara at SR 200; Wednesday, 05/10/17 & Thursday, 05/11/17; 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM
• SB Santa Barbara at SR 200; Friday; 05/12/17; 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM
• SB O’Neil Scott Rd at SR 200; Wednesday, 05/10/17 & Thursday, 05/11/17; 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM
• NB O’Neil Scott Rd at SR 200; Friday; 05/12/17; 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM
• SR 200 EB Right Lane from Chester Rd to Blackrock Rd; Thursday, 05/11/17 & Friday, 05/12/17; 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM

 
REASON FOR THE CLOSURE (Type of Construction Maintenance Activity):
Utility Crossing
Drainage Crossing
Striping & Removal for Traffic Shift
Traffic Shift

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
     

5/10/17 @ 9:30 a.m. - Nassau County Emergency Management issued a precautionary notice last night advising residents west of County Road 121 and south of County Road 108 to the Duval line, to prepare for a possible evacuation in case the West Mims Fire continues to advance. (please see area outlined in red to the left) This is NOT an evacuation order, however residents are strongly advised to make preparations for the evacuation of families, pets, property and livestock in case an evacuation order becomes necessary.

The Nassau County Fairgrounds is open for residents to move their livestock. In addition, Nassau County Animal Services has established a FaceBook page dedicated to those who need help moving or housing threatened livestock and displaced animals.

Again, an evacuation order has NOT been issued at this time, however Nassau County Emergency Management is urging you to prepare your family and property now as a precaution. Please review the attached brochure for information on what to pack, preparing your home, and tips on what to do if you become trapped.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Nassau County Emergency Management at (904) 548-0900, option 1. If you haven't already, please consider signing up for Citizen Alerts so you can be notified right away in case of emergency.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

5/9/17 @ 4:30 p.m. - The St. Johns River Water Management District has issued a water shortage warning for all areas within the district's 18 county district, including Nassau County. The warning was issued for the purpose of encouraging residents to reduce water use to ensure enough water is available to meet demand. As a result, users are encouraged to voluntarily conserve water as much as possible by limiting landscape irrigation to two days per week and only watering before 10:00 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m., as outlined in the district's year-round watering restrictions.

If you have any questions, please contact Danielle Spears with the SJRWMD at (407) 659-4836 or via e-mail at [email protected].

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

At last night's meeting, the Board of County Commissioners approved Resolution No. 2017-95, extending the Burn Ban through May 15, 2017. Pursuant to Florida Statute, Section 252.38(3)(5), burn bans can only be declared locally for seven days, however they may be extended in seven day increments as needed.

During the local state of emergency, open burning of any kind and campfires are prohibited. Additionally, the use or discharge of personal fireworks, sparklers, flares, items containing "explosive compound", and any product containing pyrotechnic composition are also prohibited.

The following activities are permitted with certain conditions:

• Use of outdoor grills and cookers if attended by a responsible adult at all times while in use.
  
• Any agricultural, silvicultural, or land clearing burn that has been authorized by the Florida Forest Service and if determined that there will be sufficient fire suppression equipment and personnel on site.
• Properly permitted public fireworks displays with adequate fire suppression equipment and personnel on site.
• Flares discharged over the Atlantic Ocean.

Any person violating this order is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree and will be punished as provided by Florida Statutes, Section 775.082 or 775.083. In addition to the penalties described above, any violator shall reimburse Nassau County for all costs incurred as a result of such violation, including without limitation, response and suppression costs.

To report burning, please call 9-1-1. If you have any questions related to the Burn Ban, please contact Fire Rescue Headquarters at (904) 530-6600.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

5/2/17 @ 4:30 p.m. - We are pleased to announce that Nassau County has completed the necessary steps to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program's (NFIP) Community Rating System. The CRS Program is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed minimum NFIP requirements. As a result, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reflect the reduced flood risk. Property owners in the unincorporated areas of Nassau County who reside in a Special Flood Hazard Area can now enjoy a 10% reduction in flood insurance premiums for NFIP policies issued or renewed in Special Flood Hazard Areas on or after May 1, 2017. To determine your Flood Hazard Designation, please click here for a link to the Property Appraiser's Interactive Mapping tool.

Attached is a Press Release issued by the Department of Planning & Economic Opportunity containing additional information about this exciting news! To view documents related to the CRS Program including brochures and fact sheets, please visit our website.

If you have any questions, please contact Chris Mason, Planner II for the Department of Planning & Economic Opportunity at (904) 530-6300 or via e-mail at [email protected].

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

5/2/17 @ 11:35 a.m. - Much of State Road 200/A1A in Nassau and Duval County has recently been designated as a Florida Scenic Highway by the Florida Department of Transportation. The Florida Scenic Highway Program was created to increase awareness of the State's historical, recreational and cultural resources and thus improve the overall traveling experience for residents and tourists. The designation of State Road 200/A1A means that the State will begin promoting the scenic byway for tourism and economic development.

FDOT has established a team for ongoing management of the byway. Their first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 4, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. at the Ribault Club located at 11241 Fort George Island Road, Fort George Island, FL 32226. The public is welcome to attend.

If you have any questions, please contact Margo Moehring with the Northeast Florida Regional Transportation Council at (904) 279-0880 ext. 161 or via e-mail at [email protected].

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

At a Special Meeting this morning, the Board of County Commissioners approved Resolution No. 2017-87, extending the Burn Ban through May 8, 2017. Pursuant to Florida Statute, Section 252.38(3)(5), burn bans can only be declared locally for seven days, however they may be extended in seven day increments as needed.

During the local state of emergency, open burning of any kind and campfires are prohibited. Additionally, the use or discharge of personal fireworks, sparklers, flares, items containing "explosive compound", and any product containing pyrotechnic composition are also prohibited.

The following activities are permitted with certain conditions:

• Use of outdoor grills and cookers if attended by a responsible adult at all times while in use.
• Any agricultural, silvicultural, or land clearing burn that has been authorized by the Florida Forest Service and if determined that there will be sufficient fire suppression equipment and personnel on site.
• Properly permitted public fireworks displays with adequate fire suppression equipment and personnel on site.
• Flares discharged over the Atlantic Ocean.

Any person violating this order is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree and will be punished as provided by Florida Statutes, Section 775.082 or 775.083. In addition to the penalties described above, any violator shall reimburse Nassau County for all costs incurred as a result of such violation, including without limitation, response and suppression costs.

To report burning, please call 9-1-1. If you have any questions related to the Burn Ban, please contact Fire Rescue Headquarters at (904) 530-6600.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

5/16/17 @ 9:10 a.m. - It is believed that children learn best through hands-on projects in areas like science, health, agriculture, and citizenship. Give your child a chance to learn in an environment where they receive guidance from adult mentors and are encouraged to take on proactive roles through 4-H Summer Day Camps.

Love a Horse
Spend 3 days learning the basics of horses with the last day being a group trail ride.
Dates: June 6-8, 2017
Times: 9:00am-2:00pm
Cost: $60
Ages: 8 and up

Exploring 4-H
Spend a week exploring all that 4-H has to offer
Dates: June 26-30, 2017
Times: 9:30 am - 2:30pm
Cost: $40
Ages: 5-10

Food, Fun & Fitness
This camp focuses on healthy lifestyles such as cooking, eating nutritious foods, and being active. Participants will visit a farmer's market and grocery store, cook and play lots of games.
Dates: July 11-14, 2017
Times: 9:30am-2:30pm
Cost: $50
Ages: 8 and up

4-H: Sew Much Fun
Learn the basics of sewing through hands-on, fun projects. All supplies and materials are provided and completed projects are yours to keep.
Dates: July 18-20, 2017
Times: 9:00am-2:00pm
Cost: $40
Ages: 8 and up

Wild Hearts Summer Spin Club
Learn about protecting exotic wildlife while attending exciting field trips. Youth will design a conservation plan for any animal they choose.
Dates: June 19th, June 26th, July 3rd, July 10th, July 17th and July 24th (every Monday for 5 weeks)
Times: 9:00am-4:00pm
Cost: $75
Ages: 13 and up

If you have any questions or for information on how to register for any of these exciting day camps, please contact the County Extension Office at (904) 530-6353 and ask for Kelsey Irvine or Kristen Poppel.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office