8-31-18 @ 4:45 p.m. - County Offices will be closed on Monday, September 3rd in observance of Labor Day. Offices will return to regular business hours on Tuesday.

We hope you all have a safe weekend!

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

8/31/18 @ 9:20 a.m. - Below is lane closure information for State Road 200 for the week of September 1 through September 7, 2018. NOTE: THERE ARE NO DAYTIME LANE CLOSURES SCHEDULED AT THIS TIME.

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 at this time.
 
Nighttime:   

• SR 200 EB Right Lane from Rubin Davis to Lofton Creek; Tuesday, 09/04/18 thru Friday, 09/07/18; 9:00 PM – 6:00 AM
• SR 200 WB Left Lane from Lofton Creek to Rubin Davis; Tuesday, 09/04/18; 9:00 PM – 6:00 AM
• SR 200 WB Left Lane from Chester Rd to Lofton Creek; Wednesday, 09/05/18 thru Friday, 09/07/18; 9:00 PM – 6:00 AM

 
REASON FOR THE CLOSURE (Type of Construction/Maintenance Activity):
Barrier Wall Installation
Asphalt Paving
 
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                 

8/30/18 @ 4:45 p.m. - OMB Director, Justin Stankiewicz, has issued the attached Press Release which contains information on the proposed millage rate increase, the monthly/yearly impact it will have on the average household, and a detailed strategic plan on how these funds will be allocated over the next five years.

The first public hearing for the Board to consider the new millage rate is scheduled for Monday, September 10, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. The meetings are held in the Commission Chambers located at 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, FL 32097. As always, the public is invited to attend and participate in the meeting.

If you have any questions related to the budget, please contact Justin Stankiewicz at (904) 530-6010 or via e-mail at jstankiewicz@nassaucountyfl.com.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

8/30/18 @ 10:00 a.m. - The Board of County Commissioners, Senator Aaron Bean and State Representative Cord Byrd will hold a Special Joint Meeting on Monday, September 17, 2018 at 4:00 p.m., to discuss the Stewardship District Legislation and concerns of the Board since its adoption, as well as possible amendments to the Legislation.

The public is invited to be present and be heard. The meeting will be held in the Commission Chambers located at 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, FL 32097. Individuals with disabilities needing reasonable accommodations to participate in this proceeding should contact the Office of the Ex-Officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners at least two days prior to the proceeding at (904) 548-4660, or if hearing impaired, the Florida Relay Service at (800) 955-8770 (v) or (800) 955-8771 (TDD).

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

8/29/18 @ 3:30 p.m. -  

The Nassau County Board of County Commissioners has approximately $120,000 in affordable housing dollars available through the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program to serve persons with Developmental Disability/Disabling Condition/Special Needs providing home modifications/rehabilitation to an existing home or providing down payment and closing cost assistance to those qualifying to purchase a home or to the family member with whom they reside. Mobile homes are not eligible for assistance.
 
Developmental Disability means a disorder or syndrome that is attributable to intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, autism, spina bifida, or Prader-Willi syndrome; that manifests before the age of 18; and that constitutes a substantial handicap that can reasonably be expected to continue indefinitely.
s. 393.063(9) Florida Statues
 
Disabling Condition means a diagnosable substance abuse disorder, serious mental illness, developmental disability or chronic physical illness or disability or the co-occurrence of two or more of these conditions, and a determination that the condition is:

1. Expected to be long-continued and indefinite duration and
2. Not expected to impair the ability of the person with special needs to live independently with appropriate supports.

 s.420.004(7) Florida Statues
 
Special Needs means an adult person requiring independent living services in order to maintain housing or develop independent living skills and who has a disabling condition:

1. A young adult formerly in foster care who is eligible for services under s. 409.1451(5)
2. A survivor of domestic violence as defined in s. 741.28 or
3. A person receiving disability benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program or from Veteran’s Disability Benefits.

For additional information, please visit our website. You may also contact Grants Specialist, Carol Gilchrist, at (904) 530-6020 or via e-mail at cgilchrist@nassaucountyfl.com.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

8/28/18 @ 3:00 p.m. - Attached are progress updates from the Florida Department of Transportation related to the State Road 200 Widening Project. The reports include information on the first two phases of the project, activities that have taken place since construction began, and activities that are currently underway.

If you have any questions, please contact Odette Struys, Information Officer for FDOT, at (904) 360-5582 or via e-mail at Odette.Struys@dot.state.fl.us.

8/29/18 @ 10:55 a.m. - Nassau County Animal Care & Control is responsible for promoting and protecting public safety and enforcing county ordinances in all areas of Nassau County, with the exception of the City of Fernandina Beach who utilizes their own agency, the Nassau Humane Society. General duties include responding to requests for help from citizens ranging from wild animals, dangerous animals, to animals in distress, investigating animal cruelty cases, maintaining rabies vaccination records, picking up stray animals, and working to ensure any stray or owner surrendered pet that enters the shelter finds a permanent and loving home.

Working at Animal Care & Control can be a rewarding job, however far too often, staff is exposed to animals who have suffered neglect. Many animals they encounter have lacked basic needs such as flea medication, proper shelter, vaccinations, and food and water. While some of them are abandoned, others are surrendered from owners who love them, but don't have the financial means to properly care for them.

While at the shelter, staff provides the animals with general care such as feeding, cleaning and disinfecting kennels and cages, picking up fecal material, monitoring sick, quarantined or injured animals, and assisting with minor medical treatments. They also provide the animals with plenty of snuggles and playtime to maintain human interaction and keep them comforted while in their care. While playing with the animals and providing their basic needs can be a lot of fun, being exposed to sick animals and having to participate in euthanasia of sick animals can be very difficult. It truly takes a special individual to give these animals the care they need.

Perhaps the most satisfying result of their hard work is when they find forever homes for all the adoptable pets entering the shelter. This is done by hosting adoption events, transferring pets to rescue groups, and being sure the shelter is clean and animals are presentable when potential adoptees walk through the door. Depending on the number of pets in the shelter, the demands to care for them can become overwhelming. Fortunately, there are many wonderful volunteers in our community who are willing to dedicate their personal time to enhance the life of these animals while waiting to be adopted. Thanks to the efforts of each employee and volunteer, Nassau County Animal Care & Control has received national recognition for their programs and service to the community and have maintained no-kill status for the past 5 years. Their statistics are quite remarkable. During the last fiscal year, 2,105 animals were taken into the shelter. Of those, 1,755 left the shelter through adoption, transfers to rescue groups, or returned to owners.

Director Tim Maguire stated, "My job, while difficult at times, is extremely rewarding. It is an honor to work for a County that is so animal friendly and caring. I am very proud of our staff and volunteers who do their very best to help the homeless, mistreated and unwanted animals we encounter every day".

Nassau County Animal Care & Control currently has an operating budget of $1,086,977 and a total of 16 employees including seven kennel attendants, a Veterinary Tech, four animal control officers, two office specialists, a shelter manager, and a Director. The shelter is open to the public Tuesday -Friday from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. For additional information regarding adoptable pets, permits & licensing, and shelter reporting, please visit their website. Be sure to follow them on FaceBook for up-to-date information on adoption events, special programs and pictures/videos of adoptable pets.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

8/27/18 @ 2:25 p.m. - Below are some common questions and answers related to the West Nile Virus, provided to you by the Nassau County Health Department:

• What are the symptoms of WNV infection?  Approximately 80% of people who are infected with West Nile virus do not have any symptoms.  Up to 20% of people who become infected have mild symptoms such as fever, headache, and body aches that last a few days to several weeks.  About 1 in 150 people infected with West Nile virus (less than 1%) develop severe illness, and symptoms can include high fever, headache, disorientation, coma, numbness and paralysis.  These symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent.  Severe illness can also result in death.
• What is the risk of getting sick from WNV infection? Anyone living in an area where WNV is present can be infected and experience serious illness. The more time you're outdoors, the more time you could be bitten by an infected mosquito. Pay attention to preventing mosquito bites if you spend time outside, either working or playing.  Serious illness can occur in people of any age. However, those over 60 years of age are at increased risk for severe disease. People with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and people who have received organ transplants or who have a weakened immune system, are also at greater risk for serious illness.
• What can I do to prevent WNV infection? The easiest and best way to avoid WNV illness is to prevent mosquito bites. The best preventive measures are to Drain standing water to prevent mosquito breeding around your home or business, Cover doors and windows to keep mosquitoes outside of homes and Cover skin with clothing or mosquito repellant to prevent mosquito bites.  In protecting children, read label instructions to be sure the repellent is age-appropriate. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mosquito repellents containing oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under the age of three years. DEET is not recommended on children younger than two months old.  For infants less than two months old, use mosquito netting.

 
For more information, please visit Florida Health Department website. You may also contact your local Health Department directly at (904) 875-6100 or email Environmental Health Manager, Michael Godwin, at michael.godwin@flhealth.gov.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

8/27/18 @ 11:50 a.m. - Below are public meetings scheduled for this week:

Ask the County Manager
Thursday, August 30th at 3:00 p.m.
Commission Chambers, 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, FL 32097

Conditional Use & Variance Board
Thursday, August 30th at 6:00 p.m.
Commission Chambers, 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, FL 32097
Click here for agenda

Just a reminder, the Board of County Commissioner's meeting for tonight HAS BEEN CANCELLED, due to the Elections Office utilizing the Commission Chambers for voting. The next regularly scheduled Board of County Commissioner's meeting will be held on Monday, September 10th at 6:00 p.m.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

8/27/18 @ 11:25 a.m. - Governor Rick Scott has issued the attached Memorandum at the directive of President Trump, ordering all flags in the State of Florida to be flown at half-staff as a mark of respect for the memory of Senator John McCain. Flags will remain lowered through sunset on the day of interment. 

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office