FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10/12/18  5:00 PM
 
Nassau County ARES Providing Communications Support to Panhandle
 
Nassau County’s Amateur Radio Emergency Services (NCARES) team has been requested by the State’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to lend their communications networking capabilities and technological expertise to the Panhandle counties.  Hurricane Michael destroyed critical infrastructure throughout several counties west of Tallahassee.  Many are relying on volunteer Ham Radio operators utilizing the State Amateur Radio Network (SARnet) to relay information about structural damage, supply shortages, and requests for assistance from the Panhandle to NE Florida, where those needs can be put directly into Emergency Management’s web-based disaster information and mission request system. 

As a not-for-profit entity, NCARES pays for all of its equipment and operations through donations and two annual barbeque fundraisers.  NCARES members volunteer their time and resources daily to Nassau County Emergency Management staffing the County Watch Office.  During disasters like Hurricane Michael, the volunteers do whatever is needed to ensure emergency messages get to where they need to go.  NCARES volunteers will tow their Mobile Communications Center, joining Detective Thomas Kelley in the specially-equipped NCSO Mobile Communications Vehicle on a mission to provide emergency generator power, patching, relay, and dispatch capabilities and help repair what they can to improve public safety communication in the devastated counties.

Nassau County Emergency Management
Contact:  Martha Oberdorfer, Public Information
904-548-0900 (EOC Information Center)
e-mail:  EOC.PublicInfo@NassauFLEM.com
Facebook: NassauEM
Twitter: @NassauEM

10/1/18 @ 8:45 a.m. - Please see the below Press Release from the Department of Planning & Economic Opportunity regarding Nassau County's recent statewide planning award, as well as the celebration of National Community Planning Month.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Adrienne Burke
Assistant Director, PEO Department
(904) 530-6300
aburke@nassaucountyfl.com
 
COUNTY CELEBRATES STATE PLANNING AWARD AND COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH
 
On October 8th, Nassau County will be celebrating National Community Planning Month and the recent statewide planning award won by the Nassau County Planning and Economic Opportunity (PEO) Department. Both will be recognized during a proclamation at the Board of County Commissioners meeting on Monday, October 8 at 6pm in BOCC Chambers, 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, Florida.
 
National Community Planning Month is promoted each October through the American Planning Association. As noted by the APA, this “is a time to highlight the important role of planning in our communities. Planning can be summed up as comprehensive, community-focused and enhancing choices. While many people may not realize it, planning has a significant impact on their day-to-day life. From where they live, to how they commute, to the type of home they live in, planning plays a vital role in a person’s life and well-being. Planning is essential for our communities to prosper and maintain balance and cohesiveness.”
The Nassau County PEO Department has been very busy working to help the community and citizens plan for the future, especially in the face of growth pressures impacting the County. As Taco Pope, AICP and PEO Director explains, “As Nassau enters this period of population expansion, it is imperative the community make planning, policy and design decisions that that put people at the center of the equation – establishing a people-first agenda. Such an agenda prioritizes citizen wellbeing, quality-of-life and generational sustainability.” Planning staff, after listening and working with community members, are facilitating many numerous long-range planning projects that aim to help the County prosper and maintain balance and cohesiveness.

One such project is the William Burgess Overlay District. In September, the Nassau County Planning and Economic Opportunity Department won the American Planning Association-Florida Chapter award for Best Practices, one of only three statewide Best Practices awards this year, for the Burgess Overlay. The Burgess Overlay and associated Vision Book represent a philosophical shift in land use planning in Nassau County away from the auto-dependent development pattern that has dominated growth and towards a sustainable, compact, mixed-use and multi-modal development pattern. The intent of the WBD is to utilize the built environment to promote strong social ties and the cultivation of community, highlight Nassau’s railroad history to facilitate an authentic sense of place experience, and take advantage of multi-modal transportation opportunities in a growing part of Yulee. Interim County Manager and County Attorney Michael Mullin said, “The award is a huge accolade for Nassau County and Taco and his entire staff. Taco and the PEO Department are truly statewide leaders in planning. The award also reaffirms the benefit of public-private partnerships thanks to Greg Matovina.”

“In my 30+ years of developing communities across Northeast Florida, it is rare where I have seen the Planning Department evaluating one of our proposed developments looking ahead 25 years and working collaboratively with us so that we could develop a successful community…the PEO Department in Nassau County led by Taco Pope has clear vision that is needed to make Nassau County grow responsibly and thrive,” said Greg Matovina of Matovina and Company. Matovina and Company are the first development team to pursue a project within the William Burgess Overlay; as an example, as part of their development, they are working with the County on a public-private partnership for recreation facilities.
 
Nassau County looks forward to more proactive planning opportunities to ensure Nassau County maintains its high quality of life and is the best county in Florida in which to live, work, and play.  More information on the William Burgess Overlay can be found at www.nassaucountyfl.com/burgessoverlay.
 
The Nassau County Planning and Economic Opportunity Department is charged with leading long-range and current planning for the community, with a focus on technical planning, implementation and management of the Land Development Code and Comprehensive Plan, development and site plan review, and assistance to citizens, the Board of County Commissioners, County Manager and other staff, advisory boards, government agencies, and the private sector regarding growth and development in Nassau County. For more information on our Plan, Code, or current initiatives, visit www.nassaucountyfl.com/planning, call (904) 530-6300 or email planninginfo@nassaucountyfl.com.
 

9/26/18 @ 11:45 a.m.

PRESS RELEASE

COUNTY SEEKS INPUT ON VISION FOR WESTERN NASSAU
 
The Nassau County Planning and Zoning Board (PZB) has formed a subcommittee, the Western Nassau Heritage Preservation Committee (WNHPC). Five PZB members who reside in Western Nassau, the area of the County west of I-95, serve on the WNHPC. The committee is charged with discussing the future of Western Nassau as it relates to community planning, and to work with the County Planning and Economic Opportunity Department to determine how they can best assist in these proactive planning efforts. The WNHPC anticipates working on this initiative for the next 24 months, with the result being a vision plan and policies for the Board of County Commissioners to consider including in the County Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code. But first they want to hear from you!
 
Community engagement and outreach are priorities of the Committee, to best understand what the citizens of Western Nassau wish to see for the future. Citizens are encouraged to contact the Planning and Economic Opportunity Department with feedback, as well as participate through surveys and in-person events. The WNHPC will be gathering citizen input throughout the entire process and providing updates as the process moves along. Be a part of the conversation! You can reach the PEO Department at (904) 530-6300 or planninginfo@nassaucountyfl.com
 
Community members can give immediate feedback through two brief online surveys:
 
Tell us what makes Western Nassau County unique.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/westernnassau
 
Let us know how important community live, work, and play amenities are to you! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HOWIMPORTANTIS

Contact:
Adrienne Burke
Assistant Director, Nassau County Planning & Economic Opportunity
(904) 530-6300
aburke@nassaucountyfl.com

9/17/18 @ 1:50 p.m. - Attached is a Press Release from the Florida Department of Health reminding residents to take precautionary measures to prevent mosquito-borne illness after a second human case of West Nile illness has been confirmed in Nassau County.

The Department of Health continues to advise the public to remain diligent in their personal mosquito protection efforts by remembering to "Drain and Cover".

Please read the Press Release for methods that can be used to avoid being bitten.

Questions should be directed to Jason Miller with the Department of Health at (904) 875-6100 or via email at Jason.Miller@flhealth.gov.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

9/14/18 @ 4:40 p.m. - The Boil Water Notice issued earlier this week for Beachwalker Villas and Sailmaker Villas has been lifted following satisfactory completion of bacteriological analysis showing the water as safe for consumption. You may resume normal usage at this time.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

If you have any questions, please contact Customer Service at (904) 530-6030.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

9/12/18 @ 11:50 a.m. - Press Release from the Nassau County Health Department:

2018 Nassau Health Summit – “Make your Voice Heard”

Florida Department of Health-Nassau and the Partnership for Healthier Nassau will be hosting the 2018 Nassau Health Summit on Wednesday, September 26th at the FSCJ Nassau Red Bean Center from 1:00-5:00 pm.  You are invited to attend and help us improve the health of our rapidly growing county. This event is free and open to the public. There will be an opportunity to learn about local service organizations, network and hear about the results of the MAPP Community Health Assessments conducted this Spring & Summer. More importantly, there will be a facilitated session to hear your ideas.  We will discuss and choose the top health issues to be addressed in the upcoming 2019-2021 Nassau Community Health Improvement Plan.
Come join the discussion and help us make Nassau County “the best place to grow up, work and retire.”

What:  Nassau Health Summit
Date:  September 26th, 2018
Time:  1:00 - 5:00 pm
Location: Red Bean Center - Address: 76346 William Burgess Blvd., Yulee Florida
Building 30, Room: T-126, Nassau Room
 
If you have any questions, please contact Mary von Mohr at 904-557-9133 or mary.vonmohr@flhealth.gov     

*Accommodations available as needed.

-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

8/24/18 @ 9:05 a.m.- The Precautionary Boil Water Notice issued on 8/21/18 at addresses 8150 through 8170 The Residence is hereby rescinded as of 8/23/18 following the satisfactory completion of Bacteriological analysis showing the water is now safe for consumption. You may resume normal usage at this time.

If you have any questions, please call (904) 530-6450.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office
 

8/23/18 @ 4:30 p.m. - The Nassau County Department of Health has issued the attached Press Release following confirmation of the first human case of West Nile. They are reinforcing the "Drain and Cover" message to prevent mosquito bites. Be sure to remove standing water on your property, cover up and wear bug spray if you have to be outside.

If you have any questions, please contact Environmental Health at (904) 875-6100.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

8/22/18 @ 9:40 a.m. - A Boil Water Notice has been issued for addresses 8150 through 8170 in The Residence until further notice.

Nassau Amelia Utilities has experienced a loss of pressure due to a broken line by a contractor. The boil water advisory will remain in effect until bacteriological samples are collected and analyzed to reflect a negative result for coliforms. After completion of this process, a notice will be issued to rescind the boil water advisory.
 
Please continue to boil your water until you are notified to disregard the advisory.
 
We apologize for the inconvenience caused by this unfortunate incident. Should you have any questions, please contact customer service at (904) 530-6030.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office