3/17/23 @ 2:45 p.m.- County Manager, Taco Pope, hosted the 2023 Winter Strategic Planning (WSPS-23) of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). The WSPS-23 is annual event where the BOCC discusses the strategic direction of the organization, defines organizational priorities, allocates resources, and serves to ‘kick-off’ the County’s annual budget development process.

As part of the WSPS-23, County Manager Pope presented the BOCC with the County Manager’s 2022 Annual Report. The report highlights achievements, projects and initiatives of the BOCC, county staff, and management from the period of October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022. The report provides great insight into the County’s operations, progress in executing directives of the elected body, and priorities of the BOCC.   

“A look back at 2022 illuminates the dedication of County employees, local leaders, and elected officials in promoting the long-term best interests of Nassau County residents. While Nassau is in the midst of extraordinary change, local leaders continue to champion a collaborative and community-based approach to governance that places quality-of-life and generational sustainability at the apex of decision making.” – Taco Pope, AICP, County Manager.
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We would encourage residents, partner agencies, and interested parties to view the 2022 Annual Report at: https://bit.ly/NC2022AnnualReport. 

2/16/23 @ 10:00 a.m. 

​We regret to announce that the North End (Dee Dee Bartels) Boat Ramp is temporarily closed. It was discovered yesterday that a piling on the southern floating dock and gangway is broken and in need of repair. A contractor has already been mobilized and is hopeful that the repairs will be done before the weekend.

As many frequent users of the North End Boat Ramp know, the northern floating dock and gangway were damaged during Hurricane Nicole. At the Monday, February 13, 2023 Board of County Commissioners meeting, a contract was awarded to Coker Industrial Contractors, Inc., to remove the floating dock and gangway from the water for repair. It is anticipated that the repairs to the northern dock and gangway will be complete within the next 60 days.
We apologize for any inconvenience this closure may cause, however we are working to have the boat ramp re-opened as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience. Should you have any questions, please contact our Facilities Department at (904) 530-6120.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

2/15/23 @ 1:30 p.m. - The water and sewer conversion project at Amerian Beach is underway. Work has now progressed to the intersection of Lewis Street and Gregg Street. The work in this area will require the adjacent drive-on beach access to be closed temporarily beginning at 2:00 p.m. today. It is anticipated that this closure will last through Friday, February 17, 2023.

A notice of temporary road closure for Gregg Street was sent out earlier this week. As a reminder, American Beach residents will be allowed to pass as needed, however the general public is encouraged to avoid the area. The temporary road closure for Gregg Street is anticipated to last through March 10, 2023.
We appreciate your patience as we work to establish water and sewer services for the American Beach community. If you have any questions, please contact the County Manager’s Office at (904) 530-6010.

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

2/3/23 @ 11:15 a.m. 

The Board of County Commissioners has begun the budgeting process for Fiscal Year 2023/2024.

Nassau County greatly values the benefits and contributions made by non-profit organizations to the community. As such, we would like to extend an invitation to nonprofit organizations serving residents of Nassau County to apply to be considered for funding. To be considered, you must complete a Nonprofit Funding Request Application. The application can be found here: https://bit.ly/NFPFundingRequest.   
 
Your funding request must be provided to the Office of Management & Budget located at 96135 Nassau Place, Suite 2, Yulee, FL 32097, by the close of business on Wednesday, March 1, 2023.

On Friday, May 19, 2023, a Public Forum will be held for agencies to make a brief presentation regarding your organization and its request. Agencies submitting funding requests will be contacted by the Office of Management & Budget to schedule a time for your presentation.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Sr. Budget Coordinator, Megan Sawyer, at (904) 530-6010, Option 2, or via e-mail at msawyer@nassaucountyfl.com.  

1/18/23 @ 10:00 a.m. 

During the most recent Florida Planning & Zoning Association’s Awards Banquet, the Board of County Commissioners won a total of 3 awards for several Nassau County projects and initiatives, further demonstrating the County’s commitment to building a resilient, sustainable, and people-centric future that prioritizes quality of life and quality of place.
 
The First Coast Chapter of the Florida Planning & Zoning Association (FPZA) is a fourteen-member board of directors that annually nominates specific awards throughout the Northeast Florida region. Board member, Sarah King, stated, “Every year, an award chairman and a four-person committee are selected to review and verify that all the nominated projects meet the specific award criteria. With several projects being reviewed, the committee is responsible for selecting and nominating the award winners for each category to the full board of directors for final approval. This process is vetted to the entire board and not every submittal is guaranteed the award. FPZA is proud to present three outstanding Nassau County projects at our annual awards ceremony.”
 
The first award was an Outstanding Public Participation Award for the American Beach Cultural Heritage Experience Enhancement Initiative which was designed to capture the essence, protect the sense of plan, honor the rich cultural heritage of the community, and authentically tell the story of American Beach through the built and natural environment.
 
The project began with a survey of existing conditions of the street network, utilities, tree canopy, parks and beaches. This effort was followed by hundreds of hours of community engagement including telephone interviews, online surveys, public workshops, and meetings at American Beach for the purpose of obtaining input from the residents on future enhancement projects that reflect the community’s values. The result was the creation of a long-term visioning plan that provides for public infrastructure enhancements, installation of public water and sewer, paving of roadways, street lighting, installation of historical markers, expansion of the A.L. Lewis Museum, park improvements and resource protection.  
 
The second award was an Outstanding Public Impact Award for the Westside Regional Park. This park is located off US 1 between Callahan and Hilliard and will serve as a centrally accessible park amenity that retains the visceral beauty of the natural environment. The site’s varying ecosystems include pine flatwoods, a freshwater marsh, and hardwood hydric forests which function together as a diverse yet cohesive setting. Spreading over 110 acres, Westside Regional Park will feature a variety of recreational opportunities for residents to enjoy including, but not limited to, outdoor event/green space, community playground, restrooms, multi-use trails, outdoor fitness stations, a fishing pond and multi-purpose fields. The conceptual plan for this park was derived from community input collected through a series of citizen surveys and public outreach events. The Westside Regional Park is currently in the final stages of engineering for Phase One with construction anticipated to begin in the fall of 2023. Upon completion, the Westside Regional Park will be a world-class destination unlike anything Nassau County has ever seen.
 
The third and final award from the Florida Planning & Zoning Association was an Environmental/Natural Resources Award for the County’s Conservation Land Acquisition and Management (CLAM) Program adopted by the Board of County Commissioners on January 25, 2021. The purpose of the CLAM was to preserve and conserve the County’s natural, historic, and working lands resources by identifying, ranking and accessing conservation lands for acquisition and management. An essential tool of the CLAM Program is to create, analyze and manipulate geographic information, known as data layers. These data layers are maps of resources which can be displayed as they overlap and interact, and where different statistical and analytical processes can be applied to better understand a landscape filled with multiple interacting resources.  Nineteen different data layers were selected for consideration, representing different potential conservation resources.  The different data layers all relate to one of the four most common considerations for acquiring conservation land: Water Issues, Habitat and Species Protections, Working Lands, and Outdoor Recreation/Quality of Life.  This map is used to analyze properties being considered for acquisition. By having a CLAM Program in place, the County will increase its ability to further preserve our natural environment and enhance quality of life for our residents. 

County Manager, Taco Pope, stated, “I am extremely proud of all the hard work and effort put into these initiatives and for being selected for these three prestigious awards. As Nassau County continues to grow, it is imperative that we have plans in place to accommodate current and future residents while protecting the County’s unique history, culture and natural environment. I feel fortunate to be a part of these initiatives which will benefit the community for many years to come.” 

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12/22/22 @ 8:30 a.m. - The Florida Department of Health in Nassau County (DOH-Nassau) has issued a rabies alert for the Yulee area in response to a raccoon that tested positive. The alert will remain in place for 60 days. During this time, residents are urged to ensure that pets and live-stock are up to date on vaccinations and to not let pets run freely. 

Attached is a copy of the Press Release for your information. If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Bothast with DOH-Nassau at (904) 832-2644 or via email at Jennifer.Bothast@flhealth.gov. 

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer

12/1/22 @ 1:15 p.m. - The Department of Health-Nassau has issued a Press Release regarding World Aids Day which is observed today around the world. Full details below. 

Thursday, December 1, 2022

DOH-NASSAU RECOGNIZES WORLD AIDS DAY 2022

Contact: Jennifer Bothast
Jennifer.Bothast@flhealth.gov
904-832-2644

Nassau County, Fla. – Each year on December 1, World AIDS Day is observed around the globe, serving as a memorial for those lost to HIV and as an opportunity to make people aware of enhanced HIV prevention and treatment options. This year’s World AIDS Day theme is “Putting Ourselves to the Test: Achieving Equity to End HIV," which encourages people to unite globally to eliminate the barriers to HIV testing, prevention, and treatment that are holding back progress on ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

The Florida Department of Health in Nassau stands in solidarity with people and communities across the globe on World AIDS Day, especially our local community and partners that work every day to help end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Florida has made great strides to reduce HIV transmission and continues to work toward eliminating HIV-related deaths by providing equitable access to HIV prevention and care services. The rate of HIV deaths among all persons diagnosed with HIV in Florida has declined by 31% over the last decade, but there is still more progress to be made. In 2021, there were 120,502 people living with HIV in Florida, 4,708 of whom were newly diagnosed. In Nassau County, there were 152 people living with HIV in 2021.

It is important that people know their options when it comes to HIV prevention and treatment. Medication-based HIV prevention—called pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP—and HIV treatment are both based around antiretroviral therapy. Until recently, these medications were only available in pill form. Now, HIV prevention and treatment has evolved to include long-acting injectables. These medications are as effective as daily pills and provide individuals with additional options. Ensuring every single person
has an HIV prevention or treatment option that works for them is key to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Protect yourself. Get tested. Know your status. Learn what’s next.

Knowing your status is the first step toward effective HIV prevention and treatment. People can reduce their risk for HIV by using appropriate prevention strategies, such as taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), using protection, and getting tested regularly. Contact a health care provider to find out if PrEP is recommended for you. If you test positive for HIV, seeking HIV treatment is critical. Antiretroviral therapy can help people live longer, healthier lives. People living with HIV who take antiretroviral medication as prescribed and have an undetectable viral load cannot transmit HIV to their sexual partners. Both PrEP and HIV treatment medications are now available as pills and long-acting injectables.

We have the power to both prevent and treat HIV. Visit the Know Your HIV Status website to learn about testing options near you or order a free at-home HIV testing kit mailed directly to the address of your choice. For more information, call 1-800-FLA-AIDS, or 1-800-352-2437; en español, 1-800-545-SIDA; in Creole, 1-800-AIDS-101.

To learn more about DOH-Nassau’s prevention and treatment options or to schedule an appointment for a no-cost HIV test, call (904) 875-6100 or visit the DOH-Nassau Florida Department of Health in Nassau (floridahealth.gov) or https://hivcarenow.com

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About the Florida Department of Health
The Department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.
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Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health, please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.

12/1/22 @ 10:00 a.m.

Nassau County has received a State-wide Award of Merit in the Neighborhood Planning category from the American Planning Association, Florida Chapter for its Timber to Tides Initiative [State Road 200/A1A  Corridor Master Plan]. This is now the 2nd State-wide award and 3rd overall award the County has received for the Initiative.

The Timber to Tides Initiative is the culmination of extensive public engagement and application of best practices to re-envision what the State Road 200/A1A Corridor from Police Lodge Road to the Amelia River has the potential to become over the coming decades and then produce a realistic, obtainable, and incremental Action Plan that sets the community on an evolutionary course to reach their defined vision and goals. The results were not only uplifting and transformational, they were reasonable and obtainable!     

The Timber to Tides Initiative is centered on five planning priorities:

1. Nurture Nature: 
Maintain, enhance, and extend the natural environment by creating opportunities for residents to access and enjoy Florida’s unique natural areas

2. Grow Sustainably: 
Help stage vibrant shopping center and neighborhood growth through development that creates places for people, supports local businesses and generates additional jobs, encourages an active lifestyle, and comprises a mix of housing options.

3. Connect Communities: 
Improve linkages between neighborhoods, shopping centers, and amenities through a network of slow, safe, and livable primary and secondary streets, trails, bike paths, and pedestrian infrastructure

4. Catalyze Culture:
Build on heritage while establishing new cultural assets that celebrate community creativity and identity in the public realm.
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5. Future Proof:
Prepare for a future by looking ahead to build a resilient community in the face of growing climate concern and technological advancements

Melissa Zornitta, the American Planning Association Florida Project Awards Chair stated, “The Master Plan was a complete envisioning of a new future for this important community corridor; the committee was impressed by the ability to overcome the challenges of Covid-19 in the community outreach and the thorough approach to addressing future issues along the corridor such as view sheds, multi-modal transportation and the need for mixed use nodes.”

Taco Pope, County Manager and life-long resident stated, “This is our home, it's where we, as a collective community, have chosen to invest our time, effort, and resources to build a life. Nassau County is what we, as a collective community, make it. We have an opportunity to define a resilient, sustainable, and people-centric future that prioritizes quality-of-life and quality-of-place. While it may seem a daunting task, a collective community moving in a unified direction can be the catalyst for generational change. The future is bright for Nassau.” 

The Board of County Commissioner adopted the Timber to Tides Initiative [State Road 200/A1A Corridor Master Plan] vision + planning priorities document and action plan on December 13, 2021 and directed County to staff to move forward with implementation. The referenced document can be found at https://bit.ly/SR200MasterPlan. 

-Sabrina Robertson
​ Public Information Officer

Press Release #8
Evacuation Order Lifted
 
Effective at 2:00 p.m. today, the Evacuation Order in place for zones A and D has been lifted. The County is continuing to conduct emergency operations and damage assessments throughout the County. When returning home, please use caution. If you approach a road that is underwater, PLEASE TURN AROUND. Do not attempt to drive through standing water!
 
Beaches are still unaccessible at this time and residents are still urged to stay out of the water.
 
The Joint Information Center (call center) will close today at 5pm, however calls will still be taken at the Sheriff’s non-emergency dispatch line at (904) 225-5174.
 
Please report damages such as downed power lines, downed trees and other post-storm matters at  https://www.crisistrack.com/public/nassauFL/request.html or email via email at NCEM@nassauso.com.
 
-Sabrina Robertson
​ Public Information Officer
 

11/10/22 @ 9:15 a.m.

Press Release #7
Tropical Storm Nicole Update
 
Below are updates from the 8:00 a.m. with the National Weather Service:






 

• A tropical storm warning is still in affect for our area.
• A tornado watch is in affect until 1:00 p.m.
• The next high tide will be at 9:46 a.m. Localized flooding is expected. Emergency personnel are continuously monitoring conditions along the Atlantic coast, intercoastal waterways and areas that commonly experience flooding.
• Double red flags are still place at the beach. Residents should stay out of the water as we continue to experience dangerous rip tides.
• Some beach erosion is likely.
• Northeast Florida could experience tropical storm forced winds through Friday morning.
• The County will issue messaging when the Evacuation Order is lifted.
• Residents are encouraged to remain in their homes until it is deemed safe to leave.

 
As a reminder, residents are asked to self-report any damages or flooding by visiting https://www.crisistrack.com/public/nassauFL/request.html or sending photos to NCEM@nassauso.com.
 
Information related to the storm can also be found at www.OneNassau.com Follow Emergency Management on social media at www.facebook.com/NassauEM or at www.twitter.com/NassauEM. 

-Sabrina Robertson
 Public Information Officer