July 11, 2024

These highlights will give residents a quick review of the commission meeting and provide video, agenda, and other useful links.

​​World Masters update

The commission heard an update about the county’s budget for the 2025 World Masters Indoor Athletic Championships and reemphasized their support for hosting the event.

A small part of West End Golf Course, a future site of a major transformation county park, will be used for the needed outdoor event facilities.

They approved the use of $645,000 from the county’s tourism bed tax fund for improvements at West End. The funds would help cover the design, purchase, shipping and installation of discus, javelin and hammer throwing areas. It also pays for irrigation, landscaping, cross-country course design and preparation, electrical and well repair, project management, overhead and general conditions. 

Concerning the future park, a community engagement event will be held on Aug. 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the University of Florida/IFAS Extension Office in Newberry. The event will solicit suggestions on park layout and amenities.

Read the complete highlights for this meeting.

​​Alachua County Animal Resources will need to pause all cat intakes for the next seven days. This is out of an abundance of caution due to a feline panleukopenia outbreak in kittens at the facility.

"We truly want to ensure the health and wellbeing of our feline population, and by closely monitoring that population, we hope to re-open cat intakes quickly by taking these extra steps now," said Julie Johnson, Animal Resources Director.

Feline distemper, also known as feline panleukopenia virus (FPV) or feline parvo, can be a fatal disease in cats. It is also called cat fever, cat plague, feline agranulocytosis, and feline infectious enteritis. 

While all cats are at risk for contracting FPV, young kittens, immunocompromised cats, and unvaccinated cats are at greater risk. 

"Vaccination is the best measure of prevention to guard against this highly contagious disease," said Julie Johnson.

Learn more about Alachua County Animal Resources.

​​The Alachua County Four Creeks Preserve North Trailhead (8400 NW 13th St., Gainesville) and South Trailhead at (6845 NW 37th St., Gainesville) will be temporarily closed for road and trail maintenance activities. The trails will be closed beginning Monday, July 15, 2024. The closure is expected to remain in effect through an estimated period of Friday, July 19, 2024, depending on the weather. During this time, maintenance of several areas will occur in the preserve. Equipment will be operating on the roads and trail system throughout the Preserve. Trail closure was identified as the best way to protect public safety during these maintenance activities.

For visitor safety, the public is expected to observe all closure signs. Unauthorized persons may be cited for trespass. When work is completed, the county will remove the closure signs and advise the public that the trails are open again. 

The Four Creeks Preserve is actively managed through the Alachua County Forever Program; the voter-approved initiative to acquire, improve and manage environmentally sensitive lands to protect water resources, wildlife habitat and natural areas suitable for resource-based recreation. The referendum was first passed in November 2000. It was funded again by the voters in 2008, 2016 and again in 2022 with the Wild Spaces and Public Places referendum.

The near-by Turkey Creek Preserve trailhead (6300 NW 93rd Ave., Alachua) remains open for pedestrians and bicycles.

Learn more about Alachua County Forever.

​​Alachua County has been awarded $1.4 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation to help fund the design of its “Paths to Opportunity” project, a Complete Streets project along Southwest 20th Avenue.

The funds come in the form of a RAISE planning grant, which prioritizes investment in areas persistent with poverty and historically disadvantaged communities.

The project stretches 0.56 miles, from Southwest 61st Street to Southwest 62nd Boulevard, providing a link between the underserved SWAG area to the county’s largest employment opportunities at the University of Florida and UF Health Shands Hospital.

Anticipated project features include separated bike lanes, wide sidewalks, and additional motor vehicle lanes, which may be converted to dedicated transit lanes as the area and transit demand develop. Additional project features may include new pedestrian crossings, transit stop amenities, landscape enhancements, placemaking/community art features, and stormwater treatment. Lastly, the bridge substructure would be designed to accommodate future managed lanes on Interstate 75.

Learn more about the project.

Every mental health emergency brings its unique challenges that responders must be able to address while on the scene.

But teaching others how to handle those cases based on their own experiences is another skill set.

Luckily for county residents, staff at the Alachua County Crisis Center know how to do both and are educating others on best practices in the event of an emergency in their region.

Later this fall, Cognella Academic Publishing will release the textbook “Intersection Counseling Skills: The Journey to Becoming a Culturally Inclusive Counselor” featuring a chapter co-written by two Alachua County Crisis Center employees Amanda DiLorenzo-Garcia and Brooke Gregory. The book will be widely available for others nationwide and taught in intro and technique counseling courses. It is written by experts in the field to help equip readers to be more culturally attuned and responsive to those in need.

Read more about the book.

Landscape Fertilizer Ban in Effect through February within Alachua County

Alachua County’s landscape fertilizer regulations prohibit using landscape fertilizers with nitrogen or phosphorus from July through February. Vegetable gardens and fruit trees are exempt from these limitations. Signage about the fertilizer rules must be displayed at all stores that sell fertilizer. Alachua County Environmental Protection staff are currently distributing signage.

These regulations protect the county’s water resources from fertilizer pollution during our rainy season and through the winter months – when landscape fertilizer is easily washed away instead of being absorbed by plants.

Find out more about the fertilizer ban.

The July Plant of the Month is Cherry Tomatoes

​​The UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County Office is pleased to announce that the July "Plant of the Month" is cherry tomatoes.

Cherry tomatoes derived their name because the tomato clusters were viewed as resembling the shape of a cherry and grow in clusters like cherries. Cherry tomatoes range in a variety of colors (red, yellow, orange, and purple) and sizes can be as small as a thumb tip or to the size of a golf ball and are primarily round in size but can be slightly oblong. Cherry tomatoes promote excellent health benefits and are full of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, A, E, and potassium.

"Cherry tomatoes may be small, but their impact on flavor and presentation is monumental, reminding us that greatness often comes in vibrant, bite-sized packages," said County Commission Chair Mary Alford.

July is a good time to grow cherry tomatoes in North Central Florida. Check the Plant of the Month website for information on planting, harvesting, recipes, and more. Listen to the Extension Cord Podcast for further insights on the Plant of the Month.

The Plant of the Month program is a collaborative effort between Alachua County Board of County Commissioners, UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County, Alachua County Master Gardener Volunteers, Alachua County Public Library, and Working Food. 

Survivors of Sexual Violence Men's Support Group

​​Alachua County Victim Services & Rape Crisis Center is offering a six-week virtual support group for survivors of sexual violence. The group is available to all men and non-binary survivors. The group begins in late July 2024 and is free of charge.

The group will meet for six weeks, with each weekly session being 60 minutes. This support group allows survivors of sexual trauma to connect with other survivors and begin exploring ways to heal in a safe and supportive environment.

“Sexual violence is a crime that crosses all boundaries, and all survivors deserve a safe place to connect with others,” said Victim Advocate Therapist Jennifer Heard. “Men often do not come forward or seek out services for several reasons, including not knowing that inclusive services are available, concerns that their sexuality will be questioned, fear of not being believed, and not viewing their assault as a crime. With this group, we can create a safe space that will allow participants to connect with one another through their shared experiences.”

View and download the Survivors of Sexual Violence Men’s Support Group flyer.

For more information or to find out how to participate in the group, contact Jennifer Heard at 352-264-6737.

Commission Seeks Proposals for Small Grant Initiative Funding

​The Alachua County Commission is seeking proposals from non-governmental, grassroots organizations and emerging small businesses, defined as those with 25 or fewer permanent, full-time employees and have a net worth not exceeding $1 million. The purpose of the Small Grant Initiative (SGI) is to support the development and growth of organizations that exist to benefit Alachua County residents living at or below 150% federal poverty level. 

These funds are intended for one-time capacity building or infrastructure improvements that impact one of the following priority areas: safe, affordable housing, adequate food, quality healthcare, or quality childcare and education. The maximum award limit for an individual proposal is $15,000. Organizations are limited to one application each.

Learn more about the grant funding.