Here are some topics from the last Board of County Commissioners meeting. If you want to know more about what was discussed and decided, you can read the agendas and minutes as they get posted. You can watch the meeting in full on our Facebook page or website.
Meeting the third quarter goals of our Clay County Strategic Plan – In the third quarter of 2024, Clay County made significant progress in meeting the goals of our Strategic Plan. We focused on activities aligned with the themes of Community Health & Safety, Economic & Community Development, Infrastructure, Quality & Balance of Life, and Good Governance. We are increasing the number of AEDs and Narcan stations with a goal of 250 locations across the County, giving the public better access to these life-saving tools. Our care referral system registered 19 new non-profit agencies and 1,537 individuals have been engaged through this support system this year. We were also successful in attracting more new multi-day tourism events, generating more grant revenues, and speeding up the review process for residential and commercial permits. We are working to increase public transportation use and improve stormwater management to support our infrastructure. Additionally, we are boosting community involvement through more educational, recreational, and cultural programs, and we are increasing the number of people signed up for emergency alerts. For more details, listen to the presentation at the 3:04:14 timestamp.
Cross-country course and additional parking coming to the Clay County Regional Sports Complex –The County’s grants department secured $500,000 to apply towards the design and construction of a cross-country course and trail for public use along with additional parking at the Clay County Regional Sports Complex. You can find more information about this discussion at the 3:28:10 minute mark.
Reducing opioid overdose deaths in our community- The Northeast Florida Regional Council provided an update on the Clay County Substance Use Disorder Task Force. The task force was created after the County received funding from an opioid litigation case settlement for prevention efforts, treatment, and recovery services. The task force meets quarterly and reviews data about overdoses and substance use. From April 2023 to April 2024, overdose deaths in the U.S. dropped by 10%, while Florida saw a decrease of 12.6%. Clay County has experienced an even larger reduction in overdose deaths compared to the state. In Year 1, the County allocated over $2 million to five ongoing programs aimed at reducing opioid use and overdoses. These initiatives include efforts to increase access to AEDs and Narcan, hire a Clay Behavioral Opioid Recovery Coordinator, establish a Department of Health Opioid Task Force Coordinator, improve 24-hour response capabilities, and upgrade facilities in targeted areas. The task force accepts project nominations from community partners on an annual basis to determine the best way to use these opioid funds. For more details, listen to the presentation at the 24:43 minute mark.
Construction on the new Animal Services shelter facility starting soon – Clay County issued Bid No. 23/24-128 (Re-Bid) for the construction of the Animal Services Shelter and Care Facility at 20 Sleepy Hollow Road in Middleburg. Local company E. Vaughan Rivers, Inc. submitted the lowest bid of $21,515,585.00. The new improved animal shelter will be centrally located in the County, allowing us to provide better animal care services to our entire community. We anticipate construction to begin in early 2025. You can learn more about the new animal shelter facility at the 3:57:21 timestamp.
