Board of County Commissioners Meeting

The Clay County Board of County Commissioners has declared March 9-15, 2026, as Flood Awareness Week. This declaration highlights the county's history of severe weather events, including tropical systems and extreme rainfall, which have led to repeated flooding and significant property damage. The initiative aims to increase public education and awareness regarding flood risks, preparedness, control, and mitigation measures. By participating in the Florida Floodplain Managers Association's designated week, Clay County encourages residents to learn how to protect themselves and their property from potential flood events, emphasizing the importance of these actions for public safety and welfare. The county's voluntary participation in the National Flood Insurance Program is also noted as a means to reduce flood risk and enable residents to obtain flood insurance at reduced rates.

The Board of County Commissioners held a budget workshop on February 5, 2026, to discuss the FY25/26 budget and potential impacts from state legislative bills. Key discussion points included:

• Overall Budget: Total budgeted expenses are $801,138,303.00.
• Ad Valorem Supported Functions: These account for $309,818,752.00 in revenues, with $74,800,568.00 allocated to operational expenses.
• Legislative Impacts: The board reviewed several House Joint Resolutions (HJR) that could significantly reduce property tax revenue, including HJR 203 which proposes phased elimination of non-school property tax for homesteads, potentially leading to a $33.4 million revenue reduction.
• Revenue Options: Staff presented potential alternative revenue streams such as increasing utility taxes, implementing stormwater fees, and increasing various departmental fees.
• Recommendations: The Board recommended holding county departments to a 3% increase and constitutional offices to a percentage equal to or less than the increase in Ad Valorem revenue. Next steps include drafting letters to constitutional officers and the state delegation.
• Public Comment: Residents expressed concerns regarding the budget and potential tax/fee changes, with the Sheriff highlighting the impact of Ad Valorem discussions on funding and resources.

The Board of County Commissioners convened on February 10, 2026. Key actions included:

• Proclamations: Recognized Black History Month (February 2026) and American Heart Month (February 2026).
• Minutes Approval: Approved the minutes from the January 27, 2026 meeting.
• Consent Agenda: Approved items including Finance Business, the Lake Geneva Restoration Project (Bid No. 25/26-013), rejection of bids for Clay County Public Safety Physicals (Bid No. 25/26-014), the Fourth Amendment to Phase 2 Construction Agreement for the Bonded Transportation Program with Superior Construction Company Southeast, LLC (extending completion to May 19, 2027, with an additional cost of $502,379.17), the First Amendment to Agreement for Mobility Fee Studies with GFT Infrastructure, Inc. (for $31,061.00, extending completion to June 30, 2026), and approval of the Chesser Road Prescriptive Right of Way Map. Item 5 (Lake Geneva Restoration) and Item 7 (Bonded Transportation Program Amendment) were pulled for discussion.
• Public Hearings/Time Certain: A public hearing was held for COMP 25-0015 (FLUM Amendment related to Lake Asbury Interchange Village Center), which was continued to February 24, 2026.
• Appointments/Resignations: Accepted resignations from the Middleburg/Clay Hill Citizens Advisory Committee (Samuel Kilgore) and the Oakleaf Branan-Ridge Citizens Advisory Committee (Patricia Kolosky). Appointed John Barber to the Middleburg/Clay Hill Citizens Advisory Committee and Mark McMillan to the Lake Asbury Municipal Service Benefit District.
• Program Commitments: Approved program support and commitment to utilize state-supplied services for Pre-Hospital Blood Infrastructure with the Florida Department of Health.
• County Attorney Updates: Provided updates on Pet Nuisance amended Ordinance, E-Bike Legislation, Opioid Settlement ($305,000.00 received), and Charter Review Meeting.
• County Manager Updates: Discussed pipe damages from cold weather (25 pipes busted) and provided an overview of Executive Order 26-33 related to severe weather mitigation and burn bans.
• Commissioners' Comments: Included discussions on parking complaints, communication department statistics, economic development, budget workshops, library workshops, military academy nominees, budget transparency, upcoming community events, and tourism initiatives.

The County is recommending awarding Bid No. 25/26-043 for the Moccasin Slough Boardwalk project to Legacy Dock and Marine Construction, LLC for their Base Bid of $456,617.00. This project involves the construction of boardwalk segments and potentially an education pavilion within Moccasin Slough Park. The funding for this project will come from the Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) Project Fund. Additional segments (Alternate Bids #1, #2, and #3) may be awarded based on funding availability and project priorities.

This agreement is between Clay County and GIS Workshop LLC dba gWorks for mapping cloud services. The contract covers a two-year period and includes the gWorks Cloud Operations Enterprise bundle and an Inspections Add-On. The total cost for the first year, after a loyalty discount, is $30,002.00, with an additional $900.00 for the Inspections Add-On. One-time implementation fees total $5,250.00. The total amount due within 45 days of the system going live is $35,252.00. The second year's subscription fees will be $39,100.00 for the Enterprise bundle and $900.00 for the Inspections Add-On. The agreement automatically renews annually unless terminated. The contract is governed by a Master Software and Services Agreement (MSSA) and includes standard addendums regarding payment terms, public records, and other legal requirements.

Clay County is issuing Satisfactions of Mortgage for six individuals/entities: Delpha, McCauley, Prevatt, Rish, BASCA, and Hicks. These documents formally release the mortgages that were placed on their properties. The mortgages were part of the Clay County SHIP (State Housing Initiatives Partnership) Program. The satisfaction of mortgage indicates that the terms of the original mortgage have been fulfilled, likely through full payment or the expiration of a specified term. The satisfaction documents were executed on February 24, 2026, by Kristen Burke, Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, and attested by Tara S. Green, Clay County Clerk of Court and Comptroller.

This item requests approval to use an alternative procedure for noticing public hearings related to the potential purchase of real property for two key projects: the Long Bay Road SUN Trail Extension and a Public Safety Site. This alternative procedure, as outlined in Section 2-175 of the Clay County Code, allows for a reduced notice period of 5 days (instead of the standard 30 days required by Florida Statutes) before the Board of County Commissioners can consider entering into a purchase and sale agreement. To utilize this alternative procedure, the County must make all procured written appraisals, offers, and counteroffers for the specified properties immediately available for public disclosure as soon as the Board approves the shortened notice period. The Board is not being asked to approve any purchase today, but rather to authorize the use of this expedited notification process for potential future agreements. Approval requires a supermajority vote.

Clay County, Florida, has adopted a Vision Zero Resolution and a comprehensive Community Safety Action Plan (CSAP), aiming to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries on its roads by 2050. This initiative, driven by Planner Project Manager M. Slaughter, shifts the focus from efficient vehicle movement to designing systems that safely accommodate all road users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers.

Key Findings & Challenges:

• Clay County, a rapidly growing area, experiences an average of 5,422 crashes annually, with 85 resulting in fatalities or severe injuries each year (2020-2024 data).
• Vulnerable road users are disproportionately affected: pedestrians and bicyclists account for 2.6% of collisions but 28% of traffic deaths.
• Top behavioral factors in severe crashes include impaired driving (28%), unrestrained seatbelts (20%), and aggressive driving (15%).
• The High Injury Network (HIN) identifies State Route 21 (Blanding Blvd), US Highway 17, and State Route 16 as key corridors, with 18 specific intersections prioritized for interventions, such as SR 21 @ Wells Rd (ISS 0.78).

Proposed Actions:

• Engineering Countermeasures: Implementation of 12 core treatments like speed feedback signs, enhanced pedestrian crossings, protected left-turn signals, and lighting upgrades, tailored to specific HIN locations.
• Policy Changes: Short-term goals (1-3 years) include adopting a Complete Streets Guideline, establishing maximum speeds of 25 mph on residential roads and near parks, and requiring street lighting at intersections. Mid-term goals (3+ years) involve developing Access Management Corridor Plans and a Traffic Calming Policy.
• Education & Enforcement: Programs will target impaired driving, young and older drivers, and vulnerable road users, collaborating with existing initiatives like Safe Routes to School. The county will also launch a public Vision Zero website and establish an Oversight Committee for transparency and progress tracking.

This resolution authorizes Clay County to acquire ownership of specific land parcels from the State of Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The lands are described as portions of Oakleaf Parkway Extension and Kindlewood Drive.

Purpose: The acquisition is for public purposes, specifically for the construction of a public roadway with sidewalks and landscaping. This aligns with Section 337.25(3) of the Florida Statutes.

Legal Description: The property includes two parcels totaling approximately 2,507 square feet and 12,774 square feet, located within Section 17, Township 4 South, Range 25 East, Clay County, Florida. These parcels are part of State Road No. 23 (Branan Field/Chaffee Road) right-of-way.

Process: Clay County has requested a quit claim deed from FDOT for these lands, which are no longer required by the state for transportation purposes. The resolution will be forwarded to FDOT, and it takes effect immediately upon adoption by the Board of County Commissioners.

The Clay County Fair Association is requesting to apply its unpaid 2025 rental fee of $40,587 and its estimated 2026 rental fee of $75,000 towards an improvement project for Exhibit Hall 1. This totals approximately $115,000. The Association acknowledges this amount may be insufficient for engineering and county requirements and notes that grant funds may be available to supplement the project. If additional funding is not secured, the Fair Association will pay the full $115,000 to the County by September 30, 2026, to be held for this project or a future capital improvement.

This item proposes a Substantial Amendment to Clay County's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan (FY 2025-26), and Citizen Participation Plan. The amendment reallocates $1,041,690.03 in unobligated CDBG funds from prior fiscal years (FY 2022-2023, FY 2023-2024, FY 2024-2025) to the current FY 2025-26 plan, increasing the total CDBG allocation for FY 2025-26 from $1,060,250.00 to $2,101,940.03.

Key Funding Changes:

• Sidewalks: Funding for sidewalk improvements in low- and moderate-income areas of Keystone Heights, Orange Park, and Middleburg increases significantly from $910,250.00 to $1,851,940.03, projected to benefit 6,000 families.
• Non-Profit Capacity Building: A new allocation of $100,000.00 is introduced to strengthen local non-profit organizations. This includes operational support for Seeds of Grace (serving the High Ridge community with clean-ups, social services, affordable housing partnerships, health education, transportation, and employment connections) and funding for Impact Clay to develop "Linksy," a digital platform centralizing access to community services. This initiative is estimated to benefit 50+ non-profits and 600 households.
• Administration: Remains at $150,000.00.

The Citizen Participation Plan is also updated to reflect that public comments should now be submitted to the Clay County Grants Department. Public input for this amendment included a meeting with no attendees and two email submissions supporting the Non-Profit Capacity Building initiative. The overall goal is to enhance decent housing, suitable living environments, and economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents.

This item involves a public hearing for a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (COMP 25-0015) and a companion Rezoning application (ZON 25-0029). The proposed changes aim to expand the Lake Asbury Interchange Village Center (LA IVC) designation and zoning from approximately 18.75 acres to 52 acres along the east side of Henley Road (CR 739) at the intersection with Verbena Parkway.

Key changes include:

• Increasing the total allowed LA IVC acreage from 18.75 to 52 acres.
• Reducing the minimum required residential acreage within the LA IVC from 10% to 0%.
• Reducing the maximum permitted residential acreage within the LA IVC from 50% to 30%.
• Amending the Future Land Use Map and Zoning Map to reflect this expansion and shift towards commercial/retail uses.

Staff recommends transmittal of the Comprehensive Plan Amendment and approval of the Rezoning application, citing that the changes align with the evolving character of the area, the addition of an on/off ramp at the First Coast Expressway, and the demand for commercial/retail services. The proposed amendment is considered to discourage urban sprawl by promoting efficient infrastructure use, compact development, a mix of uses, and a balance of land uses.

This document is a bid tabulation for Disaster Debris Removal Services (RFP 25/26-018), opened on February 13, 2026. The tabulation lists ten potential bidders, including Aftermath Disaster Recovery, Inc., Bergeron Emergency Services, Inc., and CrowderGulf Joint Venture, Inc. The specific bid amounts for each contractor are listed as 'To Be Determined' (TBD), indicating that a final award has not yet been made and further evaluation of the bids is required based on the criteria outlined in the bid documents.