Cyndi Stevenson 

District 1

Board of County Commissioners

  P: 904.209.0301   

C: 904.669.2188

[email protected] 

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Upcoming
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January 25
  
January 29
  

Steep Canyon Rangers 

January 31

 

February 2
  
February 4
  

February 17

 

Commission Meeting

February 18

 

March 1
  
March 4
  
March 18
  
March 16

  

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Thank you for registering for the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners District 1 newsletter. Inside you will find an update regarding projects and events in District 1 and timely information about St. Johns County programs, services, and initiatives.

St. Johns County District 1 Update 

 

With the holiday season over and spring just around the corner, work on County projects and programs is gearing back up for a busy 2014.  

 

For the third consecutive year, we are experiencing a significant increase in residential building permits and District 1 is one of the fastest growing areas. To help you find out what is going on in the County, the Growth Management Department and the GIS department created a great tool for your use, the Development Tracker Map. Click here to try the map today and see what is going on in your area.  

 

Been to a park lately? This is also a great time of year to discover St. Johns County's beautiful natural amenities. Explore nature and history, relax, surf, swim, play sports, fish, bring the children to a playscape, or skateboard. There are even parks for Fido.  Our online Park List and Map is a great place to begin planning where you would like to go.

 

As evident in recent media stories, the future of our water supply is increasingly becoming an urgent topic of discussion for Northeast Florida. Check out the information below for an important update on the regional water supply meeting scheduled for January 30 in St. Johns County, as well as exciting news about the St. Johns River, and some kayaking opportunities in our area.

 

As a new year begins, your County Commissioners will be challenged with the task of balancing the community's many capital improvement and basic maintenance needs with limited future revenues. As we embark on this process, please share your thoughts and ideas with me, and I will happy to share some of my goals for the year with you. I can be reached in my office at 904.209.0301, on my cell phone at 904.669.2188, or via email at [email protected].

 

Please also send me an email and let me know what you want to see in this newsletter and I will work do provide the information you desire to receive. Thank you for the privilege of serving as your District 1 County Commissioner.  Please feel free to contact me if I can be of assistance.

 

Cyndi Stevenson

District 1

St. Johns County Board of County Commissioner

 

Fire Rescue Home Safety Visits and Free Smoke Alarms

In an effort to reduce injuries or fatalities in residential fires, St. Johns County Fire Rescue has initiated a public outreach program that will provide residents with smoke alarms and home safety visits upon request. This service will be provided at no charge in an effort to increase awareness and safety in our community. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that smoke alarms be installed on each floor of the home, living areas, inside bedrooms and directly outside all sleeping areas. Alarms should be tested monthly and batteries should be changed twice a year. If you are in need of a smoke alarm or a home safety visit, please contact St. Johns County Fire Rescue at 904.209.0340 or [email protected] to determine eligibility.

2013 St. Johns County Fire Rescue Firefighter Awards

St. Johns County Fire Rescue recently announced the 2013 Firefighter, Paramedic, and Department Employee of the Year. Selected based on nominations received from their peers, each winner was formally recognized in conjunction with departmental promotions and commendations during a ceremony in December. Lieutenant Scott Bullard was named Paramedic of the Year. An officer in the Battalion assigned to Rescue 7, Bullard was noted for consistently representing the department with the highest level of professionalism possible and serving as an accomplished medic in one of the busiest rescue units in the county.

 

Firefighter Art Naidzich was selected Firefighter of the Year. Trained as a lifeguard and a member of marine rescue, Naidzich was cited for outstanding services during a busy 2013 Memorial Day holiday weekend with dangerous surf and numerous water rescues. Rosemarie Frey was selected by the committee as the Department Employee of the Year. Frey was recognized for exuding a tremendous amount of dedication and commitment, epitomizing St. Johns County Fire Rescue characteristics, and being essential to the efficient operation of the department at large.

St. Johns River Water Management District Public Meeting

The St. Johns River Water Management District is scheduled to host a public meeting to discuss the draft District Water Supply Plan 2013 from 5 to 7 p.m. on January 30 in the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners Auditorium, 500 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine. The meeting will include a presentation at 5:30 p.m. in an informal, open-house format. For additional information, please visit the St. Johns River Water Management District Website or contact Steve Fitzgibbons at 386.312.2369 or [email protected].

St. Johns River Designated A State Paddling Trail

The St. Johns River is now the state's 48th, and longest, Blueway paddling trail. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Greenways and Trails Council recently approved an application to recognize the importance of this significant natural resource as a paddling trail.

 

Not only will this designation assist with future State grant applications, but paddling trails also raise environmental awareness, create a sense of place, promote good health through outdoor recreation, and increase nature-based tourism to help boost economic growth for communities adjoined to the blueway. The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners unanimously voted to support this initiative presented by the St. Johns River Alliance. For additional information, contact the St. Johns County Recreation and Parks Department at 904.209.0324.

St. Johns County Recreation and Parks Kayak Tours 

AyoLane Halusky, St. Johns County Recreation and Parks Department Naturalist, periodically hosts educational kayak paddles on Trout Creek and other local waterways. Participants can bring their own kayak, paddle, PFD and join the group for kayak paddle instruction  prior to the start of the journey. The fee is $20 per person for those who bring their own boat, or participants can reserve a tandem or single kayak for $40 per person. For additional information, please contact AyoLane Halusky at 904.209.0348 or email [email protected].

St. Johns Reads Hosts Rick Smith and "A Land Remembered"

In conjunction with the St. Johns Reads Program, the Public Library System is pleased to welcome author Patrick Smith's son Rick Smith to St. Augustine where he will share a multi-media presentation of his father's award-winning Florida classic "A Land Remembered."

 

Smith will present an afternoon of sensory delight, incorporating video clips, photos, paintings, and music that will transport you to another place and time in Florida history at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 22 at the St. Johns County Auditorium, County Administration Building, 500 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine. The event will begin with a reception and light refreshments at 1:30 p.m. Please call 904.827.6925 or visit the library website for additional information.

Celebrating Local Agricultural with Art and Equipment Exhibit 

St. Johns County's rich and diverse agricultural community will be honored at the County Administration building this spring with a display of historic art, tools, and farming equipment that will also mark the 25th Anniversary of the County's Agricultural Center. The exhibit will officially open to the public on February 4 and will remain on display through April 25 during standard business hours at 500 San Sebastian View. Located at the Agricultural Center, the St. Johns County Cooperative Extension Service conducts research-based educational programs in agriculture, horticulture, family and consumer sciences, marine interest, and 4-H youth development. For more information regarding the display or the Agricultural Center, please call 904.209.0430.

St. Augustine Amphitheater Sets Record with 100,000 Tickets Sold

2013 was a banner year for the St. Johns County Cultural Events Division as ticket sales topped 100,000 at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, up from 84,000 tickets in 2012.
  
The Amphitheatre's season began with a sold out show by the legendary Hall and Oates and recently ended with a performance by Grammy nominated band Alabama Shakes. Other notable sell out shows included Matchbox 20, Styx, REO Speedwagon, and Ted Nugent, Bob Dylan, Imagine Dragons, Steely Dan, and The Lumineers. 2014 is already shaping up to be quite a year with Santana, Steve Miller, Fall Out Boy, and The Moody Blues scheduled to perform.
  
Stay tuned for many more blockbuster announcements in early 2014. For general information, please contact the Box Office at 904.209.0367, or visit the website.
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Thank you for your interest in St. Johns County and District 1. Active residents, a dynamic business community, and a superior quality of life make St. Johns County the best place to live, work, and play.  
  
Sincerely,
  

Cyndi Stevenson

District 1

St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners

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