May 2024 Newsletter

County Announces Enhanced Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Workshop Series

As part of County Administrator Joy Andrews’ framework for open governance and efficiency, St. Johns County is unveiling a transformative Budget Workshop Series for Fiscal Year 2025 (Oct. 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2025). This enhanced series of workshops will amplify public engagement and encourage collaborative discussions about the budgeting process for County departments and services.

County Administrator Joy Andrews to Begin Community Speaking Tour

St. Johns County Administrator Joy Andrews will present a State of the County during her community speaking tour over the coming months. This presentation will feature updates on the County’s efforts to address traffic with the expansion of new and wider roads, the plan to build five new regional parks, a public safety program to add more fire stations, an update on the County’s 2050 Comprehensive Plan, details on how the County is creating new job opportunities, information about past and future County initiatives. Additionally, it will include ways citizens can become more engaged and informed on County activities and news through a new citizens academy, a new mobile app, and other open governance efforts by the County. Read Joy's Community Letter here.

County Ranked Top Finalist for Florida Museum of Black History

St. Johns County was notified on April 15 by the Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources that its proposal to be the home of the first Florida Museum of Black History scored within the top four prospective locations. St. Johns County is currently the number one ranked location by the Florida Museum of Black History Task Force, followed by Eatonville/Orange County, Sarasota, and Opa Locka.

County Announces New Citizens Academy

St. Johns County will launch a new citizens academy called SJC 101. The program invites citizens to participate in activities and presentations to learn more about county government. Citizens can register at www.sjcfl.us/sjc101. The SJC 101 pilot program will be limited to the first 20 eligible applicants. Subsequent applicants will be placed on a waiting list for future SJC 101 citizens academy dates. Following the pilot program, a comprehensive SJC 101 academy will be offered in 2025.

Commissioner

Christian Whitehurst

District 1 News

Commissioner

Sarah Arnold

Chair

District 2 News

Commissioner

Roy Alaimo

Vice Chair

District 3 News

Commissioner

Krista Joseph

District 4 News

Commissioner

Henry Dean

District 5 News

County Announces 5-Year Public Safety Plan

At the April 16, St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) meeting, a new 5-Year Public Safety Plan was presented which includes four new public safety stations, a new regional fire training center, a new medical examiner facility, and a Sheriff headquarters expansion. Considering previous public safety capital projects since 2020, the County will have a 10-year Infrastructure Investment Plan estimated to be more than $100 million from 2020 to 2029.

County Moves Forward with World Golf Village Plans

On April 16, the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved the $5.5 million purchase of all World Golf Foundation, Inc. (WGV) assets including the Tour Production Building, WGV Parking, and WGV common space adding to County ownership of the Hall of Fame, IMAX Theater, and the grounds of the World Golf Village Renaissance St. Augustine Resort Convention Center and Hotel. At a future BOCC meeting, County staff will provide a summary of the citizen input acquired through various public engagement efforts since August 2023 along with a plan to move through a selection process of a partner for a development project.

County Celebrates Ponte Vedra Beach Restoration Project With Sandbreaking Ceremony

On April 12, St. Johns County celebrated the start of the $38.6 million Ponte Vedra Beach Restoration Project with a sandbreaking ceremony at Mickler’s Landing Beachfront Park, located at 1109 Ponte Vedra Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach. The ceremony concluded with a ceremonial sandbreaking on the beach. Click here to watch the full speeches from the ceremony.

County Announces $123 Million Regional Park Plan to Begin in 2024

On April 2, the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) unanimously authorized the County Administrator to move forward with an estimated $123 million plan to construct five regional parks and community centers. The presented plan was modified by Commissioner Christian Whitehurst to include the consideration of a full-service library in Nocatee, considering the vast needs of the community of 32,000 residents. The approved plan also includes library hubs in the central (Shearwater) community park and northwest (Greenbriar) park.