At its meeting Thursday, the Gainesville City Commission approved a plan for the reconstruction of the City Hall Plaza Ponds and revisited a proposed referendum regarding the GRU Authority Board.
At its meeting Tuesday, the Alachua County Commission moved to draft a ballot measure about single-member districts in the county.
The Gainesville Regional Transit System, originally introduced in 1988, provides unlimited bus service for University of Florida students, faculty and staff. To provide this service, UF currently contributes $13.7 million to the system. However, a new proposal beginning July 1 would allow UF to make monthly payments of $570,000, totaling to $6.8 million, and a decreased contribution of over 50%.
A note attached to one of the projectiles was addressed to “Mr. Ward,” and expressed anger toward the city’s commitments to equity and inclusion. The note allegedly contained threatening and racist language, according to a city press release.
Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward addressed the recent vandalism at Gainesville City Hall and the Old Library Building, where Gainesville’s equity and inclusion office is located. Ward’s office window was broken Tuesday night by two projectiles, spraying glass across Ward’s office and leaving two large holes in the window.
In its meeting Tuesday, the Alachua County Commission approved the terms of an agreement consolidating two branches of CareerSource Florida.
In its meeting Thursday, the Gainesville City Commission approved changes to downtown parking and moved to draft a ballot measure about the GRU Authority Board.
The resignations will take in 60 days and were submitted to act as a settlement for the lawsuits, according to the Gainesville Sun.
The City of Gainesville voted 6-0, with Commissioner Desmon Duncan Walker absent, to end Gainesville Regional Utilitity’s right-of-way exemption.
GRU proposed the meeting in January to discuss ways to reduce its debt without cutting the GSC. However, its agenda was broadened to include the power district and any other relationships the two wished to discuss. The meeting ended with no votes, and no action taken.
Taking the podium at Santa Fe College’s Blount Center, Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward started his annual State of the City Address by talking about snow.
In its Feb. 6 meeting, the Gainesville Finance Committee worked to revise the city’s budget to make up for the $1.4 million in payments withheld by the Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority. Its proposal, which the City Commission will discuss Feb. 15, makes up the difference by dipping into contingency funds for designated programs such as at-risk youth and gun violence prevention.
At its Thursday meeting, the Gainesville City Commission received updates on the progress of two state bills that could affect Gainesville’s police oversight and tax cuts given to luxury student housing.
Local nonprofit Keep Alachua County Beautiful was given a trespass notice Tuesday for “taking up illegal residence” in a city-owned property, according to the City of Gainesville.
Nearly a hundred spectators filled the benches and lined the walls of the Alachua County Commission’s auditorium to voice their opinions on a potential resolution to urge President Joe Biden’s administration toward a ceasefire in Gaza.
In its Wednesday meeting, The Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority board voted to reduce payments it makes for unused city services, and to organize a joint meeting with the city commission to discuss alternatives to cutting GRU’s annual $15.3 million Government Services Contribution (GSC).
Despite severe weather warnings across Alachua County, the County Commission met Tuesday to discuss a ceasefire resolution and provide an update on the Florence landfill special use permit.
At its regular meeting Thursday, the Gainesville City Commission voted 6-0, with Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker absent, to appoint Interim City Clerk Kristen Bryant in a permanent capacity, filling the last of the city’s charter office vacancies.
The City of Gainesville announced its director of financial services has submitted her resignation and will be leaving office Dec. 1. Sue Wang was hired in June 2022 as controller for general government, six months after an audit raised concern about the city’s financial accountability.
The Alachua County School Board unanimously elected District 2’s Diyonne McGraw as its newest chair Tuesday. Leanetta McNealy, the current vice-chair from District 4, will retain her position through a unanimous vote after turning down a nomination for chair.
Solutions by The State News
