Highlights from the September 23 Board of County Commissioners Meeting

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 minutesas they get posted.

You can watch the meeting in full on our Facebook page or website.

Future leaders experience County government in action

Commissioner John Sgromolo selected five high school students to participate in Clay County's new Commissioner for a Day program. They spent the day with the commissioner and other county elected officials to get a firsthand look at local government in action.

The students met with Clerk of Court and Comptroller Tara Green, Sheriff Michelle Cook, and Judge Whittington to learn about the County's legal and judicial systems.

They toured Station 20 with Fire Chief David Motes and met with Emergency Management Director Tim Devin at the Emergency Operations Center to explore public safety and emergency response efforts. They also visited Clay County Animal Services to get an understanding of animal care operations. The day ended in the in the Clay County Board of County Commissioners Boardroom, where the students heard from county leaders and participated in a mock budget-balancing exercise.

This hands-on program offered the students valuable insight into local government and helped prepare the next generation of civic leaders. Watch the students reflect on their experience at the 9:46 mark of the meeting.

Small businesses fuel Clay County's economic growth

Senior Business Consultant Chris Evangelista from the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of North Florida highlighted the powerful role small businesses play in Clay County. In Florida, small businesses make up 99.9% of all enterprises-and locally, 3,857 small businesses contribute to 40% of Clay County's workforce. Even more impressive, for every $100 spent at a local small business, $68 remains within the community, boosting the local economy.

The ongoing partnership between Clay County and the SBDC continues to drive meaningful economic impact, and efforts are underway to support and attract even more small businesses to the area. To hear more about the impact of small businesses in our community, watch the meeting starting at the 34:22 mark.

Clay County adopts final budget and millage rates for FY 2025-2026

During their second and final public hearing, the Board of County Commissioners officially adopted the final millage rates and budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. Commissioners approved two key resolutions. One resolution established the final millage rates and another adopted the comprehensive Clay County budget.

For a full overview of the discussion and decisions, tune in at the 1:11:53 mark of the meeting.