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Residents raise concerns about JEA billing, private wells; volunteer reports alligator at county animal shelter
Summary
At the Feb. 10 Nassau County meeting, a resident raised questions about JEA billing and suggested fees for private wells in areas with city water; an animal shelter volunteer reported an alligator sighting and provided shelter animal counts.
Two members of the public addressed the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 10 with concerns about water billing and private wells, and a volunteer at the county animal shelter reported an alligator sighting and provided current animal counts.
Patricia Sahm, of Fernandina Beach, told commissioners she is concerned about irregularities on a JEA water bill, saying her monthly water usage figure appears to be rounded to large numbers. "Every single month, my water usage is exactly to the 12,000, 16,000, which I find extremely odd," Sahm said. She said her meter is new and she asked the county to press JEA for clearer billing information and oversight.
Sahm also urged the commission to consider regulation of private wells used for irrigation in areas that have access to municipal water. She suggested the county consider an annual fee for people who have wells in those circumstances, saying she was not referring to farmers or residents who live in remote areas that rely solely on wells.
Volunteer Jackie Osborne, speaking for the Nassau County Animal Shelter (NCAS), reported the shelter’s current animal counts and described an alligator that had wandered into a retention pond area adjacent to the facility. Osborne said there were 45 dogs currently in the shelter and 80 in foster care, and 35 cats in the shelter with nine in foster care. She said staff believed the alligator — nicknamed "Al" by volunteers — was not aggressive and had likely been fed by someone else; staff had escorted the animal away from where people and animals congregate and assured the public no staff or animals were in danger.
Neither public-comment item produced an agenda action by the board during the meeting. Commissioners acknowledged the comments; county staff said Commissioner McCullough had already raised the billing question with the county manager and that staff would follow up.
