Board action and votes
The Clay County Board of County Commissioners met on Jan. 14 and approved a series of administrative and budget items, took a formal step to begin contract negotiations with the county’s incumbent tourism and sports marketing contractor and heard sustained public comment about planned changes to Sand Ridge Road that residents and a nearby church said could reduce safe access.

At the meeting the commission unanimously approved: adopting CIP and non‑CIP budget amendments tied to County Road 220 and a bonded road project; adopting an ordinance adding the county’s replacement policy into the land‑development code; vacating an unopened platted right‑of‑way called Circle Court; and directing staff to negotiate a new tourism/sports marketing contract with the county’s leading proposer while allowing staff to negotiate with the No. 2 firm if talks with the top choice fail. Most motions passed on voice votes with no roll‑call objections recorded.

Why it matters
Those votes move forward projects that county staff say will free and accelerate state and federal funding for ongoing road work, adopt an explicit county rule for replacing nonconforming residential structures, and preserve continuity of the county’s tourism and sports outreach while the county opens a newly built sports facility. The public‑comment exchanges on Sand Ridge Road underscored tensions that can arise when major roadway redesigns intersect with long‑established community institutions.

Tourism contract: negotiations authorized with incumbent firm
After presentations by three vendors that responded to RFP 24251, commissioners ranked the firms and directed staff to open contract negotiations with the top‑ranked candidate and, if necessary, the second‑ranked firm. Alan Verlina of incumbent Airstream Ventures told the board his firm has “been in Clay County for 4 years” and emphasized a mix of repeat events and newly developed signature events the firm said it created for the county.

The board used its standard ranking process after live presentations and then voted to authorize county staff to negotiate a professional services contract with the top‑ranked firm and to pursue the second‑ranked proposer if talks with the first cannot be completed. The motion passed with unanimous support.

Road projects and state contributions
Ed Dendoor, the county’s bond transportation program administrator, briefed commissioners on progress across the multi‑project bond program, including County Road 218, County Road 209, Sand Ridge Road and Cathedral Oak Parkway. He reported signed contracts, ongoing pond excavation, temporary railroad crossing work and final paving stages on multiple projects.

Dendoor reported the overall program status to the board in percentages and said, “This project is on schedule with 34% paid out and 37% of the time used,” describing the County Road 209 corridor work. He also told the commission that contractors and county staff are meeting to resolve schedule and payout differences on some projects where time used is ahead of the paid‑out percentage.

Separately, FDOT representatives told the board FDOT would contribute additional construction engineering inspection (CEI) funding for County Road 220. The FDOT presenter delivered the county’s LAP recertification to allow continued access to federal LAP funds; staff said the additional local‑project CEI contribution will reduce the county’s budget burden for that project.

Budget and CIP votes
The board held and closed a public hearing on an ordinance and two resolutions to amend the capital improvement plan and related budget items. Budget manager Reg Cantor told commissioners the amendments recognize an additional $72,008.71 of state funding for CEI on County Road 220 and—separately—add $400,000 for land purchases tied to a bonded road project. The board adopted the ordinance and both resolutions on voice votes with no recorded dissents.

Land‑use and policy changes
Planning staff proposed codifying an existing Board policy allowing replacement of single‑family dwellings on lots created before a specified adoption date. The proposal removes a strict restriction tied to the previous property appraiser footprint and requires replaced structures to meet the underlying zoning district’s setbacks and coverage standards. The commission adopted the change unanimously after staff said the planning commission had recommended approval.

Public comment and Sand Ridge Road access concerns
A large block of public comment focused on the Russell Baptist Church property and planned changes to Sand Ridge Road. Pastor Chad Weeks and multiple church members described how a planned median on Sand Ridge Road and other changes to curb openings will reduce or eliminate the church’s eastern driveway access, forcing congregation members—including older or mobility‑limited worshippers—to make U‑turns on a busier corridor.

Church leaders asked the commission to consider engineering alternatives—such as a curb opening with a drainage inlet like the one at a nearby park—or property‑level solutions that would maintain safer access to the church’s main parking area. Commissioners and staff acknowledged the public safety concerns and directed staff to re‑examine options and prepare potential mitigations and cost estimates; commissioners stressed they would rely on engineering analysis when considering changes because adjustments could affect stormwater, right‑of‑way and construction costs.

Other votes and items of record
- The board adopted proclamations (including recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and a proclamation honoring local professional soccer player Carson Pickett) by unanimous votes.
- The commission voted to vacate an unopened Circle Court right‑of‑way after hearing from the property owners, who told the board they had purchased the contiguous lots and planned to use the land as a single parcel; staff recommended a combination plat be recorded to consolidate the lots for future permitting and taxation.
- The board accepted a set of transportation priorities to submit to the Northeast Florida Transportation Planning Organization (TPO). Among changes discussed, commissioners asked staff to add Old Jennings Road between the First Coast Expressway (State Road 23) and Long Bay Road to the county’s priority list and to move several other projects in the TPO submittal. The board authorized staff to submit the updated priority list and to pursue grants for projects on the list.

Public safety and solid‑waste operations
County staff reported unusually high use of county household disposal facilities and curbside services during the Christmas‑to‑New‑Year period. Milton (solid‑waste staff) reported a roughly 59% increase in residential visits at the county’s main transfer facility in a short holiday window and a doubling of tonnage at some convenience (ECC) sites. Staff said they will increase staffing and contractor truck rotations during future holiday peaks, pre‑position additional roll‑off containers and refine traffic‑control and queueing plans at the facilities.

Several commissioners urged more extensive customer education about scheduled bulk‑trash pickups, the stable single‑cart curbside policy and the new procedures customers must use to request bulky‑item collection. Staff said curbside service missed calls were low but that residents must call to schedule a bulky‑item pickup because the county now uses dedicated vehicles instead of collecting bulky items on routine curbside routes.

What’s next
Staff will return with cost estimates and engineering options for the Russell Baptist access concerns, finalize the tourism contract negotiation authorization and pursue grant opportunities from the TPO and state agencies for transportation projects. County staff also said they will publish clarified instructions for bulk pickup requests and report back on proposed operational changes at household disposal sites to handle holiday spikes.

Ending note
The commission closed the meeting after a broad agenda of proclamations, public comments, presentations, contract authorizations and budget votes. Commissioners asked staff to bring back follow‑ups on the Russell Baptist access analysis, the TPO priority submission and solid‑waste operational changes.

Sources and attribution
This article is based on the Jan. 14, 2025 Clay County Board of County Commissioners meeting transcript. Direct quotes, votes and actions are taken from the transcript and public record of that meeting. Unless otherwise identified, all motions recorded were approved by the commission in public votes recorded at the meeting.