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ALACHUA COUNTY ‒ The voter registration deadline for the 2024 General Election is Oct. 7, 2024. This deadline is now four weeks away.

All registered voters, regardless of their party affiliation, will be able to vote for the candidates running in their electoral districts and on state constitutional amendments.

Election Day for the General Election is Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. Any individual who would like to participate in the General Election must be registered to vote by Oct. 7, 2024.

If you are not yet registered to vote, there are numerous ways to register:

• Online: Florida residents can register to vote online. The online voter registration portal — found at RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov — is a safe and secure option for voter registration. You will need a valid Florida State ID (Florida Driver's License number/Florida ID Card number) and the last four digits of your social security number.
• In person: The Alachua County Supervisor of Elections office, which is located at 515 N. Main Street on the third floor, is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Voter registration forms can also be completed and turned in at any Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles office or any Alachua County Public Library.
• By mail: Forms are available online at VoteAlachua.gov. Completed forms must be received by the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office before 5 p.m. on the Oct. 7, 2024, deadline.

Already registered voters are encouraged to verify and update their voter registration status. This can be done at https://www.votealachua.gov/My-Registration-Status, by calling 352-374-5252, or by visiting the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office in person. Voters are encouraged to make any changes to their voter registration in advance of Election Day as changes could impact a voter's assigned polling place.

For more information on registering to vote or making changes to your voter registration record, please contact the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office at 352-374-5252. 

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L-R: City of Alachua Public Services Director Michael Carrillo, Assistant City Manager Rodolfo Valladares, City Manager Mike DaRoza, Alachua County Manager Michele Lieberman, Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper, Alachua Vice Mayor Ed Potts, Alachua City Commissioners Shirley Green Brown, Jennifer Ringersen, Dayna Williams (formerly Miller) and Alachua County Fire Rescue Chief Harold Theus / Photo special to Alachua County Today

ALACHUA – A new roadway and waterline extension project is set to enhance both safety and infrastructure in Alachua. On Sept. 5, 2024, the City of Alachua held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Northwest 86^th Drive Roadway and Waterline Extension Project, marking the start of construction aimed at improving fire suppression capabilities and traffic flow in the area.

Once completed, Northwest 86^th Drive will connect to U.S. Highway 441 at the northern end of the San Felasco Tech City area and run alongside an abandoned parking area near the temporary Alachua County fire station. This extension is expected to provide improved access to a planned permanent fire station in southern Alachua.

The groundbreaking ceremony featured Alachua Mayor Gib Coerper offering opening remarks followed by City of Alachua Pubic Services Director Michael Carrilla, P.E., and Alachua Assistant City Manager Rodolfo Valladares, P.E.

Alachua County Manager Michele Lieberman spoke on the importance of the project for enhancing emergency services access, while City Manager Mike DaRoza expressed gratitude to all involved for their dedication in bringing the project to life.

Other notable attendees included City of Alachua Vice Mayor Ed Potts, City of Alachua Commissioners Shirley Green Brown, Jennifer Ringersen, Dayna Williams (formerly Miller), and Alachua County Fire Rescue Chief Harold Theus.

Hip Construction, the contractor for the project, was selected as the low bidder and is expected to complete construction by early 2025. Once finished, the roadway and waterline extension will significantly benefit the community by improving infrastructure and safety.

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ALACHUA COUNTY ‒ Alachua Country began the widening and resurfacing of Southwest 170^th Street (County Road 241) south of Archer on Sept. 9, 2024. The $4.7 million project will begin at the intersection of Southwest 143^rd Avenue and extend approximately 3.1 miles to the Levy County line. The project includes milling and paving the existing asphalt surface, widening the travel lanes to 11 feet and adding four-foot-wide paved shoulders for improved safety.

The southern 2.5 miles is being funded by a safety grant from the Federal Highway Administration and the remainder by County general fund dollars.

“I am so excited about this and the many road projects both underway and planned,” said Alachua County Commission Chair Mary Alford. “Between the voter-approved Wild Spaces Public Places surtax, Gas Tax, general fund dollars and grants, the County Commission has assembled over a quarter of a billion dollars to fund our aggressive pavement management plan.”

Local paving contractor Watson Construction Company, LLC has been awarded the construction contract for the project. Alachua County officials remind the public to expect some delays while traveling this road during the next seven months.

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ARCHER – A 43-year-old Archer man has been charged with 12 counts of possession of 10 or more child pornographic images. Joel Bruce Searby, who was one of the founding members of the group that organized a vote to convert Newberry’s public schools to charter schools, was previously arrested on June 20, 2024, and has been in the Alachua County Jail since that date.

At the time of Searby’s arrest he was charged with lewd/lascivious conduct, two counts of obscene communication related to luring a 15-year-old minor to meet him for sex and using a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony.

A search warrant that was executed at the time of Searby’s arrest reportedly produced a laptop, and a search of the laptop reportedly produced 12 child sexual abuse images. One was a video and 10 images showed nude or partially nude pre-pubescent males who appeared to be between the ages of seven and 10 years of age.

In addition, another video showed a partially nude male who appeared to be 14-16 years old. One video reportedly showed three nude, pre-pubescent males engaged in sexual acts with each other.

Searby has been held in the Alachua County Jail without bail since his arrest. However, bail has now been set on the new charges by Judge Sean Brewer at $900,000.

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Alachua Lions Club members joined together with Troop 88 Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts to celebrate completion of scout hut renovations with a ribbon cutting ceremony. / Alachua County Today Staff Photographer

Renovated And Expanded Scout Hut Unveiled

ALACHUA ‒ Renovations to Alachua Boy Scout Troop 88’s scout hut are now officially complete. Chartered in 1912, Troop 88 is one of the oldest Boy Scout troops in the United States, with deep ties to the Alachua community and the Alachua Lions Club. The troop has been sponsored by the Alachua Lions Club since the organization’s charter in 1931.

Located on Northwest 142^nd Terrace across from the Alachua Post Office, the Alachua Lions Club broke ground for the expansion of the scout hut on Nov. 10, 2023. The renovation project included a major expansion, increasing the size of the scout hut by two-thirds. Renovations included the refurbishment of the existing restroom, the construction of a new wheelchair-accessible restroom, a new HVAC system, and the addition of a covered front porch.

On Sept. 7, 2024, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the completion of the renovations. The event attracted a large crowd that include Lions Club members, current and former Boy Scout Troop 88 and Cub Scout members and leaders. Lions Club members attending included Alachua Mayor and Lions Club Troop 88 Liaison Gib Coerper, Lions Club member and Alachua Vice Mayor Ed Potts, Lions Club Past President Paul Good and Alachua City Commissioner Shirley Green Brown.

Alachua Lions Club President Jack Zuidema offered remarks about the project and the importance the renovated and expanded facility will make for current and future scouts. Coerper led the ribbon cutting ceremony that formally marked the end of construction and a new beginning for the scouts who will be using the building.

Alachua Lions Club records show that the first scout hut in Alachua was built in the 1930s with the help of the Lions Club. After that building burned down in 1983, club member Gilbert Whitman spearheaded the construction of a new scout hut. Tragically, Whitman was killed in a car accident on February 14, 1984, after helping pour the concrete for the new building. The new scout hut, completed in February 1984, was dedicated in his memory.

In 2017, Lions Club member Gib Coerper began efforts to raise funds for another major expansion, with a total price tag of $185,000. Donations from the community, including Scherer Construction, made the renovated scout hut possible. Despite material delays pushing back the initial completion date, construction is now complete.

Thanks to the efforts of so many community members and supporters, Troop 88 now has a larger and fully modernized scout hut to serve future generations.

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NEWBERRY – Developers and builders in Newberry can expect higher development fees as the City prepares to implement new rates to fund necessary improvements in utility infrastructure.

These fees, charged at the time of permit issuance, are intended to offset the cost of expanding and enhancing the city’s utility systems to accommodate new construction. The funds collected are earmarked for specific use, held in trust for projects that address infrastructure needs caused by development.

The increase follows a 2022 directive from the City Commission, which called for a study to assess the city's ability to meet future utility service demands. The study, completed at the end of 2023, identified that a significant hike in fees was required to ensure the City could meet its obligations.

The fees will be increased gradually over a two-year period, allowing developers and the City to adjust to the new rates. These funds will help cover the City’s debt obligations with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for new infrastructure projects.

As recommended by the study, the existing and proposed system development charges are as follows:

“The City is stepping into the increase by going up half this year and half next,” explained Assistant City Manager and CFO Dallas Lee.

The increase is part of the City's broader strategy to finance essential infrastructure projects, including the construction of an Advanced Treatment Plant mandated by state regulations. The plant is expected to cost nearly $80 million by the time it is completed. City Manager Mike New highlighted that the City has secured $14 million in grants to assist with these costs and is also applying for a $49 million grant to further reduce the financial burden.

Grants, if obtained, may help offset some of the fees developers will have to pay, ultimately lessening the impact on both builders and local citizens. These fees are necessary, according to city officials, to ensure that new developments do not unfairly strain existing utility systems or lead to higher costs for residents

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