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NEWBERRY ‒ The Newberry City Commission has adopted the Newberry Stormwater Facilities Plan, a comprehensive blueprint aimed at improving flood protection and water infrastructure throughout the city.

During its July 14, 2025, meeting, the Commission heard a presentation by Newberry Assistant City Manager and Public Works Director Jamie Jones, with supporting analysis from Amanda Boone, senior project manager at engineering firm Woodard & Curran.

The plan outlines critical system improvements designed to enhance the city’s resilience to extreme weather events. It was developed as part of a $60,000 contract awarded in early 2024 and is aligned with Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) standards for State Revolving Fund planning requirements.

“The Stormwater Facilities Plan is a planning-level document that defines project needs and costs to allow the City to secure a grant and low-interest funds for the design and construction of stormwater infrastructure,” Jones said.

Boone walked commissioners through three alternatives for managing stormwater in the city’s Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) District. The recommended option, at an estimated cost of $17.9 million, was selected for having the lowest financial impact on ratepayers.

The Newberry CRA covers approximately 640 acres in the city’s urban core, primarily focused on the historic downtown district. Established in 2020 via an interlocal agreement between the City of Newberry and Alachua County, this redevelopment district leverages tax increment financing (TIF) to fund public improvements and combat blight.

The next City Commission meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on July 28.

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Photo special to Alachua County Today

LACROSSE ‒ Former City of Alachua Mayor Gilbert “Gib” Coerper was recognized once again for his lifelong dedication to public service on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, as Waldo Mayor Louie Davis presented him with a plaque honoring his years of service to the Alachua County League of Cities (ACLC).

The presentation took place during the League’s regular meeting, hosted by the Town of LaCrosse as local elected officials or designees from each municipality in the county gathered to collaborate on regional issues.

The award from the ACLC adds to a long list of accolades Coerper has received for his unwavering service to the community and local government.

Earlier this year, on May 5, the Alachua City Commission memorialized Coerper’s contributions with an official proclamation naming the date “Gib Coerper Day.” At that meeting, current city leaders and staff delivered heartfelt tributes to the longtime mayor and commissioner, recognizing not only his accomplishments in office but also his mentorship and steady presence in civic life.

“Even though he won’t be sitting behind the dais, he’ll always be part of this city,” Commissioner Dayna Williams said at the time. “To me, he’ll always be ‘Ambassador Coerper.’”

Coerper, who moved to Alachua in 1974, first joined the City Commission in 1999 and went on to serve as mayor for multiple terms. Under his leadership, Alachua saw major infrastructure investments, increased economic development, and the successful recruitment of bioscience and tech companies. One of the city’s most transformative initiatives under his guidance was securing a multimillion-dollar Florida Job Growth Grant to build a parkway that could double the region’s bioscience capacity.

“It was never, ever a job for me,” Coerper said during the May 5 ceremony. “The best thing that’s ever happened to me is moving here.”

That passion and dedication to service have earned Coerper recognition not only locally but also at the state level. In August 2024, the Florida League of Cities presented him with its highest honor—the E. Harris Drew Municipal Lifetime Achievement Award—at its annual conference.

“Throughout my life, I’ve always volunteered and I’ve always wanted to help,” Coerper said at the time. “It’s such an honor to be involved in this wonderful community.”

The award, named after former Florida Supreme Court Justice E. Harris Drew, is presented to municipal leaders who have made significant, lasting impacts on their cities and the state. Coerper’s résumé is a testament to that legacy: Vice Chair of the Florida League of Cities Nominating Committee, President of the ACLC, two-time recipient of the Home Rule Hero Award, and active member of the Florida League of Mayors and Alachua Chamber of Commerce.

His service also extends well beyond the world of governance. He has been a youth liaison with Boy Scouts Troop 88, a tutor at local schools, and a volunteer with the American Cancer Society, Alachua Lions Club, and Keep Alachua County Beautiful. In 2013, he was honored with the Melvin Jones Fellowship by Lions Club International and named Volunteer of the Year by the Alachua Chamber of Commerce.

Alachua City Commissioner Dayna Miller said it best: “The E. Harris Drew Achievement Award that Mayor Coerper recently received was certainly well deserved; he’s accomplished great things as our mayor. His heart for Alachua shines bright.”

Now affectionately referred to by some as “Ambassador Coerper,” his name continues to be synonymous with the values of service, humility, and community.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ The High Springs City Commission voted on July 10,2025, to finalize the ballot language for proposed changes to the city’s alcohol sales regulations, which will be presented to voters during the Nov. 4, 2025, municipal election.

Although commissioners initially intended to hold a first reading of the ordinance at the July 10 meeting, substantive changes to the language prompted a delay. The first reading is now scheduled for July 22, with a second reading planned for a special meeting on July 31 at 6 p.m. Officials said they anticipate only minor revisions, if any, will be needed before the second reading.

Because of the complexity of the topic, city staff divided the proposal into three separate code amendments to simplify the ballot for voters. The first proposed amendment would remove distinctions between malt beverages and other types of alcohol for off-premises packaged sales, allowing all alcoholic beverages to be sold Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to midnight, and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 2 a.m. the following morning.

The second proposed amendment would eliminate the requirement that businesses meet specific revenue thresholds from food or nonalcoholic beverage sales to qualify for alcohol service. If approved, this change would allow all restaurants and breweries that manufacture malt beverages on site and hold a beverage license to sell alcoholic drinks for on-premises consumption from 7 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday, and from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays.

The third proposed amendment, which would have addressed the use of special permits for extending alcohol sale hours, was removed from consideration entirely.

In other business, commissioners voted unanimously to approve an ordinance granting Duke Energy Florida, LLC the right to use the city’s electric utility rights-of-way. This agreement formalizes Duke Energy’s access to city-owned corridors for service operations and infrastructure.

The Commission also held a discussion on a potential partnership with Alachua County to establish a community outreach center in High Springs. The proposed facility would serve as a centralized location offering a range of services, including veterans assistance, legal aid, food distribution, and family support programs. County officials expressed interest in creating a one-stop hub that could host various nonprofit and government services under one roof.

Local faith-based organizations, including St. Madeleine’s Catholic Church and representatives of Reverend Adam Joy’s ministry, described their current outreach efforts and expressed willingness to collaborate. Children’s Trust of Alachua County also indicated interest in supporting the initiative. The Commission agreed that a workshop should be scheduled to bring together churches, nonprofits, and public agencies to explore the possibility of unified service delivery, though no date was set for that workshop.

Also on the agenda was a review of responses to the city’s Request for Proposal to update the Land Development Code. Three firms submitted bids, with Calvin Geodono & Associates offering the most budget-friendly option. Representatives from two of the firms were present at the meeting to explain their pricing structures. The Commission voted unanimously to table the item until the next meeting.

The next regular High Springs City Commission meeting is scheduled for July 22. A special meeting will be held July 31 at 6 p.m. for the second reading of the alcohol ordinance, pending adoption on first reading.

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GAINESVILLE – Alachua County Public Schools once again earned a B grade for the 2024–25 school year, according to newly released data from the Florida Department of Education. While the overall rating puts the district within just two percentage points of an A, a closer look reveals a patchwork of progress, plateauing, and setbacks across the county’s schools.

This marks the third consecutive B grade for the district since the state resumed issuing letter grades following the pandemic. The number of traditional (non-charter) schools earning A or B ratings increased from 19 to 22 this year—a positive sign. However, performance varied significantly across campuses, especially in western Alachua County.

Several schools posted marked improvement in 2024–25, including Santa Fe High School, which raised its grade from a C to a B. This is the school's best rating since 2014–15 and reflects progress in both academic performance and career-readiness measures.

Also earning high marks were High Springs Community School and Alachua Learning Academy, both of which maintained their long-standing A ratings. High Springs has held an A since 2014–15 after a one-year dip to a C, while Alachua Learning Academy has consistently earned an A since 2011–12.

Newberry High School held its B rating, continuing a stable streak that began in 2017–18. Nearby, Oak View Middle School also retained its B, a mark it has held since 2021–22.

Not all schools in the region improved. A.L. Mebane Middle School in Alachua maintained its C grade, which it has held for nine consecutive years since 2015–16.

In Hawthorne, Chester Shell Elementary School saw its grade fall from a C to a D. It is now one of three schools in the district designated as a School Improvement (SI) school for the 2025–26 academic year. However, Hawthorne Middle/High School retained its C rating, continuing a modest upward trend after escaping a series of D and F grades in prior years.

Beyond western Alachua County, other schools across the district showed positive momentum. Gainesville High School improved from a B to an A, while Eastside High and several elementary and middle schools also raised their letter grades.

Two former SI schools—Alachua Elementary and Rawlings Elementary—improved from a D to a C, removing them from state monitoring status.

Despite those gains, three schools—Foster, Shell, and Williams Elementary—received D grades and will be placed on the SI list.

Superintendent Dr. Kamela Patton, who joined the district in late 2024, emphasized that the district is responding to both the gains and gaps with renewed instructional focus.

“The most successful instructional strategies are driven by data,” Patton said. “By constantly reviewing student progress—from the district level to the classroom and down to the individual student—we can more effectively identify and apply strategies that will help every child succeed.”

To that end, the district has launched several initiatives, including embedding literacy specialists in every school, expanding a student-centered teaching model called Instructional Empowerment, and using new real-time data tools to guide instruction. School and district leaders now engage in frequent “Data Dialogues” to monitor student performance and share best practices.

While district leaders are encouraged by the overall direction, they acknowledge there is work to be done to move from a B to an A. The improvement in some schools and stagnation in others suggests the need for a more targeted, school-specific approach.

“We’re proud of the progress, but we’re not satisfied,” Patton said. “Every student, every school—our goal is excellence across the board.”

For families in western Alachua County, the school grade results are both reassuring and revealing: while many schools are holding strong or improving, others continue to face uphill battles. The district’s next challenge is ensuring that progress isn’t just districtwide—but district-deep

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NEWBERRY ‒ The City of Newberry has taken a step toward expanding commercial activity along its growing western corridor. On July 14, 2025, the City Commission voted to approve both a Small-Scale Future Land Use Map Amendment and a zoning change for a 50-acre property located just west of Destiny Community Church on West Newberry Road.

The approvals pave the way for a potential large-scale commercial development known as Crystal Lake, though city officials emphasized that no development will proceed until detailed site plans are submitted and approved.

The property, located at 21236 W. Newberry Road, had been classified as Agricultural on the city’s Future Land Use Map and zoned Agricultural (A). Commissioners voted unanimously to change the land use designation to Commercial and rezone the site to Commercial, Intensive (CI) — a designation that allows for a wide range of retail, service, and business uses.

Newberry Principal Planner Jean-Paul W. Perez presented the application on behalf of NV5 Global, Inc., which represents property owner HCNB Sapp LLC. The applicant requested both land use and zoning changes to enable future commercial development, although no specific project or site plan has been submitted to date.

“This is a land use and zoning change only. A separate process will govern what is ultimately built,” said Perez.

Under Newberry’s development regulations, all new commercial construction must undergo a site and development plan review, including traffic, stormwater, architectural, and landscaping standards. The city also evaluates potential impacts on utilities, transportation corridors, and adjacent land uses before issuing permits.

City officials noted that the approval does not guarantee any specific type of business, shopping center, or other use will be developed. However, the Commercial, Intensive zoning allows for uses including retail centers, gas stations, hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, and other service-oriented businesses.

The Crystal Lake site sits along State Road 26, a key east-west artery that connects Newberry to Gainesville. In recent years, Newberry has seen steady growth along this corridor, with new housing developments, expanded infrastructure, and increased interest from commercial developers seeking to serve the western Alachua County population.

The next step for Crystal Lake would be for the property owner or developer to submit a formal site and development plan, which would be reviewed by city planning staff, the Development Review Committee, and, if necessary, the Planning and Zoning Board and City Commission.

As of July 14, no timeline for submission has been announced.

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Photo special to Alachua County Today

High Springs - Members of the High Springs Garden Club, along with local volunteers, replanted the downtown hanging baskets under the direction of Community Redevelopment Agency Coordinator Amy Bohannan. Residents and visitors are invited to enjoy the refreshed floral displays.

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