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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ This year has been a rocky one for the City of High Springs as yet another key employee has tendered his letter of resignation. Code Compliance Officer Christopher Barnes will be leaving the City as of March 18. Barnes has accepted a position with the City of Alachua.

“I have been waiting for this position to open up for seven years, and it finally has so I couldn’t resist applying for the job over there,” said Barnes. “I expect to find structure and availability in Alachua, which is something I was used to when I worked for the County,” he said.

“I have enjoyed working in High Springs and have many friends in both communities. We actually live in between both cities and love this area,” said Barnes. “I don’t know if it’s possible, but if Alachua and High Springs can work out an agreement to allow me to help High Springs part time until they find a replacement, I would be happy to do so.”

In addition the City’s Building Official, Alan Alligood also tendered his letter of resignation at about the same time as Barnes. However, Alligood recently rescinded his resignation citing conversations with his wife and searching his heart through prayer to determine the best course of action.

“High Springs is my city. I live here, and I want the best for the citizens of High Springs. I am planning to see it through so I will stay,” Alligood said.

Other key personnel who have left the City in the past few months include High Springs Sports and Recreation Director Elliot Harris, City Manager Ashley Stathatos, City Commissioner Steve Tapanes, and late last year, Assistant City Manager/Fire Chief Bruce Gillingham.

Meanwhile, the High Springs City Commission is honing in on a new city manager who they hope will be able to stem the tide. On Thursday, March 14, the City is hosting a Meet and Greet at the old school building behind City Hall for the top two candidates, Jeremy Marshall and Jeff Shoobridge.

At 5:30 p.m. Commissioners will hold a Special Commission Meeting to conduct candidate interviews. During the 6:30 p.m. Regular Commission Meeting, Commissioners will consider making an offer to one of the candidates for the position.

Those meetings will not be available online as the City doesn’t have equipment for that at the old school building, although it is larger in size to accommodate increased citizen seating.

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ALACHUA ‒ On Tuesday, March 19, at 9 a.m., the Alachua County Commission is holding a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the beginning of the construction of the new Alachua County Fire Station #21, located at 16121 N.W. 173^rd Street, off CR 235A in Alachua. The ceremony is open to the public, and light refreshments will be served.

Alachua County Manager Michele Lieberman is the master of ceremonies. The event includes comments from Alachua County Fire Chief Harold Theus, County Commission Chair Mary Alford and County Public Works Director Ramon Gaverette.

“We have planned for the relocation of station 21 for many years and we are so happy to see it become a reality,” Lieberman said.

Station 21 will be the second fire station of the new Alachua County Fire Rescue (ACFR) prototype design. The single-story concrete masonry facility features energy-efficient equipment and sustainable design features, with 100 percent backup generated power. It is an 11,500-square-foot state-of-the-art building that will last 50+ years. The Lunz Group, from Lakeland, provided architectural and engineering services for the project and the D.E. Scorpio Corporation is the construction management firm “At Risk.”

This new fire station provides adequate space for the existing fire rescue crew and will enhance the service delivered to this growing area of unincorporated Alachua County. Building and opening this facility provides critical space for staff and equipment.

Once the construction is complete, Station 21 will move from its current location at 15040 N.W. U.S. Highway 441, Alachua.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ The High Springs Police Department (HSPD), in collaboration with Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and Alachua Police Department, were on scene of a shooting near Subway at Northwest 248^th Street and Northwest 188^th Avenue on March 4, 2014.

HSPD announced that the suspects were at large immediately after the incident, but were not in the immediate area. One of the victims sustained a minor gunshot wound.

“We are actively investigating the incident,” said HSPD Chief Antoine Sheppard. “Releasing details at this time may compromise the investigation.”

Sheppard did, however, say that all participants have been identified and are being interviewed, so that “we can piece together what happened.”

Sheppard expects to file charges in the near future and release additional information at that time.

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GAINESVILLE – March is Women’s History Month, and P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School student Kristen Cooper of Gainesville was just awarded the Notorious RBG Women of Tomorrow Scholarship by National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS), a national scholarship organization committed to advancing high achieving students and educators.

Cooper is an avid reader and advocate for banned books. As the President of the Alachua County NAACP Youth Council in Gainesville, she was the only youth panelist who spoke at the NAACP Florida State Conference Spring Quarterly Meeting in Orlando for the Freedom Libraries Project Town Hall meeting to address banned books by the Florida Legislature in March 2023.

Cooper also spoke at the NAACP Youth Council Banned Books Press Conference and held a book giveaway during the 5th Avenue Arts Festival last April. Her Youth Council handed out free books to families in her community and educated them on the recent laws passed. She encouraged people in the community to read the books, pass them onward, and vote. 

“I am constantly reminding my peers and others that reading is fundamental, and books provide insight into our future. Cooper,” said Cooper. “It’s important also to know that all races should be valued and all history, including Black History, is American History. So we all must stay in the fight to make our voices heard.”

The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) honors and scholarship program was co-founded by Claes Nobel and James Lewis. It offers a lifetime of benefits, pairing the highest performing students worldwide with high school and college scholarships, events, connections, internships, and career opportunities. For more information, visit www.nshss.org.

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ALACHUA ‒ The Alachua City Commission on March 11, 2024, unanimously approved the Kirkland Farms Phase 1 Final Plat. Kirkland Farms, owned by Garden Street Communities Southeast, LLC, is a proposed 36.58-acre subdivision consisting of 70 lots, common areas and road right-of-way. The property is located south of Peggy Road and Legacy Park, east of I-75 and north of the CSX rail line right-of-way.

The Preliminary Plat was approved by the City Commission on Feb. 27, 2023. The Kirkland Farms subdivision is comprised of two phases and will consist of lots ranging in size from some 6,000 square feet to approximately 9,335 square feet, with the majority of lots being roughly 6,000 square feet. The approved preliminary plat included 150 single-family residential lots.

Garden Street Communities Southeast, LLC provided a Common Law Performance Bond of $5.8 million as surety for infrastructure improvements, other than the house sidewalks, and an additional Common Law Performance Bond of $205,560 as surety for house sidewalks.

In response to Commission questions, it was clarified that there will be a pedestrian path from the Hal Brady Recreation Complex to the neighborhood that will connect to existing sidewalks. Claudia Vega, P.E. of eda consultants, inc., said the company is working with Alachua County regarding a formal crosswalk with intentions of a flashing light activated by a push button.

Commissioner Ed Potts offered a motion to approve the Phase 1 Final Plat with Commissioner Jennifer Blalock providing the second. The matter was approved by a 4-0 vote.

In other City business, the City Commission took action through a roadway agreement to move forward plans for construction and operation of a new Alachua County Fire and Rescue (ACFR) station to serve the eastern part of the City and surrounding Alachua County, including the contiguous developing commercial and residential areas.

The Commission approved a roadway agreement Between IIP-FL 3, LLC and the City of Alachua, clearing the way for the construction of a permanent fire and rescue station to replace the temporary facility currently operating off U.S. Highway 441. Commissioner Blalock offered the motion to approve with Commissioner Shirley Green Brown providing the second. The measure passed 4-0.

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HIGH SPRINGS ‒ This past weekend was a good time to be an art lover in High Springs as artists set up shop for the 2^nd Annual Art Fair on the Green. Set against the iconic backdrop of the historic High Springs downtown area, sparkling white canopied vendor tents sprung up along the green space where railroad tracks once guided trains carrying goods to points east and west.

But on Saturday and Sunday, the area along Northwest 185^th Road was transformed into an open-air gallery, inviting residents and visitors alike to explore the diverse range of artwork on display at the 2^nd Annual Art Fair on the Green. The art fair showcased the talents of both local and nonlocal artists, each contributing to the vibrant tapestry of the exhibit.

The free, family-friendly event featured artists in various mediums, from jewelry and paintings to ceramics and glass. Colorful pottery was displayed in booths next to displays of dazzling handmade jewelry and still others displaying acrylic and watercolor paintings. The outdoor gallery offered a visual feast that reflected the diversity and creativity of the artistic community that calls High Springs and North Central Florida home.

Scattered rain showers passed here and there through the area but did little to dampen the art enthusiasts who came out to see what this year’s two-day event had to offer until an approaching storm with gusty winds passed through. Reports of toppled tents, but no injuries were reported.

Gainesville artist Alfred Phillips took center stage at the exhibit with his creativity and vision, incorporating bold colors into this year’s Art Fair on the Green poster. Phillips specializes in acrylic painting, and according to his website, he has a four-year studio arts degree and enjoyed a successful career in commercial art. Phillips has received a number of awards and relocated to Gainesville in 2013. If you missed his exhibit at the Art Fair on the Green, you have another chance to see his works at the 52^nd Annual Santa Fe College Spring Arts Festival in Gainesville on April 13 and 14, 2024.

Additional art events are planned in High Springs with ArtWalks scheduled the third Saturday of March, April, May, October, November and December. The next ArtWalk is on tap March 16, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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