Participants needed for School Board Citizen Advisory Committee
The St. Johns County School District is seeking applicants interested in serving on the St. Johns County School Board’s Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC). The CAC will be appointed by the School Board and will monitor and advise the board on the expenditure of funds collected from the half-cent sales tax.
On Nov. 3, citizens of St. Johns County voted to approve a half-cent sales tax for the St. Johns County School District to be used for capital projects including new construction, renovations, technology and safety and security. Collection of the half-cent sales tax will begin on Jan. 1, 2016 and will be in effect for 10 years. This committee will meet to review the projects and expenditures associated with the critical needs project list published by the school district.
Interested applicants must be residents of St. Johns County. The committee will be geographically diverse and representative of several categories including, community (parents and non-parents), construction, education, finance, planning/design, security, and technology. Applicants work experience, expertise and involvement with public education will be considered.
A maximum of 15 members will be appointed to serve for a two-year term. Applications must be received by Monday, Dec. 14, 2015 and may be obtained on the school district’s website www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/halfcentsalestax or by calling (904) 547-7670.
Free seminar offered next week at library
A Free Retirement Withdrawals and Required Minimum Distributions seminar will be held at The Ponte Vedra Beach Public Library next week. This information-only workshop will help individuals and couples between the ages of 55 and 75 to learn more about what Required Minimum Distributions are and when are they required.
Participants will also learn how they are calculated and more information on planning monthly retirement withdrawals. The event is free and seating is very limited. This special event will be held on Monday, Dec. 7 at 6:00 p.m. in the PGA room. Call (904) 834-3544 to make a reservation.
Beach parking and driving passes now available
Annual passes for vehicles to drive on St. Johns County’s beaches are now on sale at all locations of the St. John’s County Tax Collector’s office. Passes are required to drive on the beaches during the 2016 season (March 1 through Sept. 30, 2016). St. Johns County residents may purchase passes at the preseason rate of $30, and non-county residents may purchase passes for $40. Passes for disabled persons are available for $20. There is no fee for 100 percent disabled military veterans.
Customers will be asked to provide proof of residency (such as a driver’s license), as well as proof of disability and/or military status to receive passes at the rates specified.
All fees increase on March 2, 2016, and then no longer will be available at Tax Collector locations. With questions regarding the beach passes, contact St. Johns County Parks and Beach Serivces at (904) 209-0331. For more information about the St. Johns County Tax Collector’s office locations and hours of operation, visit www.sjctax.us or call (904) 209-2250. For beach access updates and beach driving conditions, visit the Reach the Beach Mobile App or www.sjcfl.us/beach/index.htm.
New ABC location now open at Sawgrass Village
Orlando-based ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, one of the largest independent retailers of wine and spirits in the U.S., has announced the official opening of its redesigned location in Ponte Vedra. Although the store has been open for business through the construction at Sawgrass Village, starting in November patrons have been able to fully enjoy the more than 12,000 sq ft. of the new structure at 175 Village Main Street.
The redesigned ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, built on what used to be the previous location’s parking lot, features an 18-door beer cooler and offers more than 500 beers, 5,000 wines, 2,000 rare and popular spirits, 400 cigars, gourmet foods, custom gift baskets, glassware and other related items.
"We're thrilled to officially re-open the doors to our Ponte Vedra store and look forward to keep helping our neighbors make all of life's celebrations special," said CEO Charles Bailes, III. “We are eager to bring our very best to this community, a sentiment that drove us to redesign the neighborhood’s store.”
The store is open seven days a week. All guests must be 21 years of age or older.
Local Realtor closes $20M+ in October
Twenty-seven-year real estate veteran Missy DeKay reached new career heights by accomplishing a personal record: highest volume in a single month, equaling over 20 million dollars (4 transactions) for the month of October. DeKay is consistently ranked as the top producer in the Watson Realty Corp. Ponte Vedra Beach office, with her annual sales volume averaging $25 million. This year’s production will bring her volume to over $34 million. Year after year DeKay ranks among the top Realtors in Jacksonville. She is included in the list of top producing associates in the nation according to Real Trends.
To learn more, visit www.watsonrealtycorp.com.
—Compiled by Kelly H. McDermott
