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On Tuesday, January 21, 2020, over 450 local business owners and community leaders came together to celebrate the best of the Nassau County business community at the Chamber's Annual Awards Dinner & Gala. The purpose of this event is to highlight the talented men and women who work so tirelessly to provide a service for members of our community. On behalf of the entire Nassau County Chamber of Commerce, we thank every business that worked so hard to make 2019 such an incredible year. We would also like to thank all of the sponsors of this year's event; without their support, the Annual Awards Gala would not be possible. And the winners are... LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR The Lakeside at Amelia Island MEDIUM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Traders Hill Farm SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Atlantic Hair Studio GREEN BUSINESS OF THE YEAR MosquitoNix BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR Octavio Martinez | Hot Paws Pet Grooming, Hotel & Spa YOUNG BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR Jackson Selvidge | Brightway, The Coastal Agency CUSTOMER SERVICE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR Rachel Clark | Traders Hill Farm NONPROFIT BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Barnabas Center ISLAND COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE YEAR Melanie Brubaker | Amelia River Cruises YULEE COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE YEAR Stuart Davis | River Capital Advisors WESTSIDE COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE YEAR Lisa Rozier | Family Support Services of North Florida CHAMBER AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR Ashley Powell | Building It Green, LLC 2019 CHAIRMAN'S AWARD Sean McGill | Taylor Morrison DR. HARRY HALLEY BOWTIE AWARD FOR VOLUNTEER EXCELLENCE Kimberly Schwerdtfeger | Amelia River Cruises THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
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 From Business After Hours to ribbon cutting ceremonies, the Chamber offers members plenty of opportunities to network with other business professionals in the area. One of our favorites is our monthly NetPerks morning networking event, which we are excited to start up again in the new year!
NetPerks is meant for smaller businesses that might not be able to handle the amount of people who attend Business After Hours, but still want to show off their business to members of the community. NetPerks events take place in the morning on the last Friday of each month. There is no cost to host, but businesses are asked to provide light refreshments for all attendees, such as breakfast treats and coffee, and two door prizes for a raffle drawing. Interested? Download the NetPerks Agreement form below or contact the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce at (904) 261-3248 or info@NassauCountyFLChamber.com.  Nassau County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has adopted by resolution the Western Nassau Heritage Preservation Vision Book. The adoption of the Vision Book is the culmination of a community-driven process to proactively plan for the future of western Nassau County, including all of the County west of I-95.
In response to a Fall 2017 Urban Land Institute report on the impacts of growth on Western Nassau, the Nassau County Planning and Zoning Board (PZB) formed a subcommittee, the Western Nassau Heritage Preservation Committee (WNHPC). Five PZB members who live in Western Nassau served on the WNHPC. The committee was charged with discussing the future of Western Nassau, and to work with the Planning and Economic Opportunity Department to determine how they can best assist in planning efforts. The Committee’s logo “Our Heritage, Our Future” echoes the historic Hilliard Poultry Association signage as a nod to the County’s past. During the process, Nassau County Department of Planning and Economic Opportunity (PEO) facilitated an extensive public outreach campaign to gather input from residents, property and business owners, and state and local agencies to craft their vision for the future. On March 26, 2019, after a full year of community engagement, the WNHPC adopted the following mission statement: The Western Nassau Heritage Preservation Committee exists because there is a genuine desire on the part of our citizenry to ensure what our name implies–Preservation! We enjoy a rich heritage in Western Nassau County. Through purposeful community engagement, we are driven to gain perspective and insight for inevitable growth. The underlying impetus of our goal is to maintain a high quality of life, preserve rural character, and ensure fiscally sustainable and appropriately controlled development. The Committee and PEO staff then translated community input into the Vision Book’s goals, objectives, and strategies to be implemented over the planning horizon through 2045. Objectives and strategies relate to community goals including history, natural resources, health, quality of life, recreation, jobs and education, and public spaces and infrastructure. Community partners and other related planning efforts such as Vision 2032 and the County Comprehensive Plan are also included in the Vision Book. The Vision Book was approved by the Western Nassau Heritage Preservation Committee on October 22, 2019. The full County Planning and Zoning Board recommended approval to the BOCC in November 2019. Last month, the County PEO staff received the Outstanding Public Participation award from the First Coast Chapter of the Florida Planning and Zoning Association for efforts related to the Western Nassau Vision Book. The WNHPC and County staff extend many thanks to the numerous citizens who took time to attend meetings and events, or stop to talk to staff during community events. The Vision Book is truly a citizen-led plan and would not have been possible without their time and interest. More information on the work of the Western Nassau Heritage Preservation Committee and the Vision Book can be found at: www.nassaucountyfl.com/westernnassau. The Nassau County Planning and Economic Opportunity Department is charged with leading long-range and current planning for the community, with a focus on technical planning, implementation and management of the Land Development Code and Comprehensive Plan, development and site plan review, and assistance to citizens, the Board of County Commissioners, County Manager and other staff, advisory boards, government agencies, and the private sector regarding growth and development in Nassau County. For more information on our Plan, Code, or current initiatives, visit www.nassaucountyfl.com/planning, call (904) 530-6300 or email planninginfo@nassaucountyfl.com. The nominations are officially in! The Nassau County Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards process is an opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding businesses and entrepreneurs throughout Nassau County. Congratulations to all of the nominees!
The winners for each category will be announced on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at the Annual Awards Dinner & Gala, the Chamber of Commerce's biggest event of the year. Tickets are still available, but space is very limited and filling up fast. CLICK HERE for more information or call (904) 261-3248. Interested in promoting your business or organization at the Gala? CLICK HERE to decorate a table. And the 2019 nominees are... LARGE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
MEDIUM BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
GREEN BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR
YOUNG BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR
CUSTOMER SERVICE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
NONPROFIT BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
West Nassau Historical Society Announces Three Winter Classes for Seniors Aged 55 and Over11/21/2019  The West Nassau Historical Society is pleased to announce the offering of a series of art classes for seniors, ages 55 and over, to be held this Winter. Each class will be conducted inside the historic Callahan Train Depot, located at 45383 Dixie Avenue, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Noon) on Tuesday, February 4th, 11th and 18th. The climax of the art sessions will be a public reception and exhibit of the seniors' art work on Saturday, February 22nd at 6:00 p.m. A nominal fee of $10.00 per class or $25.00 for all three will be charged to defray the cost of the art supplies.
Classes will be taught by Historical Society director Elizabeth Karoly, a retired instructor of art from the New York state school system. Ms. Karoly earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from Long Island University in New York. She also served on the faculty of Long Island University, Stony Brook University and Nassau Community College in Long Island. Her art has been exhibited extensively in the New York area. Class sizes are limited, so preregistration is required. A registration form is available from the West Nassau Historical Society website at www.wnhsfl.org or by calling (904) 879-3406. The West Nassau Historical Society is an all-volunteer nonprofit dedicated to the promotion of history and culture in Nassau County, Florida. The 501c3 group is an active member of Arts and Culture Nassau, an advocacy for art and culture throughout Nassau County. Four tons of waste collected in First Annual Community Cleanup Meridian Waste, an integrated, non-hazardous solid waste services company, cleared four tons of waste from the Town of Callahan on the first annual Community Cleanup Day. On Saturday, November 16, the Town of Callahan participated in the Keep Nassau Beautiful, an affiliate of the national Keep America Beautiful efforts. To support the inaugural event, Meridian Waste donated disposal services including the use of one rear-load truck and two roll-off containers for the efforts. “This was the first annual Community Cleanup Day and it was quite successful,” said Meridian Waste District Manager Dave Shepler. “Meridian Waste began service for the Town of Callahan on October 1 and we’re so proud to be a part of this beautiful community. Clean and safe environments are our top priority.” Volunteers for the event helped to clean up debris from roadways, public parks, and schools. Over 80 citizens participated by properly disposing of four-tons of waste. Accepted waste included residential trash and bulk trash, residential yard waste, residential construction debris, prescription drugs, and propane tanks. Vouchers were provided to drop off up to eight car- and light-duty truck tires. No hazardous waste was accepted.  Meridian Waste volunteers Crystal Sikes, Marty Kelly, April Waters, Ricky Rochester, Donna West, and Ricky Williams.  Meridian Waste Drivers Volunteer with their roll-off container trucks, and a rear-load garbage truck. About Meridian Waste
Headquartered in Charlotte, NC., Meridian Waste is a company defined by its commitment to servicing its customers, caring for and engaging its employees, and generating financial value for its shareholders while delivering a clean and healthy community. The company’s core waste business is centered on residential, commercial, and industrial non-hazardous waste collection and disposal. Currently, the company operates in., Richmond, Va., Blacksburg, Va., Augusta, Ga., Northeast Florida St. Louis, Mo and Knoxville, Tenn., servicing more than 119,000 residential, commercial, industrial and governmental customers. In addition to a fleet of commercial, residential, and roll-off trucks, the company operates one transfer station, three recycling facilities, three municipal solid waste landfills and two C&D landfills in which 890,676 tons of waste are safely disposed annually. For more information, visit MeridianWaste.com.  Nassau County will host a Town Hall meeting on November 12th, 2019 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Nassau County Multi-Use Facility at the Fairgrounds to present the Western Nassau Heritage Preservation Vision Book. On October 1, 2019, after a year and a half of community outreach and engagement, the draft Vision Book was presented to the County Planning and Zoning Board. The Vision Book was approved by the Western Nassau Heritage Preservation Committee during the October 22nd regular meeting.
We are pleased to invite the community to a family-friendly event to celebrate the work of the dedicated citizens of Western Nassau County. Join us as we reveal the top goals, objective and strategies that emerged from our community planning process. Please join the County on Tuesday, November 12th, 2019 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Nassau County Multi-Use Facility at the Fairgrounds located on 543350 US Hwy 1, Callahan, FL 32011. For more information, call (904) 530-6300 or email planninginfo@nassaucountyfl.com. Our partners will be on hand to highlight programs and services available to the community. Children can participate in a hands-on craft activity sponsored by Nassau County Extension staff. Nassau Fire and Rescue will showcase a fire truck and rescue vehicle and distribute Safe Routes to School reflective armbands and other safety materials. Refreshments will be served following a brief welcome and project summary by Nassau County staff. Residents will have an opportunity to speak with representatives from the Department of Health-Nassau Nassau Transit, Micah’s Place, Northeast Florida Regional Planning Council, Nassau County Emergency Management, North Florida Land Trust, and others. Beginning in 2017, the Nassau County Department of Planning and Economic Opportunity (PEO) facilitated an extensive public outreach campaign to gather input from residents, property and business owners, local agencies to craft their vision for the future. The resulting vision provides guidelines for policy makers as they set priorities and make decisions about the future of Western Nassau. Information on the work of the Western Nassau Heritage Preservation Committee and the Vision Book can be found at www.nassaucountyfl.com/westernnassau. The Nassau County Planning and Economic Opportunity Department is charged with leading long-range and current planning for the community, with a focus on technical planning, implementation and management of the Land Development Code and Comprehensive Plan, development and site plan review, and assistance to citizens, the Board of County Commissioners, County Manager and other staff, advisory boards, government agencies, and the private sector regarding growth and development in Nassau County. For more information on our Plan, Code, or current initiatives, visit www.nassaucountyfl.com/planning, call (904) 530-6300 or email planninginfo@nassaucountyfl.com.  The West Nassau Historical Society has selected Saturday, April 18, 2020 for their signature fundraising Railroad Day Festival. The all-volunteer nonprofit's 15th annual celebration is an all-day event held in and around the historic 1881 Callahan Train Depot and adjoining 1856 Florida Railroad bed. This year's celebration will include an exhibit of the history of the FAA center in Nassau County. Other photos and maps of interest will be on display inside the museum of local history section of the 139-year old wooden train station.
The arts/crafts vendors and food vendors are open from 9 AM to 4 PM and the kids’ area will include a bouncy house, Joel Pace hands-on music zoo and Hobo scavenger hunt. Kids’ games will center on the fabled "Hobos" and their green-friendly Recycle and ReUse skills they used while riding the rails. Local live entertainment will perform on the main depot stage from 9 AM to 4 PM. Callahan Cruisers and AB&B Auto Parts along with Cochrane's Collision Center next door to the depot will host a classic car show from 10 AM to 2:00 PM. Various citizens and sponsors will be honored and car show and contest winners announced during the festivities. Antique engines, tractors, and scaled trains will be exhibited outside the depot while model train layouts will be on display inside the Depot Annex. This is an outdoor event so please bring your lawn chairs. The West Nassau Historical Society is an all-volunteer non-profit, tax exempt organization dedicated to the preservation of Nassau County’s rich and diverse history and entrusted with the upkeep of the historic Callahan Train Depot. Donations to the 501c3 organization are tax deductible in accordance to current IRS rules. Sponsors and volunteers are needed to help make this year’s festival a success. For additional information on the 2020 Railroad Day Festival visit www.wnhsfl.org or if you are interested in becoming a volunteer, vendor, sponsor, member, or donor call festival co-chairs John Hendricks or Emily Baumgartner at 904-879-3406. Day 1: Residential Collection Contract Begins  Meridian Waste, an integrated, non-hazardous solid waste services company, began residential solid waste and recycling collection services on September 30 for the Town of Callahan. The new service is the company’s first Florida exclusive solid waste franchise. Meridian Waste is providing once a week garbage collection utilizing a 95-gallon cart, once a week yard waste collection, once a week bulk waste collection (limit two items per collection), and every other week recycling collection starting Thursday, October 10. The Company purchased a new rear load collection vehicle, a knuckle boom truck, and all new garbage and recycling carts to service the Town and its citizens. Specific guidelines regarding what residents may or may not place curbside for correct solid waste and recycling collection can be found here: www.MeridianWaste.com/Callahan and can be printed from here: https://www.meridianwaste.com/media/159683/callahan-information-flyer-collection-guidelines.pdf. Important changes include the elimination of glass from the recycling stream due to it being a common contaminant in single stream recycling processes and the change to every other week collection of recyclables to keep costs low and fewer trucks on the road. Residential Collection Schedule: Garbage = Monday Bulk Waste = Monday Yard Waste = Thursday Recycling = Every Other Thursday (starting October 10) Recycling Collection Calendar: CLICK HERE Commercial collection becomes an open market effective October 1, allowing businesses the opportunity to choose their waste hauler for the first time in more than a decade. The commercial hauler must hold a Nassau County solid waste permit in order to provide service. Meridian Waste is one of the approved Nassau County solid waste haulers. “As a business owner who first started his company in Nassau County just outside of Callahan, I am proud to be able to provide vital environmental services to the residents of Callahan,” said Dave Shepler, district manager of Meridian Waste and the founder of Partner Disposal (acquired by Meridian Waste in 2018). “The Town of Callahan has been an incredible partner as we transition the service from the incumbent hauler to Meridian Waste. It is our goal to ensure that this partnership strengthens and thrives through quality service, open communication, and a clean environment for the benefit of the Town, its citizens and Meridian Waste.” If Town residents or commercial entities need to reach out to Meridian Waste to request a cart or dumpster, please call 904.849.5122 or email CustomerCareNassauCoFL@MeridianWaste.com. Sign Up for Service Alerts: Stay in the know about your service—sign up for email and/or text alert notifications so we can update you in the event of inclement weather, holidays or other factors that might interrupt your service. Sign up at: www.MeridianWaste.com/Service-Alert-Signup.  Meridian Waste team members Billy Harris, Commercial Driver's License (CDL) driver and Quince Perry, helper, collect garbage on Day 1 of the Town of Callahan’s new residential solid waste contract with Meridian Waste.  Erosion repair work originally scheduled to begin today on County Road 121/Baldwin and Saint George Road between Carroll Corner Road and Turkey Trot Trail has been delayed until further notice due to a CSX railroad crossing repair project on River Road. The project will begin once the railroad crossing work is completed. Detours will be necessary to repair a bridge culvert damaged from erosion. The detour will take northbound and southbound drivers on County Road 121 to U.S. 301 via County Road 108 and Henry Smith Road (map below). Electronic message boards will be placed ahead of the closure on County Road 121. Motorists are encouraged to utilize the Florida 511 app to plan ahead. CDM Contracting Inc. is projected to complete the $369,000 repair project by late 2019, weather and schedule permitting.  |
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Nassau County Chamber of Commerce
961687 Gateway Blvd., Suite 101-G | Fernandina Beach, FL 32034 Phone: (904) 261-3248 | info@nassaucountyflchamber.com | site map |
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