MediaUpdate

​Here's the list:

1. County Manager Michele Lieberman — $284,362.62

Appointed by the County Commission, the county manager oversees all county departments, carries out commission policies and helps develop and manage the county's annual budget, among other day-to-day responsibilities.

2. County Attorney Sylvia Torres — $249,496.62

The county attorney leads the County Attorney’s Office and provides legal counsel and representation to Alachua County government.​

​3. Sheriff Chad Scott — $247,804

As head of the Alachua County Sheriff's Office, the sheriff oversees law enforcement operations within the county, assist to maintain the Alachua County jail while helping with neighboring city police departments, state police, and federal agencies to coordinate and ensure public safety.

​4. Assistant County Manager of Financial And Facility Resource Management Thomas Crosby — $221,074.26

As one of the county’s assistant county managers, Crosby oversees several departments, including Budget and Fiscal Services, Facilities, Procurement, Risk Management and the ERP Systems Office.

5. Assistant County Manager for Public Services & Community Development Mari 'Missy' Daniels — $209,678.98

As one of the county’s assistant county managers, Daniels oversees several departments, including Community Support Services, the Office of Code Administration, Growth Management, Public Works, and Solid Waste and Resource Recovery.

​6. Assistant County Manager/ Justice and Workforce Strategies/Chief Transformation Officer Heather Akpan — $208,412.88

As one of the county’s assistant county managers, Akpan oversees several departments, including Court Services, Equal Opportunity, the Equity Advisory Board and Human Resources.

7. Deputy County Attorney Robert Swain — $198,819.71

The deputy county attorney assists the county attorney in representing Alachua County government and providing legal counsel on county matters.

​8. County Public Works Director Ramon Gavarrete — $194,892.46

As director of Public Works, the position oversees county-owned infrastructure and equipment, including development review, transportation engineering, road and bridge, construction inspection, survey and real property, and fleet management.

9. Undersheriff Joshua Crews — $192,989

As the second-highest-ranking official in at the Alachua County Sheriff's Office, the undersheriff oversees the planning, organization and coordination of law enforcement and corrections operations.

10. County Community Support Services Director Claudia Huggins-Tuck — $186,718.27

As director of Community Support Services, the position oversees the county’s housing and strategic development initiatives, including housing programs, victim services, the Rape Crisis Center, the Foster Grandparent Program, Veterans Services and special districts.

11. ACSO Chief Financial Officer Patricia Justice — $180,859

The chief financial officer oversees the Sheriff’s Office's accounting and budgeting functions and helps develop and manage the agency’s annual budget.

​12. County Facilities Management Director Travis Parker — $174,391.36

Parker oversees county facility operations and maintenance, capital improvement projects, landscape services and facility safety.

13. Senior Assistant County Attorney David Forzano — $173,406

Serving in the County Attorney’s Office, the senior assistant county attorney assists in providing legal representation and consultation to Alachua County government.

14. Alachua County Fire Rescue Assistant Director, Finance and Administration Cheryl Ellis —$172,309.28

Ellis oversees budgeting, purchasing, grants administration, payroll, personnel coordination and data analysis for Alachua County Fire Rescue.

15. County Communications Director Mark Sexton —$167,865.57

The county communications director oversees county communications, public records requests, commission meeting archives, media relations and public information efforts.

16. County Senior Assistant County Attorney Courtney Wilson —$166,157.89

The senior assistant county attorney provides legal counsel and representation to Alachua County government.

​17. County Senior Assistant County Attorney Corbin Hanson — $164,593.10

The senior assistant county attorney provides legal counsel and representation to Alachua County government.

18. County Senior Assistant County Attorney Shari Wallen — $164,512.82

The senior assistant county attorney provides legal counsel and representation to Alachua County government.

19. ACSO Major Operations Scott Anderson — $161,879

The position oversees the Patrol Operations and Special Operations divisions, assists with policy implementation and helps develop both short- and long-term operational goals.

​20. ACSO Major Operations Darrell Bessinger — $161,879

The position oversees the Patrol Operations and Special Operations divisions, assists with policy implementation and helps develop both short- and long-term operational goals.

​Alachua County invites the public to celebrate the opening of a new wildlife observation platform and the dedication of the Blue Trail at Turkey Creek Preserve (6300 NW 93rd Ave., Gainesville) on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. The ceremony begins at 9 a.m.

Read more.

​The Florida Department of Health in Alachua County (DOH-Alachua) is notifying residents of a second confirmed case of locally acquired West Nile virus infection.

Read more. ​

​Alachua County announced today that they are aware of concerns associated with an Animal Resources vaccine clinic held in August without the knowledge of the current director.

Read more​. ​

​The Florida Department of Health in Alachua County (DOH-Alachua) is informing residents of a second confirmed case of locally-acquired West Nile virus infection. DOH-Alachua and Alachua County, City of Gainesville, City of Alachua, and City of Newberry Mosquito Control are coordinating surveillance and prevention efforts by treating County-maintained retention basins and targeted spraying.

Read more​. ​

​With the county adopting the rollback rate and lowering its countywide General Fund millage rate for the 10th consecutive year, the Alachua County Commission on Sept. 22 unanimously approved its nearly $1 billion fiscal year 2027 budget.

Commissioner Charles "Chuck" Chestnut IV was absent from the Sept. 22 vote. The four remaining commissioners unanimously adopted a $974.2 million budget for fiscal year 2027 across all county funds and budgeted uses while setting the property tax rate at the rollback rate, which is projected to generate about $327 million in revenue.

Alachua County Attorney Sylvia Torres opened the meeting by explaining the annual property tax process. Each year, the Alachua County Property Appraiser's Office assesses the value of all properties and certifies taxable values to local taxing authorities.​

​Taxing authorities then notify the property appraiser of their proposed millage rate, rollback rate and public hearing information for the proposed budget.

A mill equals $1 in taxes for every $1,000 of taxable property value. The rollback rate is designed to generate roughly the same amount of property tax revenue from existing properties as the previous year.

​After receiving the information, the property appraiser's office mails Truth in Millage (TRIM) notices, which show property owners their prior-year taxes, proposed taxes under the new budget and taxes if no changes are adopted.

County Manager Michelle Lieberman said the commission set the countywide property tax rollback rate at 7.2107 mills for fiscal year 2027, down from 7.6000 mills in fiscal year 2026. The rate is projected to generate about $184 million in General Fund revenue.

​Lieberman said the Municipal Services Taxing Unit rate for law enforcement will remain unchanged at 3.5678 mills and is expected to generate about $37 million.

Fire Services, Solid Waste and Stormwater fees are projected to generate approximately $24 million, $13 million and $3.6 million, respectively.

County officials said this marks the third time in the past 10 years the commission has adopted the rollback rate and the 10th straight year it has reduced the countywide General Fund millage rate. The rate has fallen from 8.9290 mills in fiscal year 2017 to 7.2107 mills in fiscal year 2027, a decrease of 1.7183 mills, or 19.24%.

​During a budget presentation, Assistant County Manager Thomas Crosby said property taxes average $761 per capita in Alachua County. Compared with the statewide average of $991 per capita, the county ranks 32nd-lowest among Florida counties.

A Sept. 22 county news release noted that an unusually large share of property value in Alachua County is exempt from taxation. For fiscal year 2027, taxable value represents 68.34% of assessed value, compared with 83.88% statewide, the eighth-lowest percentage among Florida counties.

Alachua County has approximately $39.2 billion in assessed value and $26.8 billion in taxable value.

"If the county's taxable value represented approximately the same percentage of assessed value as the statewide average, the General Fund millage rate could be approximately 5.8560 mills rather than 7.2107 mills while generating the same General Fund property tax revenue," the release states.

Among the budget's largest spending priorities is public safety, which received $252 million, including $152 million for the Alachua County Sheriff's Office and $77 million for Alachua County Fire Rescue.

​Transportation projects received $106 million through the voter-approved Wild Spaces & Public Places surtax, gas taxes, communications services taxes, impact fees, grants and other dedicated revenues. County officials said the funding reflects residents' longstanding calls for improved roads and transportation infrastructure.

The budget also allocates $133 million for county operations, including:

• ​​$37 million for the Physical Plant Division.
• $21 million for general county operations.
• $16 million for Housing and Community Support Services.
• $13 million for parks, environmental programs and land conservation.
• $11 million for Court Services.
• $6 million for planning and economic development.
• $5 million for Animal Resources.

​Commission Chair Ken Cornell said the budget reflects the county's effort to balance taxpayer concerns with community needs.

"We know families are feeling the strain of rising costs, and we take seriously our responsibility to respect and consider every tax dollar," Cornell said. "At the same time, people count on us for safe neighborhoods, emergency services, road maintenance, parks, natural resources and social services."

​​The budget comes days after the Alachua County School Board approved its fiscal year 2026-27 budget and a property tax rate of 6.3270 mills, up from 6.2510 mills last year.

​The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) established the rollback millage rate for its upcoming 2026-27 budget, which totals $327 million for the general fund. 

Read more​. ​

​The Alachua County Commission voted against resident-funded repairs to Totem Pole Road and requested a proposal to repair a road in southwest Gainesville Tuesday. 

Read more​. ​

​After hearing complaints from residents about potholes, the Alachua County Commission voted Sept. 22 to ask staff to bring back a proposal to add SW 75th Street to the Transportation Capital Improvement Plan and how it might move forward with making repairs that need to happen to maintain the safety of the residence in Kanapaha.

The action came after residents packed a Tuesday afternoon public meeting to voice concerns about the road's condition, which they said has caused flat tires, vehicle damage and near-collisions.

Commissioner Ken Cornell noted that more than 100 residents had emailed commissioners about Southwest 75th Street.

After making multiple trips down the road and speaking with neighboring residents, Commissioner Mary Alford made a motion directing county staff to include the road in the General County Infrastructure Program and return with recommendations on how to move forward with repairs. The motion passed with unanimously, with Commissioner Charles "Chuck" Chestnut IV absent.

​County resident Mary Hill said she wants the county to allocate money to permanently fix the final mile of Southwest 75th Street instead of continuing temporary repairs.

"I have swerved off the road. I have had a blow out tire, I have almost hit somebody on a head-on collision as well as my husband. This is just an atrocity," Hill said.

​Hill said the road serves more than 500 residents and has become increasingly busy because of truck traffic. She also criticized the use of Southwest 85th Way as an alternate route, saying it was not "properly done."

​Farms of Kanapaha resident Mary Beth Buda said she is embarrassed by the condition of the only road in and out of her neighborhood and no longer wants to hear studies or data about the roadway.

"The road looks like a third-world country. I think Alachua County can do better than this, You can do better than this," Buda said. "If I get into accident, I'm going to you guys."

​Buda said a woman she hired to clean her home recently got a flat tire while traveling the road and is seeking reimbursement from the county.

A Kanapaha Gardens resident who identified himself only as Lance said he drives the road twice a day and knows every pothole on it.

Lance said recent rainfall opened another pothole that bent two rims on his vehicle.

​"Seriously, three basketballs can fill into this hole," Lance said. "As it stands right now, sometimes I'll take 85th over to Williston road. It's not as bad, some days its worse so you go the other way."

Calling it an "orphaned road," resident Joe Prager said residents have waited decades for the roadway to be replaced. He said it was once on a list of roads slated for improvements but was later overlooked while other county roads were addressed.

County officials acknowledged residents' frustrations but said the road is part of a broader infrastructure challenge facing the county.

Public Works Director Ramon Gavarette said he visited the road Sept. 21 and counted about six potholes before crews patched them. He said the roadway's deterioration reflects broader issues across the county's more than 400 miles of roads.

"We can keep filling in potholes, we can keep doing street resurfacing........ this is not a one year problem but a year after year after year problem," Gavarette said.

​Commissioner Anna Prizzia said the county never intentionally neglected the road and thanked residents for approving the infrastructure sales tax, which now generates about $24 million annually for roadway improvements.

Prizzia said the county previously hired an engineering firm to rate roads and entered those ratings into a software system that prioritized projects based on traffic volume, condition and other factors.

In an effort to be fair, Prizzia said commissioners generally followed the engineers' recommendations rather than advocating for specific projects.

"It doesn't mean that list it not without flaws, we're learning those flaws now as we realize this road and others that are failing and in bad condition," Prizzia said. "We're learning along with you about the pains of not having to take care of an important asset for tons and tons of years and now having the backlog and figuring out how we do more with less."

County Manager Michelle Lieberman provided a roads update later in the meeting and acknowledged residents' frustrations, noting commissioners and staff drive the same roads.

​"If you hit a pothole or travel the same deteriorating roadway day after day, I understand they're not really interested in hearing budgets or plans, they just want it fixed," Lieberman said. "Ramon said this is a crisis and we're taking it as such."

Lieberman said Public Works is currently operating four pothole repair crews Monday through Thursday, along with two crews on Fridays and Saturdays, weather and equipment permitting.

She added that the county has contacted neighboring counties and municipalities for assistance. Some have expressed a willingness to help if the county covers wages and equipment costs.

​Lieberman also encouraged residents to report new potholes through the county's Pothole Portal or by calling the non-emergency line at 352-955-1818.

​Alachua County Public Works is advising residents that NE County Road 1471 will close to all traffic near the Santa Fe River beginning Monday, Sept. 28, as Watson Construction begins demolishing the existing box culvert bridge.

Read more​. ​

​The Alachua County Broadband Initiative is hosting a free Fiber Education and Digital Literacy event on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, from 10 to 11 a.m., at the Alachua County Senior Recreation Center (5701 NW 34th Blvd., Gainesville). 

Read more​. ​

​Alachua County continues shifting resources to address its 700-mile roadway system, a decades-long backlog in resurfacing and public submissions for pothole repairs. 

Read more​. ​