Alachua County’s state representatives and senators will meet at Santa Fe College on Wednesday to discuss issues and projects of note before heading into the Florida Legislature’s session in January.  

The annual meeting will start at 1:30 p.m. at the Joseph W. Fordyce Building (R-01). It will include five legislative representatives: state Sens. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, and state Reps. Chuck Brannan, R-Macclenny, Chuck Clemons, R-Newberry, Yvonne Hayes-Hinson, D-Gainesville. 

The agenda gives space for elected officials in Alachua County to speak, followed by citizens. Local bills may also be presented during the delegation meeting.  

On Oct. 10, the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners discussed member priorities and landed on three to push: $1.4 million for an initial study of Newnans Lake to address hydrologic function, funds to expand Archer Road, and $2.7 million to support the World Masters Athletics Indoor Championship in 2025. 

In January, officials brought worker and water issues to the forefront, and the Legislature subsequently issued millions in local funds for Alachua County.  

During the 2021 meeting, the legislative delegation voted to draft a bill to place single-member districts for county commissioners on the ballot—an issue that became one of the most debated local topics of 2022. Voters ended up narrowly approving the measure last November, which will lead to single-member district voting in 2024 for county seats.  

The following is a list of speakers for Wednesday’s meeting: 

• Dr. Paul Broadie II, president of Santa Fe College 
• Mark Kaplan, vice president of UF 
• Brian Kramer, state attorney for the 8th Judicial Circuit 
• Stacy Scott, public defender for the 8th Judicial Circuit 
• Jess Irby, clerk of the court and comptroller 

• Emery Gainey, Sheriff of Alachua County 
• Ayesha Solomon, property appraiser 
• John Power, tax collector 
• Kim Barton, supervisor of elections 
• Tina Certain, chair of the School Board of Alachua County 

• Marsha Kiner, executive director of the Children’s Trust of Alachua County 
• Shaney Livingston, director of the Alachua County Library District 
• Michele Lieberman, Alachua County manager 
• Harvey Ward, mayor of Gainesville 
• Gib Coerper and Mike DaRoza, mayor and city manager of Alachua 

• Representative for the city of Archer  
• Jacquelyn Randall, mayor of Hawthorne 
• Representative for the city of High Springs 
• Representative for the town of LaCrosse 
• Representative for the town of Micanopy 

• Representative for the city of Newberry 
• Louie Davis and Kim Worley, mayor and manager of Waldo