Liza Mitchell

Neptune Beach officials are encouraging more residents to volunteer for positions on city boards as vacancies remain unfilled. The City Council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance Monday amending the qualifications for alternate members of the city’s Historical Review Board. Councilman Brent Rogers proposed requiring alternate members to live within city limits.

Neptune Beach officials paused a request to purchase a piece of city-owned land within Brewhound Dog Park. City staff were directed to engage in two parallel paths. One has them working with park owner Lauren Wykoff to renegotiate the existing land lease, which has 16.5 years remaining. The lease was negotiated with the city in March 2018. The other is for staff to reassess the land's value if the city chooses to move forward with a fee-simple sale.

Atlantic Beach officials have tabled the search for a new city manager until after the Nov. 3 election. Mayor Curtis Ford said incoming commissioners should have a voice in the selection process. Ford and Nancy Staats are vying for Seat 1, the mayor’s seat, while Lisa Herrold and Jennifer Lagner are competing for Seat 4, currently held by Commissioner Candace Kelly. Jessica Ring is unopposed in her bid for Seat 5. “Over the next 10 months, we have a lot of work to do.