Caution urged on upcoming voter mail out
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Clay County Supervisor of Elections Chris Chambless is warning voters to be aware of an election season mailer that may land in local mailboxes in August or October.
The Washington, D.C.-based Voter Participation Center maintains that it is trying to help under-represented populations become registered to vote, however, Chambless said what is actually happening is voter confusion.
Chambless, who serves as president of the Florida Association of Supervisors of Elections, said the confusion created by the VPC mailer could be straightened out if the center simply validated it voter database with current Florida voter registration rolls.
To achieve his goal, Chambless has written separate letters to the VPC, as well as each of Florida’s 67 supervisors of elections to shine a light on the issue.
“Failing to confirm your information beforehand is likely to continue your record of an inaccurate mailing, resulting in increased voter confusion from current registered voters who question what has happened to their voter registration, or question why they have received pre-filled applications in the names of their adult children who do not reside with them, underage children, pets, and sadly even deceased family members,” Chambless states in his letter to VPC Executive Director Page S. Gardner.
Chambless said he is concerned that when voters see the mailer and it’s asking them to register to vote, it will simply create more confusion. He said there have even been cases in some Florida counties where voters have gotten so confused, they have called their local supervisor of elections and asked to be removed from the voting rolls altogether. He said that is too high a price to pay for confusion.
“Your past misleading and inaccurate mailings by the VPC DID NOT instill voter confidence in the process and, in fact, created suspicion, mistrust, and increased anger among the Florida voters. These continued inaccurate mailings from the VPC will only serve to erode the confidence of voters in the election system and unnecessarily place a burden on the elections’ office staff which is actively preparing for the upcoming election cycle,” Chambless writes to the VPC.
Meanwhile, the VPC states that it is targeting under-served voters and voters who have moved since the previous election.
“The registration mailings will go to unregistered young people who will be eligible to vote in the upcoming elections for the first time, their parents, and “movers” – voters who have moved into the state or from one county to another since the last election and have not re-registered or updated their voter registration records (according to the latest available information). Others who are unregistered in the voting age population also may receive these mailers,” states the letter from the VPC.
Chambless recommends voters call his office if they receive a mailer from the Voter Participation Center in the coming months.

Do you know a child who wants to sing?
JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Children’s Chorus is holding auditions next week in preparation for its 2016-17 season.
The goal of the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus is to introduce and develop a love of artistic singing in the children of the First Coast. It is our hope that the children who experience the JCC will receive rich and lasting memories they will share with their families.
While prior musical training is not necessary to participate in the Jacksonville Children’s Chorus, an audition is required. Children will be placed in the appropriate choir group based on their skills, maturity and readiness.
You do not need to bring a prepared audition piece. The audition process is quick and simple. A conductor will listen for the singer’s ability to match pitches, to learn a simple tune and to hold one’s voice part against others.
Auditions are by appointment only. Visit the website at www.JaxChildrensChorus.org/audition or call to schedule an appointment. Dates remaining in July include July 21 from 4:30-7:30 p.m., July 25 from 4:30-7:30 p.m. and July 26 from 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Call (904) 353-1636 extension 1 or email diana@jaxchildrensc

Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers Announces 2016-17 Board Leadership; Green elected to association officer position

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers swore in its 2016-17 board of directors during the organization’s annual summer conference in Orlando. Led by incoming president, Nassau County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller John Crawford, board members will serve one-year terms.
Executive committee officers include Franklin County Clerk Marcia Johnson is first vice president, Palm Beach County Clerk Sharon Bock is second vice president, Polk County Clerk Stacy Butterfield is treasurer and Clay County Clerk Tara Green is secretary.
“The roles and responsibilities of Court Clerks and Comptrollers in each of Florida’s 67 counties are vast and far reaching, but most importantly we are the keepers, protectors and preservers of public trust and that has always been, and will continue to be, our highest priority,” stated President and Nassau County Clerk John Crawford. “It is my great privilege to serve the FCCC membership as President and I look forward to building upon our successes while also finding viable solutions to the critical issues we face both independently and collectively.”

Urban Land Institute accepting awards applications
JACKSONVILLE – The Urban Land Institute North Florida is launching its 2016 Awards for Excellence Call for Entries. Complete details on the competition and entry submission are available at www.northflorida.uli.org.
Entries for the award may come from across ULI North Florida’s District Council, which covers 34 counties from Flagler to Escambia, including Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Gainesville, Tallahassee and Pensacola. The entry fee is $200 for nonprofit-public sector projects and $500 for private sector projects. Entry deadline is Aug. 30.
The annual awards for excellence program is the centerpiece of ULI’s efforts in North Florida to identify and promote best practices in all types of real estate development. The Awards recognize the full development process of a project from planning and construction to economic viability, management and design.
Winners in each of the five categories will be announced at an awards ceremony on Oct. 11, 2016, to be held at Taliaferro Hall, St. John’s Cathedral in downtown Jacksonville.
• New Development: Submissions in this category are projects that are responding to community needs, markets or vision which provide strategies that are worthy of being applied in other communities.
• Reuse/Repurpose: Projects demonstrating the rehabilitation, reuse or repurposing of existing structures to reinvigorate an area, satisfy a unique need within the community or bring underutilized properties back into the marketplace.
• Public Sector/Open Space/Non-Profit: Desired submissions are projects driven by the public or non- profit sector that employ best practices to provide the public with enhanced civic, open or public access space or experiences.
• Downtown: Projects that serve as a catalyst to revitalize the downtown core or surrounding area through enhanced access to choices in housing, entertainment, transportation, live-work-play or which stimulate additional urban development.
• Interiors: Interior projects that are making a positive impact on our quality of work/life that have applied best practices and ULI’s Principles for Building Healthy Places.
In addition to the category winners, ULI North Florida will present the prestigious 2016 Visionary Leader award to Robert M. Rhodes, former executive vice president of St. Joe Company.
Submissions are open to real estate developments and programs that were completed in the past three years within ULI North Florida’s District Councils. Qualified submissions will be reviewed by a panel of independent judges from the local and national development community.
Winners of the 2015 Awards for Excellence were 220 Riverside for the Downtown Sector; College Town for Private Sector; Unity Plaza in the Public/Open Space Category; and the Jessie Ball DuPont Center received the Reuse/Repurpose Sector award. Southern Charm Kitchen in Gainesville received the Judge’s Choice Award. Learn more about these projects under the Events tab at www.northflorida.uli.org.