The Alachua County Commission will hold its next community listening session for the Forward Focus: Eastern Alachua County initiative on Saturday, May 3, at the Melrose United Methodist Church.

The meeting will start at 9 a.m. at 5807 Hampton St. in Melrose.

The Forward Focus: Eastern Alachua County initiative is designed to boost economic opportunities, enhance the quality of life and address community needs in eastern Alachua County.

Previous meetings have been held in Hawthorne, Waldo, Micanopy, Monteocha and Island Grove/Cross Creek. All Alachua County residents, business owners and community leaders are encouraged to attend.

Attendees can learn more about the Forward Focus project goals and timeline at the meeting. They can also provide feedback and network with neighbors and local leaders.

The Forward Focus community listening sessions are important for developing a comprehensive strategy to address Eastern Alachua County’s unique needs and aspirations. Following the Melrose session, the Forward Focus team will host their next listening session in the Winsor/Rochelle area in June, with more details to come.

“We have found our community listening sessions to be extremely helpful in identifying opportunities across eastern Alachua County,” said Assistant County Manager Missy Daniels, who is leading the Forward Focus team, in a press release. “We’re looking forward to hearing from Melrose next, and we encourage everyone to participate in these important conversations.” 

View the comments and feedback the Forward Focus team has collected.

Learn more about the project and provide comments directly to the county.

For more information, contact Forward Focus: Eastern Alachua County at 352-374-5204 or ForwardFocus@alachuacounty.us.