Beaches Watch

Beaches Watch Monthly Meeting
2026-03-04 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Beaches Branch Library, Community Room, 600 3rd St., Neptune Beach, FL, 32266, United States
Topic: The State of the St. Johns River
Guest Speaker: Lisa Rinaman, St. Johns Riverkeeper
IMPORTANT: Enter through the NORTH Library entrance ONLY. The south entrance will be locked. Parking is available in the north parking lot.

Lisa Rinaman, the St. Johns Riverkeeper, will discuss the eighteenth annual State of the River Report, which provides a comprehensive analysis of the health of the Lower St. Johns River Basin. The report evaluates four key indicators of river health: water quality, fisheries, aquatic life, and contaminants. This year’s findings reveal widespread and growing concerns, underscoring the urgent need for action to protect this vital waterway.

Currently, 65 percent of Northeast Florida river tributaries remain unsafe for swimming and fishing. Ongoing challenges include persistent sewage pollution, increasing salinity, recurring algae blooms, and the presence of pharmaceuticals in the water—each posing serious risks to ecosystems, public health, and quality of life in the region. The State of the River Meeting will provide critical insight into these issues and highlight why the condition of the St. Johns River matters to everyone who lives, works, and recreates in Northeast Florida.

Beaches Watch President Maria Mark said, “We are grateful to have Lisa Rinaman speak about the health of our St. Johns River. The river is one of our most precious resources and essential to supporting our lives and livelihoods.”

Beaches Watch Monthly Meeting
2026-04-01 19:00 - 20:00
Topic: State of Our Schools
Guest Speakers: Dr. Christopher Bernier, Duval Schools Superintendent, April Carney, District 2 School Board Representative
IMPORTANT: Enter through the NORTH Library entrance ONLY. The south entrance will be locked. Parking is available in the north parking lot.

Topics to be discussed include: updates on District 2 schools, the half-cent sales tax, the Duval Schools budget, teacher recruitment, student enrollment and school safety. There will also be an opportunity for the audience to ask questions.
“Beaches Watch promotes educated citizen involvement in state and local issues that impact our quality of life. This important meeting will educate and engage beaches citizens in the Duval County School Board issues that impact our beaches schools,” said Beaches Watch President Maria Mark.

Beaches Watch Monthly Meeting
2026-05-06 19:00 - 20:00
Topic: Town Hall with Rory Diamond
Guest Speaker: Rory Diamond, Jacksonville City Council, District 12 (beaches) representative
IMPORTANT: Enter through the NORTH Library entrance ONLY. The south entrance will be locked. Parking is available in the north parking lot.

Rory Diamond will be participating in the Town Hall to give beaches residents an opportunity to interface with their Jacksonville City Council representative and get updates on Jacksonville issues that impact the beaches. Topics expected to be discussed are: Mr. Diamond’s priorities for the coming year, updates on Jacksonville capital improvement projects at the beaches including the Penman Road project, interlocal agreement negotiations with Atlantic Beach, update on funding received by the beaches from Jacksonville, and more. There will also be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions following Mr. Diamond’s updates.

Beaches Watch Monthly Meeting
2026-06-03 19:00 - 20:00
Topic: The Good and the Bad of the 2026 Legislative Session
Guest Speakers: Jacksonville Beach City Manager Mike Staffopoulos, Neptune Beach City Manager Richard Pike, Acting Atlantic Beach City Manager Kevin Hogencamp
IMPORTANT: Enter through the NORTH Library entrance ONLY. The south entrance will be locked. Parking is available in the north parking lot.

The three beaches City Managers will help the audience understand the impact legislative action during the 2026 Legislative Session will have on their lives. Guest speakers will be Jacksonville Beach City Manager Mike Staffopoulos, Neptune Beach City Manager Richard Pike, and Acting Atlantic Beach City Manager Kevin Hogencamp. Expected topics include affordable housing, property taxes, local government land regulations, sovereign immunity, local government spending transparency, and more. There will also be discussion about bills that didn’t pass and are expected to come back in the 2027 Legislative Session. There will be an opportunity for the audience to ask questions.

Beaches Watch Monthly Meeting
2026-07-08 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-08-12 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-09-09 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-10-14 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-11-11 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-12-09 19:00 - 20:00, 2027-01-13 19:00 - 20:00, 2027-02-10 19:00 - 20:00 and 9 more dates
