THE VILLAGER
Mayport Waterfront Partnership completed a robust year of fundraising, grant writing, and grant administration, which, in addition to producing this quarterly newsletter, included initiating and participating in the Docks Collaborative Work Group and preparatory steering committee sessions for a Florida Working Waterfronts workshop, hosting the annual Mayport Village Potluck & the Night of Giving Fundraiser, and conducting three sessions of walk audits to assess pedestrian safety in Mayport Village.
Executive Committee Officers
During their annual meeting in January Mayport Waterfront Partnership’s Board of Directors elected new executive officers, selecting Mitch Reeves, former mayor of Atlantic Beach, as Chair, and Mike Redick as Vice-chair. Dara Hailes will continue to serve as Secretary along with Bill Gulliford, former Jacksonville City Councilman and former Mayor of Atlantic Beach, as Treasurer. Many thanks are extended to Alyce Decker, former Chair, and Matt Stewart, former Vice-chair for their leadership in 2024 and their extensive administration of three grants.
RECENT NEWS Opportunities to Connect & Engage
TheUniversityofGeorgia’sDefenseCommunityResilience Programplanstodeveloparecommendedshoreline restorationandstabilizationdesignfortheLittleJetties/Helen CooperFloydParkareaalongsideA1A
Theeffortwillseektobalancepublicaccessandrecreationwith protectionfortheroadwayandtointegratenaturalelements thatenhanceshorelineresilienceandsupportfishhabitat To informtheeffort,theprojectteaminvitesthecommunityto sharewhatisimportanttothemabouttheshorelinethat welcomesvisitorsastheyarriveinMayportVillage.
MAYPORT VILLAGE SHRIMPING INDUSTRY LISTENING SESSION 2/25/25
The Northeast Florida Regional Council (NEFRC), with the support of the Mayport Waterfront Partnership, invites you to the Mayport Village Shrimping Industry Listening Session.
Date: February 25th, 2025 Time: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Local: Mayport Community Center, 4875 Ocean St., Mayport, FL 32233
In this collaborative workshop, we’ll brainstorm how to bolster the shrimping industry, honor its history, and identify opportunities for growth This session is open to all– especially those directly involved in the shrimping industry, tourism industry, government, and historical groups Participants should come prepared to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the shrimping industry today as well as opportunities in the future
For questions, please contact Cassidy Taylor at CTaylor@nefrc org or 904-637-9739 We appreciate your willingness to participate in this critical discussion Please share this invitation with anyone who may be interested in attending!
Coconut Key Coffee & Sundries is Coming Soon!
Steve Altman, owner of two mixed use retail/office/residential establishments on Ocean Street has announced that the new coffee shop located at 4607 Ocean St. will be opening on Saturday, February 22nd. The owners, Katie & Matt O’Connell, are Mayport Village residents.
M W P ’ S C O L L E A G U E U P D A T E
S E R V I C E R E C O G N I T I O N
The Directors of the Mayport Waterfront Partnership wish to recognize the longtime dedication of Alyce Decker and express their gratitude for her tremendous service to Mayport Village as she steps down from the role of Chair this year, after serving as Co-chair with Sam Floyd for the previous five years and as MWP’s secretary for seven years before that.
Alyce originally came to this Village as a planner on the Urbanomics team commissioned to do an Ecotourism Study for MWP in 1999. Her enthusiasm for the possibilities that could be achieved in Mayport Village was pronounced and when the study was concluded she was invited to join the Partnership as a planner. Alyce knew she wanted to be part of something transformative in this Village and has endeavored ever since then to make visions come alive.
During her 25 year tenure, she has watched the tides rise and fall and rise again for Mayport Village. In the early years the overlay zone was established and $2 million infrastructure improvements were accomplished. Then the docks went away, the economy had a downturn, a lawsuit was filed to stop the cruise terminal plan, the ferry operation was in difficulty, and the Village’s Civic Association went dormant.
Guided by the idea that “urban planning speaks for those who don’t have a voice”, Alyce has served with MWP for 25 years. As she steps away from the Chair responsibilities, she’ll have more time to focus on her clients as she has been a fulltime realtor for the past eight years now with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, to market her children’s book If You Sing to an Alligator, and keep a watchful eye on the progress of the commercial docks in Mayport Village.
Sam Floyd & Alyce Decker with the Northeast Florida Regional Council’s Award to Mayport Waterfront Partnership for Excellence in Planning & Growth Management, 2024
Alyce Decker, AICP
