GREEN COVE SPRINGS – The City Council devoted much of its meeting Tuesday to recognizing residents who made significant contributions to the community in a series of heartfelt presentations, including two standing ovations and several rounds of applauses.

The City honored the tireless work of Carolyn Edwards, who served five years as the Family Services Coordinator and 12 years as the Executive Director of Clay County Habitat for Humanity before retiring on Dec. 31. During her tenure, the faith-based organization was responsible for putting a roof over more than 60 families heads.

“You know, we come together,” Edwards said. “It doesn't matter what your what your political affiliations are, what you believe, whether you like somebody or not. It doesn't matter what your ethnicity is or your gender. We just want to come together to help folk who would not ordinarily have an opportunity to have the American dream and realize that dream, and we've been able to do it.”

In part, the proclamation states the city “recognizes and celebrates Carolyn Edwards for her exemplary service, leadership, and advocacy, which have left a permanent mark on our community and set a standard of excellent for all to follow.”

The City also honored Vera Bryant and Lucinda Wooten as part of School Crossing Guard Appreciation Day. Both have worked for the City for 11 years.

They were given a bouquet of flowers, a box of chocolates, a copy of the proclamation and a standing ovation.

Two city electric department members were recognized for their heroic response to an emergency on Oct. 30.

The City’s Electric Department Director, Andy Yeager, proudly told a story about two of his employees as they stood in front of the dais.

“Mr. Ryan Barr and Mr. Adam Steins were in the Harbor Road electric yard unloading some old material off the trucks from an outage they had done that morning,” Yeager said. “It was at this point they received notification over the Pulse Point app on their phones that an emergency required CPR. They noticed that they were very close to the location of the emergency, and they jumped in their truck and headed straight to the address they were given.

"Once they arrived, they were met by a frantic person who told them that the person in need of emergency care was upstairs at a small efficiency apartment. As they entered the apartment with an AED machine in their hand. They noticed a person lying on the bed in the room, and he was unresponsive. Mr. Stein checked for a pulse, and after not finding one, immediately started doing CPR while Mr. Barr prepared the AED machine to be activated. They continued to use the ad machine and alternating that with chest compressions until the fire department and EMTs arrived to relieve them.”

Despite their efforts, the man, Clay County Sheriff’s Office Chaplin Joe Williams, didn’t survive.

“I stand here grateful that I have employees like this with such outstanding qualities and are willing to help a person in need, and to go further than that,” Yeager said. “I believe the City of Green Cove Springs is lucky to have employees that work here that care so much about the community that they work in.”

Both received a long and appreciative standing ovation.

The council also recognized February as Black History Month and heard from former Mayor Felicia Hampshire and Henrietta Davis-Francis listed various activities planned throughout the month.

In other business:

• The council passed an ordinance to reduce building permit fees by 25% for private building provider services.

• Agreed to purchase a 2024 Ford F250 crew cab from Beck Auto Sales for $58,159.41.

• Pay $109,765.69 for the West Street CDBG Stormwater Improvements and Highland Sidewalk Improvements to Besch and Smith.

• Pay $211,612.50 to Sawcross to construct the Harbor Road Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility as part of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, State Revolving Fund, Harbor Road Water Reclamation Facility Expansion, Phase 2.

• Pay Kirby Development $187,760.56 for the Julia Street Stormwater Improvement Project.

• Pay $458,274.65 for the emergency repair to the gravity sewer system on West Street.