BY JENN SAMSEL
Special to the Monitor
The High Ridge Initiative’s first meeting of 2025 was a resounding success, setting an optimistic tone for the year ahead. Held on Monday, January 13 at the Mission of the Dirt Road, the meeting highlighted significant accomplishments and ambitious goals for the community.
The High Ridge Initiative is an Impact Clay project, and a Clay County development initiative designed to improve area safety, empower community members, and increase caring among neighbors.
Its steering committee meets on the second Monday of each month at the Mission of the Dirt Road.
Formation of nonprofit
Isaac Morford, Director of the Community Partnership School at Keystone Heights Junior-Senior High School, opened the meeting in Carey Morford’s place.
He shared updates on the Initiative’s 2025 agenda, focusing on plans to transition into a nonprofit organization capable of sustaining its community advocacy and development efforts.
“One of the main goals is to hire an executive director who can work on this stuff daily,” he said. “For the mission of the Dirt Road, we continue to see growth and participation in community center programming, and for the fourth quarter of 2024, we served more meals than we did in the third quarter,” he said.
Morford also continued, “In the December cleanup report, we had 7,700 pounds of trash and 2,500 pounds of tires. So, over five tons more were removed from the neighborhood. Fifteen volunteers with 60 hours of service that day. The Community is getting better and better.”
He also announced an important update regarding the Kitchen of the Clay County Mission: Starting February 2025, lunchtime will move from Noon to 2 p.m.
County news
Clay County Commissioner Betsy Condon updated several agenda items, including speed bumps and public works drainage and lighting.
“The Speed Bump—I haven’t heard an update on it,” she told the group. “Right now, the county does not do speed bumps. They don’t like them from an emergency response standpoint; they slow down response and tear up the fire equipment.”
“As for the drainage, there is a work order in on drainage, so they will be out there working. I don’t know what date, but it’s in there,” said Condon.
The commissioner continued, “I requested lighting for trafficked areas and bus stops. It’s not going to be a 2025 solution. Still, we have requested the county, the Board of County Commissioners, a study through our transportation planning organization on lighting and safety, street lighting specifically on safety.”
“Clay County does not have a street light program, and we’re getting more and more requests for especially heavily traveled roads. I’ve got a complaint in the Clay Hill area of a cul-de-sac or a dead end of a road, and at the end of the road, where illegal activity can occur because it’s very dark, and they can hide down there,” she said.
“What we are looking at is some sort of partnership with Clay County and Clay Electric on what types of poles we can use to make the cost affordable,” she said.
Community Programs and Events
Clay County Sheriff’s Office Assistant Chief Chad Ricks spoke briefly about the Touch a Truck event, tentatively scheduled for February 22 and coinciding with Cleanup Day.
Lake Area Ministry Director Tanya Dennis provided an overview of the Empty Bowls event on January 14. She is optimistic about a great turnout.
She continued, “Food numbers are through the roof. We have fed 498 families in two weeks.
“We’ve been open four days a week, and it costs $28,000 a month. So, we are looking forward to the Empty Bowls fundraiser on January 14 at the Keystone Heights Woman’s Club.”
Events this month in the Community
Saturday, January 18 – Impact Clay Train
Tuesday, January 28 – Community Class with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (requires a minimum of 10 households to attend).
In 2025, the High Ridge Initiative will continue demonstrating its commitment to fostering growth, safety, and community collaboration.
For more information, visit Missionofthedirtroad.com.
