GREEN COVE SPRINGS—In a busy meeting Tuesday night, the city council annexed 4.79 acres of property onto County Road 209 and agreed to spend $48,824 to buy laptops for its police department.

Before the council got down to business, five fifth-grade students were recognized for writing outstanding Government Week essays. Serenity Clark, Sydney Ball, Bentley Lackey, Jayden Meek and Zachary Anderson received proclamations and recognition from the council.

That was followed by Shawn Green, Andrew Shore and Kristyann Whitney being sworn in as new officers with the Green Cove Springs Police Department by Interim Police Chief Shawn Hines.

Hines then recognized 25 years of service by Sgt. Tammy Perry and Communications Officer Sharon Vinson,

The annexations involved two parcels of land. The first was three acres at 4614 CR 209S, owned by Wolfe Bros. Storage, and the second was 1.79 acres at 4604 CR 209S, owned by Miller Environmental Holdings.

After both were annexed, the city adjusted its Future Land Use Map and changed its zoning from heavy industrial to industrial park.

In other business, the council agreed to allow the mayor to spend $65,000 for permitting and design services for the Magnolia Point Reclaimed Water System and Potable Water System Improvements, to purchase standardized employee uniform shirts from Safety Products, spend $199,050 for Stormwater Improvements and Highland Sidewalk Improvements, approved an Interlocal Agreement with Clay County for grant research and writing assistance, pay $202,105 for the Julia Street Stormwater Improvement Project, pay $276,925 for the construction of 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 Agreement, spend approximately $1.5 million for the construction and materials of the Rookery Development Phase 1 Election System, approved the final plat for the development of Eden Butler Estates and Magnolia Trace four single-family lots, approved the subgrant with Florida Department of Emergency Management and FEMA for reimbursements for expenses related to Hurricane Debby, renewed its subscription to Pulseway Remote Monitoring and Management Software for $28,337, agreed to defer 50% of the building permit fees for the Vineyard Transition Center Building Improvement Plan and agreed to make the final payment of $160,590 for the Walnut Street improvements.

The council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 321 Walnut St.