• Speaking of Council, Kevin Hyde and Michael Corrigan — two former Finance chairs and Council presidents — will meet today at 1 p.m. to discuss the proposed budget. The meeting is in Conference Room B and is open to the public.
• Speaking of Hyde, he has submitted potential appointments to his Jacksonville Foreclosure Task Force. Michael Boylan of WJCT will serve as chair of the nine-person task force. The nominees require approval by the Council’s Rules Committee.
• Downtown Vision Inc. — in an effort to make sure City Hall employees have tables to use in Hemming Plaza Fridays during the farmer’s market — are now putting placards on several tables near City Hall. The placards say the tables are “reserved for Downtown employees.”
• Speaking of DVI, its 2nd Annual “Eat Up Downtown” is Aug 17-23. This year’s participating restaurants include American Café, bb’s, Benny’s Steak & Seafood, Café 331, Café Nola @ MOCA, Chart House, Chew, Cinco de Mayo, Hooters, Juliette’s Bistro, Karlene’s, Koja Sushi, Morton’s The Steak House, River City Brewing Company, Sake House, The Twisted Martini, Trellises, the University Club, Vito’s Italian Café and the Wine Cellar. For more information and menus visit eatupdowntown.com or call 451-3344.
• The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office will open the Baker County Correctional Institution during an Aug. 14 ceremony. The facility is on U.S.-90 in Sanderson.
• If you think lower property taxes are causing problems for the City, look at what those values have done to the proposed budget of the St. Johns River Water Management District. According to Executive Director Kirby Green, the tentative budget approved by the Management District’s board July 14 is $284.5 million. That’s $85.9 million less than last year’s budget.
• The 4th Annual Pet Walk at The Florida Theatre is Wednesday from 5-8 p.m. and will promote pet health, pet art, pet adoptions and pet safety. PetGuard will offer pet food samples and this year awards will be given for pets and their people. Categories include Mr. & Mrs. Florida Theatre, Best Feline, Best Dressed Mutt, Best Tricks, Pet Guardian Look Alike and Best Adoption Story. Preselection begins at 5:30 p.m. and the stage presentation will begin at 7 p.m. Admission is free.