Council on Elder Affairs

Mission: The Council on Elder Affairs is established to serve as an advocate for the older adults in the City, to the governmental agencies responsible for the various plans and programs designed to help older adults. To assist in the implementation of plans and programs selected by regional organizations, as they relate to the City and its older adults. To designate priorities among programs developed in the City by public, nonprofit and private providers concerning the older adults.

Members: The Council on Elder Affairs is a countywide body representative of all of the older adults of Duval County. This Council consists of 19 members, five appointed by the mayor and one appointed by each of the 14 district City Council members. Members must be at least 55 years old and cannot be employed by any government entity or a provider of services to the older adults.

Age-Friendly Jacksonville Initiative: The AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities serves as a catalyst to educate local leaders (both elected officials and engaged residents) and encourage them to implement the types of changes that make communities more livable for people of all ages, especially older adults.

The City of Jacksonville Council on Elder Affairs is spearheading the Age-Friendly Jacksonville Initiative. As our population continues to age, we will have more people over the age of 60 than under the age of 18 in 2030. On February 23, 2021, Mayor Lenny Curry proclaimed Jacksonville an Age-Friendly City. On April 19, 2022, AARP officially enrolled the City of Jacksonville into the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities (NAFSC), and we are 45th community in Florida! Jacksonville is a prime example of a community that recognizes the importance of being an age-friendly city and by joining the AARP's network of Age-Friendly Communities, Jacksonville will continue to pave the way for our senior population to thrive as they age. COEA will conduct a community needs assessment, focus groups, listening sessions and host a press release including older residents in all stages of the age-friendly planning and implementation process in 2024.

Learn more about the Age-Friendly Jacksonville Initiative:
Age-Friendly Jacksonville

For more information about AARP's Age-Friendly Livable States and Communities:
AARP.org/livable and/or AARP.org/livable-scribe
Point of contact for information on the Age Friendly Jacksonville Initiative: Carrence Bass cbass@coj.net by phone: 904-255-5413.

Meeting Schedule: The Council on Elder Affairs (COEA) meets monthly on the fourth Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Meetings are currently held at the Mary Singleton Senior Center, 150 E. 1st Street, Jacksonville, FL 32206.

To better engage with older adults across Jacksonville, the Council will periodically rotate its meeting location to various City of Jacksonville facilities throughout the community.

We encourage residents to join us and stay informed about elder advocacy and services in your neighborhood.

Please check this page regularly for the most up-to-date meeting locations.

The following dates are the Council on Elder Affairs scheduled General Council meetings for the 2025 year:

January 22, 2025 - Mary Singleton Senior Center
February 28, 2025 - Mary Singleton Senior Center
March 26, 2025 - Mary Singleton Senior Center
April 23, 2025 - LOCATION TBD
May 28, 2025 - LOCATION TBD
June 25, 2025 - LOCATION TBD
July 23, 2025 - LOCATION TBD
August 27, 2025 - LOCATION TBD
September 24, 2025 - LOCATION TBD
October 22, 2025 - LOCATION TBD
November - LOCATION TBD
December Annual Training/Planning Workshop - TBD

Advocacy work by COEA is accomplished through committees: Advocacy work by the Council on Elder Affairs (COEA) is carried out through its committees, which focus on issues impacting Jacksonville’s aging population.

Please note: All committee meetings are temporarily postponed until further notice.

COEA is currently seeking community leaders, business professionals, nonprofit organizations, and agency representatives who provide programs and services to older adults to serve on its committees.

Committee members serve as liaisons between COEA and their respective organizations, helping to elevate the voices, interests, and concerns of older adults across the city. They bring valuable feedback from the community to decision-makers and contribute to the shared vision of building a more Age-Friendly Jacksonville.
If you are interested in serving or would like to learn more, please contact CBass@coj.net.

Together, we can create a more inclusive, informed, and supportive community for our older residents.

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Council Members:

Name	Category
Patricia Vail	CC-District 1, Council Member Ken Amaro
Steven McMikle	CC-District 2, Council Member Mike Gay
Vacant	CC-District 3, Council Member Will Lahnen
Vacant	CC-District 4, Council Member Kevin Carrico
Vacant	CC-District 5, Council Member Joe Carlucci
Vacant	CC-District 6, Council Member Michael Boylan
Hallie Williams-Bey	CC-District 7, Council Member Jimmy Peluso
Herlena Washington	CC-District 8, Council Member Reggie Gaffney, Jr
Rochelle Gross	CC-District 9, Council Member Tyrona Clark-Murray
Marsha Jackson	CC-District 10, Council Member Ju'Coby Pittman
Vacant	CC-District 11, Council Member Raul Arias
Vacant	CC-District 12, Council Member Randy White
Vacant	CC-District 13, Council Member Rory Diamond
Annie Battle	CC-District 14 Council Member Rahman Johnson
Pending Appointment	At-Large 1 - Mayoral Appointee
Robin Lang	At-Large 2 - Mayoral Appointee
Pending Appointment	At-Large 3 - Mayoral Appointee
Donald Oulton	At-Large 4 - Mayoral Appointee
Willie F. Lyons	At-Large 5 - Mayoral Appointee

Contact Staff:

Name	Position	Phone	Email
Carrence Bass	Executive Director	(904) 255-5413	cbass@coj.net

Carrence Bass, Executive Director

(904) 255-5400
cbass@coj.net
City Hall at St. James
117 West Duval St., Suite 215
Jacksonville, FL 32202

Looking for Resources? Check Out the Senior Services Directory

View the 2024-2025 Senior Services Directory online here. Click here to download the directory directly. The directory is available at all Senior Centers and Jacksonville Public Libraries throughout the year.

Request a service or file a complaint

You may request a service or notify us of a service problem by calling (904) 630-CITY (2489).

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