Council on Elder Affairs
The Council on Elder Affairs is established to serve as an advocate for older adults in the City, to the governmental agencies responsible for the various plans and programs designed to help older adults. The Council also assists in the implementation of plans and programs selected by regional organizations as they relate to the City and its older adults, and helps designate priorities among programs developed in the City by public, nonprofit, and private providers concerning older adults.
Mission: To advocate for older adults in Jacksonville by helping identify priorities, evaluate services, support coordination among providers, and communicate community needs to the appropriate governmental agencies and organizations.
Quick Links:
About the Council
Committee Duties
Committee Meetings
Community Resources
Contact Staff
Council Members
Meeting Schedule
Public Records Notice
Senior Citizen and Lifetime Achievement Awards
Total Members
Vacancies
Total Members
The Council on Elder Affairs includes 19 members: 14 members appointed by the City Council, one from each Council district, and 5 At-Large Group members appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council. Members generally serve two-year staggered terms.
Committee Duties
- Attend public hearings, forums, and town hall meetings to receive and share information about the effectiveness of services for older adults.
- Evaluate current services and programs intended to meet the needs of older adults.
- Determine which services older persons need that are not currently being provided.
- Develop and recommend priorities for City services, services provided by other agencies or organizations, and recommended new services.
- Recommend ways to eliminate duplication and improve coordination, economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of services for older adults.
- Provide representatives for regional organizations concerned with the problems and needs of older adults.
- Adopt, amend, and rescind rules and regulations to implement the provisions of the applicable chapter.
- Submit an annual report to the Mayor and City Council regarding activities, problems, and progress in meeting the needs of older adults.
- Carry out other functions as may be assigned by ordinance.
About the Council
The Council on Elder Affairs is a countywide body representative of older adults throughout Duval County. COEA includes a broad, informed, and representative mixture of persons intended to reflect the interests and concerns of the county’s aging citizens.
Please note: All COEA members are unpaid volunteers, must be age 55 or older, must reside in Duval County, and should not be providers of services, employees of local, state, or federal government, or officers or employees of any entity that receives public funding for projects related to older adults.
Meeting Schedule
The Council on Elder Affairs meets monthly on the fourth Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Meetings are currently held at City Hall, Lynwood Roberts Room, 117 W. Duval Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202.
Please check this page regularly for the most up-to-date meeting information.
View the Boards and Commissions events calendar
2026 General Council Meeting Dates
- January 28, 2026 - Lynwood Roberts Room (City Hall)
- February 25, 2026 - Lynwood Roberts Room (City Hall)
- March 25, 2026 - Lynwood Roberts Room (City Hall)
- April 22, 2026 - Lynwood Roberts Room (City Hall)
- May 27, 2026 - Lynwood Roberts Room (City Hall)
- June 24, 2026 - Lynwood Roberts Room (City Hall)
- July 22, 2026 - Lynwood Roberts Room (City Hall)
- August 26, 2026 - Lynwood Roberts Room (City Hall)
- September 23, 2026 - Lynwood Roberts Room (City Hall)
- October 28, 2026 - Lynwood Roberts Room (City Hall)
- November 13, 2026 - Annual Training
- December - No meeting this month
Meeting Location:
City Hall, Lynwood Roberts Room
117 W. Duval Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Council Members
| Name | Category |
|---|---|
| Vacant | CC-District 1, Council Member Ken Amaro |
| Steven McMikle | CC-District 2, Council Member Mike Gay |
| Vacant | CC-District 3, Council Member Will Lahnen |
| Pending Appointment | CC-District 4, Council Member Kevin Carrico |
| Daniel Reese | CC-District 5, Council Member Joe Carlucci |
| Pending Appointment | 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 |
| Pending Appointment | CC-District 10, Council Member Ju'Coby Pittman |
| Pending Appointment | CC-District 11, Council Member Raul Arias |
| Pending Appointment | CC-District 12, Council Member Randy White |
| Pending Appointment | 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 |
| Vacant | At-Large 4 - Mayoral Appointee |
| Willie F. Lyons | At-Large 5 - Mayoral Appointee |
Committee Meetings
Advocacy work by the Council on Elder Affairs is carried out through committees that focus on issues affecting Jacksonville’s aging population.
| Committee | Focus Areas |
|---|---|
| Accessibility | Transportation; Outdoor Spaces/Buildings; Housing |
| Socialization/Inclusion | Employment/Volunteering; Civic Engagement/Participation; Social Participation/Inclusion |
| Legislative/Advocacy | Community Support; Public Safety; Wellbeing/Wellness; Health Services |
| Resources/Technology | Communication/Information |
Vacancies
Current appointment opportunities: Districts 1, 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, and At-Large Groups 1, 3, and 4.
Please note: Appointees for this board do not need to reside in the district of their appointing Council Member.
Contact Staff
| Contact | Information |
|---|---|
| Executive Director | Dawn Hilliard-Morgan |
| dhmorgan@coj.net | |
| General Awards Contact | coea@coj.net |
| Phone | 904-255-5400 |
Public Records Notice
The City of Jacksonville is committed to transparency, accessibility, and compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws, including Florida’s “Government in the Sunshine” laws (Chapter 119, Florida Statutes). Jacksonville.gov is a public information website and is not the City’s system of record. The website publishes only current materials needed for active public business. Historical records and archived documents are retained offline in accordance with Florida law and are available through the City’s public records request process. As part of the City’s ongoing efforts to meet ADA accessibility requirements, documents that are not currently accessible may not be posted to the website but remain available upon request.
Submit a public records request online
Community Resources
The following services and links may be helpful for older adults, caregivers, and families seeking support, information, and community resources.
2-1-1 First Coast
2-1-1 First Coast is a free confidential helpline that connects people with local health and human services.
- Dial: 2-1-1
- Phone: (904) 632-0600
- Website: Visit the 2-1-1 First Coast website
ElderSource
ElderSource serves seven counties in Northeast Florida and provides an online database to search for services and find resources.
- Phone: (888) 242-4464
- Website: Visit the ElderSource website
- Resource Search: Search the ElderSource resource database
Aging True
Formerly Cathedral Foundation of Jacksonville, Inc. and Urban Jacksonville, Inc., Aging True provides a variety of programs for seniors, caregivers, and families in Jacksonville and Northeast Florida.
Programs may include: Nutrition, care coordination, home health services, personal and in-home care, Meals on Wheels, caregiver support, Community Care for the Elderly, Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative, emergency alert response, counseling services, and more.
Aging True’s professional staff works with seniors and their families to select the most appropriate program or combination of services, including health, housing, financial, and nutritional education and other vital areas of assistance.
- Phone: (904) 807-1203
- Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Website: Visit the Aging True website
630-CITY
Call (904) 630-2489 for quick access to City services and information, or to register a complaint about City services.
- Business hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (closed on holidays)
- Website: Visit Jacksonville.gov
Useful Links
- Jacksonville Emergency Preparedness
- State of Florida Home Page
- Florida Senate
- Florida House of Representatives
- Florida Department of Children and Families
- Florida Department of Health
- Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities
- Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- The White House
- U.S. Government Home Page
- U.S. Social Security Administration
- AARP
- Medicare
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Disability Services (USA.gov)
Senior Citizen and Lifetime Achievement Awards
The Council on Elder Affairs, in collaboration with the City of Jacksonville, proudly presents the annual Senior Citizen of the Year Awards, a distinguished event dedicated to honoring the extraordinary contributions of older adults in our city.
These awards recognize one outstanding senior woman and one outstanding senior man for service and achievements during the previous year, as well as one recipient of the James L. Fortuna Lifetime Achievement Award for accomplishments achieved during a lifetime of service.
Award Categories
- Senior Citizen of the Year Awards: One female and one male honoree are recognized for notable accomplishments and service during the previous year.
- James L. Fortuna Lifetime Achievement Award: Honors one individual for a lifetime of outstanding accomplishment and service.
Eligibility and Criteria
- Nominees should be older adults who have made meaningful contributions to the Jacksonville community.
- Nominations for the Senior Citizen of the Year awards should reflect accomplishments achieved during the previous year.
- Nominations for the James L. Fortuna Lifetime Achievement Award should reflect accomplishments achieved during the nominee’s lifetime.
- Members of the Jacksonville-Duval County Council on Elder Affairs are not eligible.
How to Nominate
- Request and complete the nomination form and mail or email it to the office.
- Attach a supporting statement of no more than 800 words describing the nominee’s activities and achievements.
- You may also include appropriate support materials. Do not submit video tapes, displays, or scrapbooks.
- All submitted materials become property of the Jacksonville-Duval County Council on Elder Affairs and cannot be returned.
Don’t miss this opportunity to honor and be inspired by the exceptional seniors in our community. Nominate someone extraordinary or even yourself, and be part of a day that shines a spotlight on the invaluable contributions of our city’s older adults.
Council on Elder Affairs
Attention: Dawn Hilliard-Morgan - Senior Awards
117 W. Duval Street, Suite 280
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Questions?
coea@coj.net or call 904-255-5400