In an earlier post, I shared two things that Commissioner Whitehurst said at the July 9 Candidate Forum, and I expanded on his perspective on development after a brief follow up conversation with him.
As we also talked about his work on the Northeast Florida Regional Council, I came away with new respect for the scope of commissioners’ influence in our county and beyond.
Did you know that Commissioners serve on or advise 8-10 additional committees and boards, at the county and regional level? That is a LOT of meetings to add to the usual-day-long commissioners’ meeting held twice a month. In my former “corporate” life, we used to say that a one-hour meeting typically requires 3-4 hours of preparation.
Commissioner Whitehurst has two leadership roles outside the County, on the Northeast Florida Regional Council and on the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization. These organizations have a significant impact on St Johns County as well as the Northeast region of Florida.
Northeast Florida Regional Council
The Northeast Florida Regional Council (NEFRC) serves Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam and St Johns counties and is authorized by Florida Statutes Chapter 163. It was formed in 1977 to “establish an organization that will promote area-wide coordination and related cooperative activities of federal, state, and local governments ensuring a broad-based regional organization that can provide a truly regional perspective and enhance the ability and opportunity of local governments to resolve issues and problems transcending their individual boundaries.”
The NEFRC programs include community development, resiliency, healthcare, economic development and emergency preparedness, all crucial issues impacting our County.
Commissioner Whitehurst is the current President and says that this type of external board allows him to work with other counties and share ideas, connect with other county’s officials when there is a need to call on others, to collaborate and share innovative solutions and to experience a more macro perspective of the unique challenges of northeast Florida.
North Florida Transportation Planning Organization
The North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) is the “independent regional transportation planning agency for Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties focused on planning, funding and mobilizing resources to develop and maintain our transportation system.”
Commissioner Whitehurst is the current Board Chair, and has served on the TPO for 4 years. As with the NEFRC, this provides him the opportunity to be part of the transportation planning process across northeast Florida, a key element in St Johns County’s future.
County Advisory Boards
Each Commissioner also serves as a BoCC liaison to an Advisory Board. Advisory Boards are appointed citizen groups who contribute a resident perspective and, in some cases, specific expertise on the Board’s purpose in advising the BoCC. Besides the two regional boards described above, Commissioner Whitehurst serves as liaison or member of 9 additional boards or committees.
As of this writing, Commissioner Arnold serves on 10, Commissioner Alaimo on 8, Commissioner Joseph on 10 and Commissioner Dean on 9. Some boards and committees require a significant amount of work, as described above. Others may not require the same amount of preparation. Put that together with time spent in meetings with residents and commercial businesses, attendance at ribbon cuttings, groundbreaking and other district events, and it is hard to see how this is described as a part time job. Yet they do it with a smile and the patience of Job, even when residents spend public comment time telling them how terrible they are.
It is critically important to respect the time and commitment of these public officials. For the most part, they run for office with the intention of working hard to make St Johns County a terrific place to work, play and live.
As you consider your vote in this election, remember that being an effective Commissioner is far more than voting against development. It is about voting for candidates who have the competence and energy to lead a rapidly growing county through tough decisions, relying on experts to provide input, and making the best decision possible for the entire county, today and tomorrow.
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