My name is Carol Anderson, and I live in beautiful St. Johns County Florida, on a small island between the ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway called Vilano Beach.
My educational and work background is in leadership development, change leadership and culture change. I believe in people, but worry that these days we are so strapped for time that we read headlines or follow information that fits our personal narrative.
Over the past five years, I have become very involved with our County, as a volunteer. I learned very quickly that government, even at the local level, is highly complex. There are so many things to consider in the decision-making process that it is not easy. Even our elected lawmakers must become schooled in engineering, law, conservation and natural resources, recreation, transportation, housing…oh, and economic development.
I learned that the term economic development is often considered a four-letter word, particularly for long-term residents who have watched St. Johns County grow so fast, becoming one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida and the United States, increasing population by 44% between 2010 and 2020.
That rapid growth led to new neighborhoods and commercial enterprises, putting enormous stress on infrastructure like roads and public schools.
I learned that there are those who would like to see the County – the land, the population and the economy – return to what it was before this explosive growth. But we all know that isn’t going to happen.
So the challenge that we all have – elected officials, County staff, developers and residents – is to be smart and manage the growth.
My purpose has now become sharing what I have learned with the community, helping residents understand how the County works, and what they can do to be a partner in smart growth.
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