Candidate: Joe Elliott

Background:

• My wife Barbara and I have been married for 54 years, lived in 10 states, in the Villages for the last 15 years and in Wildwood for a little more than eight!
• We currently reside at: 5643 Fernandez Court, The Villages, Florida, 32163

Experience: 

• Served as the elected CDD Supervisor in District 8 for the better part of two terms until moving to Wildwood in October of 2015
• Retired from NASA with over 30 years of experience in aeronautical research, project and program management and at the National Level multi-agency program development, management and oversight
• Serve as the Wildwood Commissioner; Group 3

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering - Old Dominion University; Norfolk Va 
• Master of Engineering Management - George Washington University; Washington DC

Community Activities: 

   Past

• Member; Villages Architectural Review Committee
• Executive Vice President; Village Homeowners Association
• President; VHA Community Foundation, 501-C3 
• Member; Sumter County Zoning and Adjustment Board 
• Member; Sumter County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee
• Attended both the Sumter County and the City of Wildwood Citizen Police Academy
• Member of Sumter County Tourist Development Council

   Current:

• Florida League of Cities; Transportation Policy Committee and Advocacy Committee
• Member Lake & Sumter County Metropolitan Planning Organization

Observations:

• Growth: The last eight years has seen the population of Wildwood increase from 8,016 to 30,327 (a 3.78 fold increase) And the taxable value increase from $624M to over 6.04B (a 9.6 fold increase). At issue is how to accommodate that growth without abandoning what initially brought us to this area and to create the City that will attract the desirable growth and improve our quality of life. A natural next part of that growth is of course the implementation of the Downtown Master Plan which was created with significant input from businesses and residents and will include the Rail Yard and Parking Garage on the west side of US 301.
•  Manage City Services: Ensure that the needs of Wildwood businesses and residents are an integral part of City Management and that the resources of the city are employed effectively. Just as the rising tide floats all boats, our efforts must provide a healthy environment to the businesses and residents in the entire 50 plus square miles of our city.

Commitment:

• Problems come in all sorts, sizes and the Government can not even attempt to fix all of them. Where the Government has no role; we must ensure that it exercises restraint, but where the Government is the only solution it must be decisive in its action.

I support the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Florida, and the laws and ordinances of the City of Wildwood; and will faithfully perform the duties of Wildwood City Commission. So help me God!

I ask for your support to identify and overcome the challenges of the next four years.

Joe Elliott