Candidate: Ronald Darrell Smith

Ronald “Darrell” Smith seeks County Commission Seat 3

To the citizens of Gilchrist County,

I am thankful to have lived most of my life (57 years) in Gilchrist County.  I believe our county is a great place to live, raise a family, work, relax, and retire because we are still strong in conservative values.  Our rural landscape and our springs and rivers also make it a great place to live.  One of the reasons I am pursuing this seat is to help keep our county this way for future generations. 

I am thankful to my parents Ronnie and Vivian Smith, who taught my sister Michelle and I the important things in life including the importance of faith, family, and others.   I graduated from Bell High School, Lake City Community College, and the University of Florida.   I was fortunate to marry my High School sweetheart Faye Shepherd (Jimmie and Nina Sue Shepherd), and to have two beautiful children.  They both married starting their own families, each giving us a wonderful grandson. 

Over my working career I have served as a 4H Extension Agent, and in various environmental related positions with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  I finished my career with the Department as the Assistant Director of the Office of Agricultural Water Policy.  In 2015 I took a similar position with the Suwannee River Water Management District before retiring as the Assistant Executive Director in 2019.  I believe these experiences have helped prepare me to serve you as a commissioner.  In these positions I was responsible for managing multimillion-dollar budgets, helping lead and manage staff and programs, and I had the opportunity to serve the public in various ways.  

In addition to my professional experience, I have had the honor to serve and help lead in our community in various organizations including in Church, as a 4H volunteer, the Suwannee River Fair Board, the Gilchrist County Education Foundation, and as with the Gilchrist County Recreational Authority among others.  I was also honored to be a participate in the University of Florida Wedgworth Leadership Institute program.

 I look forward to talking with many of you between now and the election. 

Sincerely Darrell