Candidate: Adam Elliott

Hi, my name is Adam Elliott and I am running for Gilchrist County District 4 Commissioner seat.

I have lived in Gilchrist County since 1983 when my family moved into the Spring Ridge community. I attended school in Bell from kindergarten through 12th grade.  I then went on to attend Santa Fe College for a two-year vocational certificate in Industrial and Commercial Electrical training. I have continued to live and work in Gilchrist County for the past twenty years as an industrial electrician and maintenance technician.

I grew up working for several of the farmers and ranchers in the county.  I cropped tobacco, loaded watermelons, built fences, and helped with breaking new ground.  This type of work is some of the most rewarding that I have ever done, and I would like to continue this tradition for the next generation.  One of my biggest fears is that this lifestyle will no longer exist before the next generation gets a chance to experience it.

I have lived in the current District 4 area, in three drastically changing areas of the county.  First, was the neighborhood that my parents moved to when I was young, it was the first neighborhood in Gilchrist County with paved roads.  After college, I purchased my first home on the east side of the county.  My home was located off county road 337, that had been part of the Watson Family Farm. This lot had been part of a century old farm that was parceled out into a neighborhood. Currently, my wife and I live on her family’s farmland. This property located just off County Road 138 has been in their family since 1906.

Our family has a small cattle operation, raises a variety of livestock animals, and produces some hay to help feed the animals. Both of our daughters attend public school in Gilchrist County. One at Trenton High School, and the other at Bell Middle School.

I have been involved with several community activism groups throughout the county.  Up until now, I have chosen to mostly focus my efforts on helping youth in the Tri-County area.  I have acted as a 4-H Club Leader for the past 8 years, a Director for the Suwannee River Fair for the past 6 years, a Director for the Gilchrist County Education Foundation, Gilchrist County Fair Boosters President for the past 6 years.  Additionally, I have been an appointed member of the Gilchrist County Economic Development Committee for the past 6 years, a member of the Gilchrist County Cattlemen’s Association, and a member of the Gilchrist County Farm Bureau.

Over the past few years I have helped organize a group of Bell High alumni, Bell High School Class of 98, who participate in local fundraising efforts. The goal of the group is to support community development projects, offer aid to other alumni, and provide scholarship opportunities to students at Bell High School. and their children. In the past, we have participated in fundraising for the Running of The Bulldogs 5k, sponsored BBQ dinner sales for alumni with significant health challenges and provided scholarship funds to graduating seniors.

I have a vast general knowledge of all aspects of the county and how it functions with the different areas and District 4 has to be one of the most diverse groups of citizens in the county, it has residents that live, work and even quite a few that are retired enjoying all of the best things that the county has to offer. Some of these things that attract residents to the area are the easy commute to Gainesville to work and shop, others are the two wonderful rivers and the many springs that border district 4.

The things that are lacking that I would like to see changed for District 4 are simple in nature but will require some type of compromise from the other areas of the county, currently District 4 has two nonfunctioning volunteer fire stations that could be better utilized for the citizens. Currently it would take an average of 30 minutes to get an EMS or fire rescue unit to the Northern ends of the county because of the proximity to the nearest manned stations and the limited number of staff. There’s also a need for improved roads, road maintenance and trash collection sites for the entire county. I would love to hear any of your ideas and suggestions that you might have to keep Gilchrist county the greatest county in the state of Florida. Thank you for taking the time to read my bio and I look forward to meeting you and hearing your concerns.  

Adam P. Elliott

11539 NE 7th Ct.

Branford, FL. 32008

352-258-8253