Representatives of Bradford County District 1, and the City of Starke District 2 gathered for an event entitled “Home Town Meeting,” sponsored by the Concerned Citizens of Bradford County on Nov. 14, 2021.
The purpose of this meeting was to allow the citizens of the community to ask questions and get clarity on projects or situations that we face in this county.
Elected officials in attendance were Police Chief Johnson, Starke Mayor Janice Mortimer, City Manager Drew Mullins, County Commissioner Carolyn Spooner and School Board Member Sheila Cummings, as well as Wanda Middleton of the Bradford County Democratic Party.
Each representative was given time to share their vision, what their impact has been, and what they are currently working on to support the citizens in our geographical area.
Mayor Janice Mortimer spoke first, outlining her goal for a “soft restart of City Hall,” with the improvement of city services, especially water. She wants to make City Hall welcoming to everyone, starting with having a person, not a recording, answer the phone in December.
She wants to change the image of the Reno neighborhood. “We can do it ourselves, by building up our youth, supporting academic learning,” and providing healthy spaces for youth to gather. The city was in full support of the COVID Relief Block Grant application for desperately needed renovations and repairs to the RJE gym, a facility that serves our whole area, not just Reno.
Police Chief Johnson said that generally progress is being made to cut the crime on the eastside of Starke. There is usually great cooperation between the neighborhood and the police, with only one unsolved violent crime, and that is entirely due to witnesses refusing to step forward.
Johnson is implementing “de-escalation training” in small groups of police officers, teaching techniques for communication, calming situations and bringing them to a successful conclusion. Especially with new or younger officers, this is very needed, he said.
City Manager Mullins spoke next, outlining the Orange Street project, which included a complete infrastructure upgrade and should be completed this year. This project was initiated by the county and carried out by the city, a great example of cooperation on the ground. The sewer plant is under a consent order to make crucial repairs, and they have found a grant/loan to finance the work. They are also working on repairs and upgrades to city parks. A good example of city-county partnership is the city provision of infrastructure along U.S. 301, while the county works to attract new businesses.
Commissioner Spooner wants to help create a culture of cooperation between Starke and Bradford County. It should be easy to pool resources and apply for grants. “Reno is not a ghetto,” she said. “We are a productive community with a strong history of supporting education and community involvement.” It is crucial to support our youth, like making sure kids from all neighborhoods are welcome at the well-resourced Edwards Street Park. RJE gym is available and serves the whole county, as do the churches. But these facilities are under-utilized, and we need to change that.
Spooner acknowledged the housing shortage in our county, and the need for commissioners and staff to link people with available services. A big apartment complex is going up next to Southern Villas, which will ease the crisis.
She continues to call for strategic planning for the county, so we can take advantage of opportunities that come along, and know where to focus on developing resources. Also, the county must get roads paved and maintained.
School Board Member Sheila Cummings is heartfelt in her efforts to “provide educational resources to parents and students to be the best they can be.” The amount of information available to today’s students is monumental compared to years ago when she was in school. Santa Fe will begin offering classes at the high school next year. The Technical College is there to launch graduates into high-paying jobs immediately. Everyone should take advantage of dual enrollment, because it is essentially free college credits.
Sometimes public service is difficult and requires sacrifice, Cummings said, because you can’t be everyone’s friend. “Sometimes you have to insist that parents and students do the right thing,” in the face of complaints and demands otherwise.
Wanda Middleton represented the Bradford Democrats, and explained that the new federal infrastructure bill authorizes funds to improve our broadband access, which is sorely needed. There will be support for clean drinking water, roads and bridges, and other transportation improvements. The new expanded Child Tax Credit is the largest tax relief ever for working families. Delivered monthly, it helps cover child care so that parents are able to go back to work at a time when there are too many vacant jobs.
Participating as a citizen by voting is so important, Middleton said, and Cummings reinforced that saying, “I won my first election by one vote! So believe it, your vote is important, it counts!”
Glenda Ruise, representing Concerned Citizens of Bradford County, concluded the event by calling for the city and county work toward a long-term plan to reduce crime in Bradford County. “We support the investments that they have made and what they are currently working to improve,” she said. “Our city stands on the backs of the Baby Boomer generation, and it’s our responsibility to work with the next generation to assure they understand the need for accountability and responsibility.”
Submitted by Kate Ellison. Photos by Glenda Ruise.
