Spooner running for reelection
The following in an announcement of intention to seek public office paid for by the candidate.
Carolyn Brown Spooner intends to seek reelection to the office of County Commissioner, District 1. She is the current Chair of the Bradford County Board of County Commissioners. During this first term in office, she has acquired valuable political experience and knowledge which has helped to prepare her for this important role. During her first term as County Commissioner, she wanted to ensure that she received all the training that would make her a more effective and competent County Commissioner. Therefore, during her very first year in office, she attended the voluntary education program of specialized training for Florida’s County Commissioners and obtained the designation as a “Certified County Commissioner”. During her second year She completed the advanced leadership program” and was conferred the designation of “Advanced County Commissioner Level-1”. During her 3rd year of office, through the Institute of County Government in partnership with University of Florida IFAS Extension program, she obtained the highest level of training for a County Commissioner, earning the designation of “Advanced County Commissioner Level II”, becoming one of only13 other commissioners in the state to receive such distinction during the year 2023. The program focused on transforming counties and the state of Florida by producing strong, versatile leaders with the necessary tools to add challenges across multiple fields and governing bodies. Commissioner Spooner put her knowledge, skills and ability to good use in the role of County Commissioner and as a leader and Chairwoman of the Board. She took lead in helping the Board in developing a Strategic Plan until the Board embraced the process. This planning process ensured the County was on the pathway to developing a 5-year plan and beyond. She ensured that the Board had a Mission as well as Vision and Value statements that were accessible to the public and could be viewed online on the County’s website. She held public Town-hall meetings with all of the local municipalities to gather input from them along with residents and stakeholders. She included their input on things that were most important to them and incorporated their input into the plan. She encouraged the Board to pursue economic development projects that would enhance the County’s growth and development and bring more revenue into the county. She researched and followed up on funding that was unknown and available to our community and invited LSF Health Systems, the managing entity of such funding (Opioid Abatement Funds) to meet with our Board. This resulted in our county’s discovery of additional available funding for over $321,000.00 in Opioid Abatement Funding for Bradford County.
She takes her job very seriously and never takes anything for granted. She makes sure she is prepared for Board meetings, by reviewing, studying, researching information and asking questions. She is always prepared to work. She is so committed that she has never missed a single regularly scheduled board meeting during her entire 3.5 years in office. She does a drive through in District 1 on as regular basis to access the conditions and also reports her findings to the road department. She can be seen often picking up trash along the roadways to help keep our community clean and to encourage and be an example to others to keep our community clean and to take pride in it.
She not only has concern for District 1, but for all 5 Districts. She is often called throughout the county concerning issues because everyone knows that she will always reply or get back to them with an answer. She has a deep love for the entire Bradford County Community and always reminds everyone that we are one community, “Bradford County strong”.
Commissioner Spooner is a native of Bradford County. She graduated with honors from BHS in 1970. She received a BS degree from Bethune-Cookman College in 1974 and M.Ed. & Ed.S degrees from UF in 1975. She also became a Certified Public Manager through Florida State University Public Manager’s certification program in 2008. She worked for the University of Florida briefly before taking a position with the Bradford-Union Guidance Clinic as the Clinical Director, where she served for 9 years. She later accepted a job at Northeast Florida State Hospital where she was a Unit Director and later promoted to Staff & Customer Relations Director, serving 30.5 years before retiring in 2018.
Commissioner Spooner’s political history includes receiving two appointments from former Governor Bob Graham. She was first appointed to the Bradford County Historical Board of Trustees, which leased the old Bradford County Court House to Santa Fe Community College, which is now known as the Santa Fe Community College Andrews Center. This Board approved the funding for the Historic Camp Blanding Museum and the Eugene Matthew Historic Museum/Rosenberg Building at Starke Santa Fe Community College. Her second appointment was to the Florida Governor’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Celebration Commission. She coordinated the first Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration for Bradford County, Jan 1986.
Commissioner Spooner has had experience in City government having been elected as a City Commissioner in the City of Starke, District 2, April 2003. She was selected as Vice-Mayor in October 2003 and Mayor in Oct 2004. She served a second term as Mayor in 2006. She was re-elected unopposed as City Commissioner, District 2 and was selected as Mayor for the 3rd time on Oct 1, 2013. Mrs. Spooner assisted the City of Starke in acquiring District-wide clean-up crews. She helped to guide the city in developing a city webpage, updated recording system for meetings, and on-line billing. She facilitated the city in the development of its first Strategic planning process. In addition, she guided the city through a difficult state audit. She helped to resolve annexation conflicts between the City & County and helped to bridge the gap between City and County government to facilitate the two bodies of government to be able to work together for the good of the community. She helped to guide the city in pursuing grants for better housing, road improvements, recreation, as well as sewer and water improvements. She initiated the City’s employee recognition program, and the first City Hall Open House celebration to encourage better communication and open government with the unveiling of a new City of Starke Logo. She served in City government for 13 years before retiring from the City of Starke in 2016.
She served on the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council Executive Board, which consists of 11 counties and 33 cities. She served as Chair of the board in 2014. She served on the Board for 10 years. In addition, she served on the International Relations Committee for The Florida League of Cities. She was president of the North Central Florida Areawide Development Co., Inc., and she served as 2nd Vice President of the Florida Regional Councils Association.
Her community service included helping to organize the Lincoln City Crime Prevention Program to combat drug trafficking. She and the Lincoln City Crime Prevention program were recognized by the Secretary for the Department of Corrections for their fight against crime. She helped citizens to organize and get streetlights for the first time in Lincoln city so that the senior citizens and others could feel safer when walking after dark.
She initiated three scholarships to aid local students in seeking a college education; the RJE Founders Scholarship, the Shirley Ann Brown Livingstone Scholarship Foundation, named in honor of her late sister, and a Bethune-Cookman College Scholarship. She has helped (22) local students with college scholarships over the years, with the vast majority attending Santa Fe’ College. She authored a children’s book, “Peggy the Slow Poke Train” to encourage literacy among Bradford County School children and to preserve the rich history of our townships in Bradford County and she provides all of the proceeds towards scholarship funds.
She has worked with the Concerned Citizens of Bradford County to obtain funding for the renovation of the RJE GYM and School project. She also serves of the Health Task Force Committee with the Health Department which initiated the Bradford Community Partners Health & Resource Hubs to bring needed services into the community.
She has been recognized by a number of venues for outstanding citizen efforts. She has been honored by the RJE Masonic Lodge for dedication to the community and Mt. Pisgah AME church with the Community Image Award for community service. True Vine Outreach Ministry of Starke recognized her community service and work for our Lord in Bradford County and surrounding areas. Florida Department of Corrections recognized her for community service. She was nominated for the Florida Times Union EVE Award. She was honored by TV 20 as a Community Builder. She was recently recognized with a TV12 Who Cares Award for Community Service. Her most recent prestigious Award was the Jacksonville Image Award, where she was the recipient of the Pinnacle Award for lifelong community service in her community.
Mrs. Spooner is a minister and member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Starke, where she has served faithfully and attended all of her life. She has been the Adult Sunday School teacher since she was 14 years old. She faithfully served as a deaconess for 29 years. She started an outreach street ministry program in November 2013, to reach out to those persons on the streets who did not attend church. She became a licensed minister at Antioch Missionary Baptist church of Starke Jan. 2015 and serves as the Assistant to the Sr. Pastor. She is the daughter of the late Willie Brown, former DuPont Retiree & Antioch Church Deacon & her mother was the late Mrs. Louiza Brown, Antioch Church Mother and Choir president. Commissioner Spooner has two daughters, Kishanna & Charmil Spooner.
Commissioner Spooner’s knowledge, training, skills, ability & commitment to District 1 and the entire Bradford County make her the best candidate for this role. Please keep this God-fearing, hard-working conservative, no nonsense woman as your Commissioner for District 1.
Candidates may submit an announcement and photograph to run one time for $50. The deadline to submit announcements is Monday, June 17, at 5 p.m. Email announcements to [email protected] and make arrangements to pay prior to publication.
