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© 2021 Alachua County Emerging Leaders
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3rd. To help young professionals be better informed, we have reached out to the candidates for Alachua County Commission with questions about their positions on issues important to us. We have published the responses of those who answered us before our deadline.
Please provide your biography.
Mary Alford is a native Gainesvillian and a sixth-generation Floridian. Her leadership skills were honed early, as the eldest of nine children, and she later became mother to four boys. Mary now divides her time between her business, community service and her family. She is a Professional Engineer, with her undergraduate degree in Environmental Sciences and Engineering from the University of Florida and a Masters of Engineering from the University of Florida. She founded her firm, The Sustainable Design Group, a local architecture and engineering consulting and design firm that has been in business for twelve years. Her professional work has focused not just on sustainable construction but also on affordable housing and small houses. Before transitioning to work in the built environment Mary worked in the utility industry in power production in the areas of management, environmental compliance, root cause analysis and project management. In the community Mary serves or has served on the Alachua County Code Enforcement Board, Gainesville Utility Advisory Board, Cultural Arts Coalition, NAACP Environmental Justice Subcommittee, Sequential Artists Workshop Board, Florida Community Design Center Board, Alachua County Environmental Protection Advisory Board, and on the Executive Board for Florida Defenders of the Environment.
Given the ongoing Covid-19 public health crisis we find ourselves in, what approaches would you take to ensure the safety and health of Alachua County’s residents?
I commend the current commission for advocating for masks and social distancing early on in the pandemic. I would continue to advocate for masks and for using code enforcement to educate and work with the public when there are issues of non-compliance. I would continue to advocate for limiting large indoor or large gatherings where social distancing isn’t possible (such as football games). In addition, I would use my engineering skills to look at our current building codes and code enforcement. We will need to pay special attention in the future to HVAC design and ensure that the ventilation requirements are sufficient and being met.
What role can the county commission play in creating job opportunities to recruit and retain a diverse pool of young professionals within Alachua County?
My experience at an owner of an architecture and engineering consulting firm has helped me understand the needs and desires of young professionals moving to Alachua County. I am also the mother of young professionals myself – two engineers and two business owners, so I see what is needed from their perspective. A top concern of many young professionals is sustainability, climate disruption and the environmental impact of their decisions. My background as an environmental engineer and my work in mitigating climate disruption will allow me to make decisions as a commissioner to make the most sustainable decisions – decisions that balance the environment, the economy and equity (my definition of sustainability). I find that many young professionals are more focused on experiences over acquisition – a group typically happier with smaller and more urban homes and less interested in being weighted down by the every larger home and yard that dominated their parents’ lives. Zoning and land use decisions that focus on increased density to allow us to protect the natural lands and waters that provide us with the benefits of recreation, groundwater recharge, beauty and preservation is consistent with those desires. Many young professionals are also looking to raise families. This means that as a commission we need to work hand in hand with the school board to provide high quality education, we need to plan for a healthy and active community with access to parks, recreation and safe alternative transportation.
ACEL supports any initiative that will increase the quality and affordability of housing in cultural centers of Alachua County. If elected, how would you address the issue of quality and affordable housing?
My firm not only specializes in sustainability but also new urbanism (as defined by the Congress for New Urbanism, not by builders and communities that falsely describe their neighborhoods and towns as “new urbanism”). One tenet of new urbanism is “the reconfiguration of sprawling suburbs into communities of real neighborhoods and diverse districts” and “the restructuring of public policy and development practices to support the following principles: neighborhoods should be diverse in use and population” (https://www.cnu.org/who-we-are/charter-new-urbanism). Neighborhoods and communities work best when we have diversity of age, diversity of culture and color, and diversity of income. Currently the bulk of affordable housing in Alachua County is focused in east Gainesville/Alachua County. This not only inhibits the growth needed in this area, but it means that business owners in the west side of the county do not have access to this workforce. There are many ways to help incorporate affordable housing into neighborhoods. Whether we incentivize the inclusion of affordable housing in new developments, or look at ways to disincentivize vacant units (typically resulting in lower rents), or whether we use land trusts to guarantee access to affordable housing – there are many right answers – and we need to be doing most of them.
Please briefly describe the top three policy priorities you will implement if elected.
I am running to increase the sustainability of Alachua County, to address existing infrastructure and to increase our resilience in the face of an uncertain future.
Sustainability is often described and defined by the “people, planet, profit” three- legged stool model. I prefer to think of it as the environment, the economy and equity. Our current commission has focused very well on the environment, somewhat on the economy and equity. However, they tended to be siloed in their thinking – looking at decisions as either an “environmental” decision, an “economy” decision or an “equity” decision. I plan to introduce policy to look at all of these components during the decision-making process. We can’t lean too hard on any one of the three because it is detrimental to the others and sometimes ineffective. (Example – we can build the greenest buildings but if very few can afford those buildings – equity and economy – then those building will not be built to make a difference).
My A&E firm is mission driven and one thing we believe is that the greenest buildings are the ones that are already there. Obviously this can’t always be practical but we need to carefully access the carbon footprint and cost of new government buildings (such as the proposed new county administration complex) and determine if those are the right choices we should be making right now. In addition, many of our roads, especially in outlying areas, have been not been adequately maintained. We have invested in these roads as taxpayers and the cost and carbon footprint of replacing roads is much greater than the cost of maintaining them. Our emergency responders tell me that road condition is affecting their ability to respond to critical situations. Fairly and smartly looking at our road maintenance has to be a high priority.
Finally, we are in a time of unprecedented change. We are facing climate disruption with increasingly severe weather and climate migration. We are facing political upheaval and cultural shifts. And finally, as the current pandemic has illustration, our growing population and global connection has placed us at risk of disease spread. If we are going to maintain Alachua County as a place that our children and grandchildren can enjoy then we need to increase our resilience. One of my responsibilities when working in the power industry was to be an “emergency management coordinator” where I helped develop plans for a variety of situations and then train teams to deal with those situations if they occurred – and those situations included everything from hurricanes to fire, from terrorist attacks to biological threats. We can’t anticipate the weather but we can have an emergency management plan that equitably addresses everyone in our community and we can be financially prepared for what may be required (the federal government is significantly behind in reimbursing for past hurricanes – can we count on them in the future?). We cannot anticipate how many people may move to Alachua County as the world changes, but we can make sure that as we accommodate increased population, we don’t create the sprawl that defines many other Florida communities. We can protect and incentivize a local food culture to enhance food security. We can work towards a transportation system that allows people to safely get where they need to go in a variety of ways. We can continue to support having a local utility system so that we can support our regional hospital and local communities in a timely way. Our emergency management plan can address a variety of emergency situations – and our community should know and understand how they can help contribute our community’s safety in short term and long-term emergencies.
Please provide your biography.
This Election 2020 I decided to move our fight for individual rights out of court and onto the political battleground. I am a wife, mom, small business owner, and UF Law grad. I am a lover of freedom and justice for all. The attempts by the Board of County Commissioners to force government control into our private lives shocks the conscience. After I graduated UF Law I clerked at Southern Legal Counsel in Gainesville. Under direction of senior counsel I learned how to practice Federal Civil Rights law. In my solo practice I apply the federal civil rights statutes to defend Americans from government abuse. I also worked pro bono for President Obama’s Clemency Project. My advocacy freed men of color from decades long federal prison sentences. I am a fierce advocate for justice. When I’m not fighting for freedom I practice yoga, wine & dine, and hang out with my cats.
Given the ongoing Covid-19 public health crisis we find ourselves in, what approaches would you take to ensure the safety and health of Alachua County’s residents?
I will abide by the safety measures set forth by the CDC, WHO, and Governor DeSantis. I believe we as Americans must take care of each other. That includes respecting the health decisions one makes for themselves and their family, while also respecting one another’s medical privacy. Masking should be voluntary for the general public. Employers and private business can make their own decisions regarding their employees and whether they require customers to wear masks. I believe in a free market approach.
What role can the county commission play in creating job opportunities to recruit and retain a diverse pool of young professionals within Alachua County?
Alachua County has the highest poverty rate in the state, one of the widest income gaps, and among the highest taxes in the state. These inequities result from decades of the same local politicians whose priorities do not align with the needs of the majority. Alachua County residents need access to good paying jobs. We achieve social justice through equality of opportunity. Highly restrictive land development codes, high tax and utility costs, and anti-growth attitudes from local elected officials freeze the potential of Alachua County. Not everyone earns a college degree. As commissioner I will promote policy to create jobs for people of all skill levels. With a view towards progress and prosperity, instead of restriction, we can lift up all community members by creating jobs and increasing opportunity for home ownership. Permanent resident home owners contribute to our ad valorem and sales tax revenues.
ACEL supports any initiative that will increase the quality and affordability of housing in cultural centers of Alachua County. If elected, how would you address the issue of quality and affordable housing?
Decades of anti-growth policies led to gentrification of historic African American communities. Instead of allowing the 2016 Plum Creek development to move forward and benefit members of East Side and Hawthorne, the Board of County Commissioners favors development in high density urban centers. Their land development policy displaces affordable housing and replaces historic districts with transient student housing. Smart Growth should not be “Selfish Growth”: the elite few dictating when, where, and how the rest of us can achieve the American Dream. We need to welcome housing and job developers to build in areas that will not destroy and displace historic communities.
Please briefly describe the top three policy priorities you will implement if elected.
My Platform for Alachua County Commission District 1: Jobs, Freedom & Safety. You can learn more about me and my background at www.RaemiForFlorida.com.
Jobs: We must unleash our economic potential by inviting business and infrastructure development to our county.
Freedom: I will endlessly fight the socialist agenda and promote individual rights and freedom from government.
Security: I support law enforcement & first responders as community partners who keep our children and neighborhoods safe.
Please provide your biography.
I’ve been a long-time resident of Alachua County and a lifelong activist.
Having grown up in Miami, it was a bit of a culture shock living in a small rural town like Newberry. I had come to Gainesville in ‘73 to go to UF and by 1977 I had met my future husband John and settled in Newberry where he had just built an FHA government subsidized home in Newberry. He qualified at the time because he was a single father. Over the next 40 some years we would go on to own and operate 6 small businesses and involve ourselves and our family in community service.
My husband was mayor and commissioner in Newberry for around 24 years and I, among other things, was helping to found the Newberry Jonesville Chamber of commerce, chair the planning and zoning board, serve on task forces and boards such as the opioid task force and Rosewood foundation most recently. I became the first woman member of the Lion’ Club, and was also a Take Stock in Children mentor for many years. As a Realtor, I served as a director on the board of the Gainesville Alachua County Association of Realtors.
I’ve served as a Newberry city commissioner and found my passion to work on public policy where I could make a difference in my community. Where there was no parental leave in our town, I proposed and saw passed one of the few parental leave benefits in north Florida. I was instrumental in negotiating the relocation of the Alachua County Fairgrounds through my familiarity with the complex land deal that had to happen. I pushed for and saw passed the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system which is a relatively new technology that puts into the hands of citizens the ability to monitor and adjust their own power usage – a great environment-friendly tool which I believe will eventually be used on a large scale in other cities.
I’m running for the Alachua County Commission to have a voice where there presently is none – for the smaller municipalities. And also for half the county who belong to a party different from the one who now unanimously serves. Diversity, not only in race and gender is essential for balanced and fair leadership.
As a graduate of Leadership Gainesville, I greatly appreciate that your organization is committed to helping educate and endorse new leaders.
The breadth of the wrath of the pandemic is nowhere near visible at this time. As it rages on, we will face challenges never before experienced. Homelessness, hunger, joblessness and other plagues of the plague will be upon us. I will provide focused, steady leadership as we work our way through issues that will affect every person in the county. A top priority will be opening businesses safely at 100%. But I will take direction from our own Health Department and commit to passing ordinances that adhere to their recommendations. The World Health Organization announced last week that shutting down is not the answer. The sacred three ways to protect ourselves is to wear the mask, socially distance and wash frequently. These things are easy to do. We need to suck it up and just do it. I will not waver from this mandate.
Given the ongoing Covid-19 public health crisis we find ourselves in, what approaches would you take to ensure the safety and health of Alachua County’s residents?
I will abide by the safety measures set forth by the CDC, WHO, and Governor DeSantis. I believe we as Americans must take care of each other. That includes respecting the health decisions one makes for themselves and their family, while also respecting one another’s medical privacy. Masking should be voluntary for the general public. Employers and private business can make their own decisions regarding their employees and whether they require customers to wear masks. I believe in a free market approach.
What role can the county commission play in creating job opportunities to recruit and retain a diverse pool of young professionals within Alachua County?
The job of government is not to provide economic development. It is to provide the foundation in our community which fosters healthy economic development. Proper zoning, land use, etc. Chambers of commerce and other marketing entities bring the businesses to our area. Saying that, Alachua County is poised to be a prominent magnet for research and development companies, high tech start ups and biotech industries. We have the institutes of higher education which provide an instant source of talent and intellectual gold mines from which to hire. The county can contribute to our desirable base by making our regulations for new businesses user-friendly, and our planning and zoning department easy to work with and interact positively with new business seeking permit approvals.
ACEL supports any initiative that will increase the quality and affordability of housing in cultural centers of Alachua County. If elected, how would you address the issue of quality and affordable housing?
The inequities in our county are palpable. From public works to schools to housing, there is no equity. So in my opinion, everything begins with a living wage. We need to stop screaming that we want affordable housing if we are not willing to pay a living wage. Big corporate lobbyists have put fear into small business owners saying that paying a living wage will put them out of business. The opposite is true. When all employers have to pay the wage, all consumer goods and services will rise with it. We need to be willing to pay more for our hamburgers so that the people serving the hamburgers can afford to buy one. Or buy a house for goodness sake. All ships rise with the tide. I am a small business owner. I am not afraid to pay higher wages. And as a conservative, it makes complete sense. If people can afford to pay for their food and housing because they are making a good wage, then the cost for government subsidies goes down. Less food stamps, less subsidized housing, less utility assistance, etc.
On another note, gentrification of the affordable neighborhoods we DO have, is diminishing the amount of affordable housing available. Out of town investors buying up whole neighborhoods destroys those cultures and affordability with it.
Please briefly describe the top three policy priorities you will implement if elected.
Number one is justice reform for drug addiction. Addiction is a disease, not a crime. I will work with the new Sheriff and state attorney to find ways to mitigate the jail time that addicts face. Perhaps an exchange – for ‘x’ number of dollars it costs to house an inmate, we would spend those dollars putting that offender in rehab where they may actually start recovery.
Two: COVID recovery. This is the most pressing challenge we will face in the very near future. When federal funding runs out and the eviction moratorium ends, we will need a plan to help the homeless and hungry survive. I do not have all the answers, but I will commit to work hand in hand with all government agencies available to create solutions to mitigate the crisis. These are unprecedented times. I am ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work.
Three: Comb through the 400+ page budget. We need to understand why our roads are in need of repair. We need to understand why our utility rates are among the highest in the state. And we need to make sure the funding we are allocating for line items is for true costs, not inflated figures. The budget needs to be understandable by the public as well as by the journalists who try to inform the public.
Please provide your biography.
I am a lifelong democrat and I am committed to helping us become a place where all our citizens can thrive and lead healthy, happy lives. I will work to protect our environment, build our local economy, and ensure equity and justice for our whole community.
After moving to Alachua County in 2000 to go to graduate school, I fell in love with the unique character and beautiful nature we have here and decided to make it my lifelong home. Since then, I have been working on the front lines of community for almost two decades in the areas of environmental protection, food access, education, and economic development. From founding and directing the Office of Sustainability at the University of Florida to working with UF and IFAS to run the Field and Fork program, I have spent my career developing programs, managing budgets, and implementing policies to find win-win solutions that are creative, collaborative, and practical.
My work in the community establishing Working Food – a local non-profit – and volunteering with grassroots organizations has given me a deep understanding that disparities are our biggest challenge – and the need to focus on affordable housing, food security, and healthcare.
I want to be sure that our policies and programs are focused on providing support and infrastructure that our people and businesses need, especially in these challenging times. I want to look for ways we can solve complex challenges like climate change while providing entrepreneurial opportunity.
As a mother, I think about the world my daughter will inherit. I want to be sure she has a vibrant, safe, inclusive community to live in and I will serve Alachua county to ensure I leave a legacy for Nora, and for ALL our children of an equitable community, a thriving economy, and a healthy environment.
You can learn more about me and my background by visiting, annaforalachua.com.
Given the ongoing Covid-19 public health crisis we find ourselves in, what approaches would you take to ensure the safety and health of Alachua County’s residents?
I am a lifelong democrat and I am committed to helping us become a place where all our citizens can thrive and lead healthy, happy lives. I will work to protect our environment, build our local economy, and ensure equity and justice for our whole community.
After moving to Alachua County in 2000 to go to graduate school, I fell in love with the unique character and beautiful nature we have here and decided to make it my lifelong home. Since then, I have been working on the front lines of community for almost two decades in the areas of environmental protection, food access, education, and economic development. From founding and directing the Office of Sustainability at the University of Florida to working with UF and IFAS to run the Field and Fork program, I have spent my career developing programs, managing budgets, and implementing policies to find win-win solutions that are creative, collaborative, and practical.
My work in the community establishing Working Food – a local non-profit – and volunteering with grassroots organizations has given me a deep understanding that disparities are our biggest challenge – and the need to focus on affordable housing, food security, and healthcare.
I want to be sure that our policies and programs are focused on providing support and infrastructure that our people and businesses need, especially in these challenging times. I want to look for ways we can solve complex challenges like climate change while providing entrepreneurial opportunity.
As a mother, I think about the world my daughter will inherit. I want to be sure she has a vibrant, safe, inclusive community to live in and I will serve Alachua county to ensure I leave a legacy for Nora, and for ALL our children of an equitable community, a thriving economy, and a healthy environment.
You can learn more about me and my background by visiting, annaforalachua.com.
What role can the county commission play in creating job opportunities to recruit and retain a diverse pool of young professionals within Alachua County?
As we begin to address the greatest challenges of our time – racial justice and climate change – we can ensure these efforts go hand in hand. The transition to renewable energy, climate mitigation, and sustainable development strategies will create demand for technology, manufacturing, and construction jobs. These jobs require workforce training, and we can work with apprentice programs, our local college/UF, and community organizations to ensure that these programs are focused on dismantling the racial and gender-based inequalities in income and wealth. We can also work with companies to understand the skills gaps in our community and the needs for our existing local businesses and use these needs as a focus for workforce training programs.
Another focus needs to be access to capital and business development support. I believe we need to develop public- private partnerships to build and enhance tools such as a community land bank, community land trusts, and community development corporations to have mechanisms to compete with traditional development, and offer credit, capital, and support for business development, education, and workforce development that meets the needs of our community. As we do this, we will attract more companies and support existing local businesses to grow, creating jobs.
While this is not about jobs specifically, when we talk about a robust, diverse pool of young professionals, we need to address the opportunity gap for Black children in Alachua County. Early childhood education is an increasingly important aspect of American life, predicting not only later school outcomes but also career and work options, economic stability, health, and social opportunities. Research shows that school performance constrains the future opportunities of many of our children, and disproportionately affects our Black children. We need to address this first and foremost by investing in early childhood education and childcare provider support. We must offer professional development programs must prepare educators to understand the way child development, academic learning, and long-term success are inextricably linked, and how they can facilitate learning for children from different backgrounds. We can also use our County resources – the libraries, which are embedded in our community to provide programs that help with learning skills such a reading, and that strive not only for academic excellence, but for the holistic development of youth and the strengthening of families and neighborhoods. This provides the foundation of educated and engaged young people that can plug into robust workforce training programs as they grow.
Finally, we need to ensure we have affordable housing, as addressed below and a great place to live, work, and play. We need to continue investing in arts, culture, nature, and events that make us a unique, beautiful, fun place to live.
ACEL supports any initiative that will increase the quality and affordability of housing in cultural centers of Alachua County. If elected, how would you address the issue of quality and affordable housing?
I support a Renters Bill of Rights. I believe renters in this community deserve basic rights and protections for safe, affordable housing. Currently the burden of our inefficient and aging housing infrastructure is unduly placed on renters. The bill of rights, and resulting upgrades for compliance, would decrease the cost of living for thousands in our community. It would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are a threat to us all. I believe we could use public funds for low-interest loans for low-income housing improvements to reduce the burden on landlords, and offer an easy, anonymous online and phone hotline to report non-compliance.
I have been working on as a community advocate and hope to continue as a commissioner, is the effort to bring a Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) to town. We need a financial institution that will use this designation to help build and protect home ownership and economic opportunity for all. Since a CDFI does not have the same lending criteria as a traditional bank and has lowers thresholds for credit scores and requirements for lending, it allows investment in projects that would otherwise be considered “risky.” CDFIs can offer responsible financial services, lending to small businesses and nonprofits, develop real estate that focuses on affordable housing and local business development, and promote fair financial practices, such as ending predatory lending.
I also support incentives and fee waivers to work with developers to incorporate affordable housing into existing and planned development projects.
Please briefly describe the top three policy priorities you will implement if elected.
My main platform goals are to focus on natural resources protection, with a focus on climate action planning, protection of our water quality and quantity, and the protection of natural and working lands; local economy, with a focus on providing the support, workforce, and infrastructure our small, locally owned businesses need to thrive, and; social justice and equity, with a focus on ensuring people have fair wages, affordable housing and healthy food and also that we enhance our efforts around mental health and diversion within the criminal justice system. I intend to contribute my experience being a changemaker in a large institution and my skills of collaboration and program development and management to work effectively with local community organizations, business, and other local governments to make positive change.
© 2021 Alachua County Emerging Leaders