County forms Middleburg Citizens Advisory Committee

Clay County commissioners appointed seven inaugural members to its Middleburg Citizens Advisory Committee during its Nov. 9 meeting.

Commissioner Betsy Condon told her colleagues that similar committees have been effective in Fleming Island, Penney Farms and Lake Asbury.

“There have been some (Middleburg-area) citizens who’ve wanted to participate in some rezoning applications, and we just believe this can be more effective than what has happened (in the past),” she said.

Condon added that the Clay Hill Community Association has served as a citizen advisory committee in the past. Several of the association’s members have applied to participate in the new panel.

The new committee members are:

—Belinda Johnson, an Orange Park High School graduate and Terry Johnson Construction employee is the Clay Hill Community Association president. Johnson has also served for 22 years on the county’s planning commission.

—Jessica Pownall is a graduate of Middleburg High School and Florida State College at Jacksonville. She is currently enrolled at St. Petersburg College and volunteers at Wilkerson Elementary School. Pownall wrote on her application that she loves Middleburg and is proud to raise her children in the community.

—Natividad Santos is the owner of Clay Towing, a business he has operated for 25 years.

—Retiree Scotty Taylor is an Orange Park High School graduate and a 60-year resident of Middleburg. His past civic service includes being vice president of the Black Creek North Park Homeowners’ Association and membership on the Clay County Transportation Committee, in addition to three terms on the county’s charter review committee.

—C. Craig Van Gundy is retired after careers in retail farming supply sales, as a small business owner, and as a Clay County school teacher. He is an Orange Park High School and University of Florida graduate. Van Gundy is the founder and CEO of Anointed Communities in Transformation Inc.

—April Watts is the children’s ministry coordinator for Middleburg United Methodist Church. She is a graduate of ITT Tech and has served as president of the Middleburg Museum for four years and as a business member of the Middleburg Civic Association for three.

—Sandra Wilson is a 32-year retiree with the Clay County School District, working as a teacher, dean, assistant principal, principal and hearing officer. She is a Clay High School, University of Florida and University of North Florida graduate. She has served as vice chair of the Clay County Fair Association and trustee-chair of the Middleburg United Methodist Church. The lifelong Middleburg resident wrote on her application that Middleburg’s and Clay Hill’s heritage and way of life should be preserved and respected. “Growth is necessary, but there has to be control over it,” she wrote. “The legacy of agriculture is important in the history of our area and needs protection.”