MEET THE CANDIDATES: Winter Garden City Commission District 3

Two candidates — Chloe Johnson and Karen McNeil — are vying for the Winter Garden City Commission District 3 seat. The election will be held Tuesday, March 19, with early voting taking place through Sunday, March 17. Meet the candidates in our exclusive Q&A. In the print version, some responses have been edited because of space constraints. The entire, unedited responses are below.

CHLOE JOHNSON

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Age: 36

Family: Husband, Adelle Brunson Jr., and four children: Londyn, Lyric, Logan and Landyn

Education: High school diploma

Employment: Eight Waves community relations director

Experience: City of Winter Garden’s Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory board, Planning and Zoning board, and Citizen Safety Task Force

Residency: Born in Winter Garden, left for a period and returned. Twenty-two years in Winter Garden.

Why are you running for District 3?  

I believe this path aligns with my purpose: Trust God, do the right thing and serve others. Many people encouraged me to run for commissioner and, after getting the support from my husband and him being there every step of the way, I began to feel God calling me toward it. People encouraged me to run based on the community work I have been doing for years in the district — particularly, helping children and families with the several not-for-profits I have been a part of and have started, in some cases. I feel this is a natural extension to my commitment to the community. Once the current commissioner, Mark Maciel, endorsed me for his seat, I knew it was the right decision. 

How do you differ from your opponent?

I will never compare myself to anyone; I focus on what I can bring to the table. What I can say is that I love people and love serving others. I am not a perfect person, but I have strived to do good for our community and have acquired knowledge on how our city runs through my experience on the Winter Garden Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory board and, more recently, the Planning and Zoning board. I am ready to engage what I have learned and take my commitment to the community to the next level. 

Outgoing District 3 Commissioner Mark A. Maciel endorsed you. Evaluate his work as District 3 commissioner and share how your work would either carry on or differ from his vision.

Commissioner Mark Maciel served our community incredibly these past eight years. He was a big part of growing the city’s partnership with the West Orange Habitat for Humanity and helped bring forward important land purchases to ensure more affordable housing in our district. He also helped the city to obtain over $20 million toward the CRA (to which I sat on the advisory board), and this will help us revitalize the Historic East Winter Garden Neighborhood to its former greatness and beyond, just as was done downtown years prior. Also, he helped annex homes and areas that were enclaves of Orange County surrounded by the city. This helps the quality of life of those residents because we know how great our city serves our people! 

His achievements are great, and I plan on expounding upon them and learning from him. I know about his desire to bring smart-crime prevention into our city that helps with early intervention utilizing special technologies while at the same time focusing on youth intervention programs. I also plan to ensure we remain low density and fight for our local charm. As we improve our infrastructure, I plan on hearing from the community as well as experts, so we not only follow the best practices but provide what our residents would like to experience.

How important is it that the outcome of this election will result in a black woman elected to the Winter Garden City Commission? Why is it important?

As a black woman, I believe it is a wonderful thing for our youth to see us in leadership. It defeats a false narrative that is placed into our culture. However, this is not historic. We have had incredible black women lead in this very seat, including Mildred Dixon and Charlie Mae Wilder — two powerful women who helped make Winter Garden what it is today. That is the beautiful record of our city.

I do not waste much time focusing on color. I believe we must remember what Martin Luther King Jr. said: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” 

It is not about black people or white people. It is about people and their individual character.

What are the three most critical issues Winter Garden District 3 faces, and what are your solutions to those problems? 

District 3 is diverse and covers many different areas of the city. However, I do believe that three major issues that are pressing, especially north of West Colonial Drive in the district, are jobs, affordable homes and investing in our youth. 

My solution is to attract local jobs diversifying our local economy, continue to work with the West Orange Habitat for Humanity and grow in partnership with organizations that help our youth. 

We also have to make sure we keep in mind the large commercial portion of our district. In this, we must remember to be pro-business by keeping taxes low and investing in our infrastructure so as to ensure we can handle not just the traffic of our residents but the traffic of our visitors. 

Fast-forward to the end of your first term. Looking back, what would you need to accomplish to consider it a success?

Apart from the goals I have mentioned, I believe success looks like me having grown in wisdom and knowledge and creating successful community partnerships. I will see success when the residents of District 3 all feel heard and cared for. Residents will have differing opinions, but as long as we work together we will find unity in the best options for our city. 

As Americans, we live in an increasingly polarized society. What is the solution to finding common ground — and is that something that can be fostered from a position on the City Commission?

I believe anyone can be the solution to finding common ground; you just have to boldly help and serve others. We can make this world a better place by doing the right thing in our communities. At the local level, it is not about the right or the left, it is about community. It is the place where we begin to heal from the divisions we face at a national level. That is why these seats are nonpartisan. I would not be in this if it was about politics as usual; this is about people.

Visit Johnson's campaign website here.

KAREN MCNEIL

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Age: 60

Family: I am the proud mother of two successful daughters. My oldest daughter is a registered nurse. My youngest daughter is a woman living with Down syndrome and who made history as the first Homecoming queen at West Orange High School with Down syndrome. She is also the owner of Queen Semone, LLC, her own jewelry and apparel company. I am also grandmother to one grandson and the loving godmother of one adult son. 

Education: High school diploma from West Orange High School, Child Development Associate Certification from the Council for Professional Recognition

Employment: Founder and executive director of Fresh Start Entrepreneurs Inc., a nonprofit focused on preparing Winter Garden residents for business ownership. Owner of Mcneil’s Adult Daycare for individuals with disabilities.

Experience: I have been a pillar of my community for many years. Mildred Dixon was the first black woman elected to the Winter Garden City Commission and was my mentor for many years. Her leadership has guided the work I do in identifying opportunities to bridge gaps in the community, increase community building and focusing on public safety. Some of the initiatives I spearheaded include: parenting classes, installation of speed bumps, youth programming with a focus on skill and talent development, Single Mothers in a Learning Environment, GED preparation, and fostering community by serving.

Residency: I have lived in Winter Garden for 57 years; I have been a homeowner for over 30 years. My roots here run deep, being the third generation in my family to call Winter Garden home.

Why are you running for District 3?  

Winter Garden and its residents are important to me. When the city of Winter Garden annexation included my community, for the very first time ever, I immediately saw the opportunity to continue what has been my lifelong community engagement work. Being elected as the representative of District 3 will allow me to leverage my unique experiences as a business owner, mother to a woman with Down syndrome, grandmother and advocate to ensure Winter Garden is the city that everyone can say is the best place to live and work. Our residents are our treasure, and I will remain committed to being sure our decisions reflect the needs of the entire community.

How do you differ from your opponent?  

The level of engagement and approach to the community is very different. There have been opportunities for my opponent and me to address the community, and she doesn't show up. I am the only one that shows up representing District 3. Life has taught me people give their best showing at the beginning of an initiative; the campaign we are on in this election has revealed that I see the importance of showing up. I have taken every opportunity presented to me to attend events, speak to residents and engage with current leadership. This is one of the most important ways I can be informed about community needs.

Outgoing District 3 Commissioner Mark Maciel endorsed your opponent. Evaluate his work as District 3 commissioner and share how your work would either carry on or differ from his vision.  

Commissioner Maciel has tirelessly served District 3 for eight years. During that time, the city of Winter Garden has made key investments in redevelopment efforts and annexation, and his expertise in planning helped guide these important initiatives. I want to thank him for his service to District 3 and as a veteran of military service. 

The District 3 that Commissioner Maciel served for the majority of his time in office no longer exists. Annexation and rezoning have created a completely new District 3, and the needs and concerns have completely changed. Commissioner Maciel started great work for the District 3 residents he served, and it will be necessary to do a complete evaluation within the newly redrawn District 3 boundaries to determine where our focus needs to be. There are infrastructure needs that will need to be addressed, public safety needs to be addressed, especially in areas where different agencies will respond when there is an emergency, and we must understand how to communicate best with different residents. 

The demographics within District 3 vary widely. Equity in how we work to include the perspective of everyone will be a challenge I am uniquely positioned for. I am not waiting to be elected to start this change. I met with city staff recently to discuss plans to address the affordable housing crisis, infrastructure needs and construction of a pedestrian bridge across West Colonial Drive to increase safety for walkers. This is what equity means; being able to give people what they need, based on their experience, not what we think they need. If we do not consider the entire community, we will do them a disservice.  

How important is it that the outcome of this election will result in a black woman elected to the Winter Garden City Commission. Why is it important?

This election could make history! I am the first candidate who could be elected from an area that has never been involved in the Winter Garden city election. Thinking about this is mind-blowing and brings our city and its history full circle. This is a historical moment, and I am honored to be the representation for all girls and women. Representation matters, and black women must be seen for who they are – community leaders and agents of transformation.

What are the three most critical issues Winter Garden District 3 faces, and what are your solutions to those problems?  

During this campaign, I have met with residents of the district, and three of the most critical issues they identified are:

Public safety – I am committed to ensuring the safety and security of our neighborhoods by including continuous conversations and relationships with the residents of District 3. This will look different based on our residents’ experiences and needs. My priorities include ensuring children get to school safely, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and working with city officials to get the word out about the Winter Garden Police Department crime reporting app. 

Affordable housing - It has been disheartening to hear the stories of people who just cannot afford to live in our city. Our residents are our treasure! We need to continue conversations on how to develop and maintain affordable housing, the key to safe and stable communities.

Economic development – I am passionate about fostering economic growth and development in our community. I have plans to support local businesses, create job opportunities and stimulate economic prosperity within our district.  By stimulating the economy, businesses can pay a living wage and we retain local workers and talent.

As city commissioner, I eagerly anticipate continuing to meet community members and business owners to engage in meaningful discussions about these key priorities.

Fast-forward to the end of your first term. Looking back, what would you need to accomplish to consider it a success?

I would need the community to decide my success. Did I hear them? Did I serve them? Did they see my heart? When a tough decision had to be made that may not be favorable to them, did I do what I could to soften the blow and protect them? That is the only way I could judge my success. I am not the one who is most important here; it is the residents of District 3. I want to hear that they feel I have taken care of them in a way that has been open and transparent.

As Americans, we live in an increasingly polarized society. What is the solution to finding common ground — and is that something that can be fostered from a position on the City Commission?

This is a tough question. Thank you for asking, as it seems we avoid talking about this. We all see it and feel it daily, even though we try to ignore it. I am but one perspective, and to be honest, I think we have gotten here because we only operate from one perspective. "We" and "our" have gotten lost along the way.

Relationships, discussions and grace go a long way to unite people as one.  Differences will always be present, but we cannot let them be divisive. We do still have a lot of work to do after decades of misunderstandings, distrust and conflict have taken root. Leadership sets the tone, so it starts with city leadership's relationships with each other. We have to show how this works and model it for our community. I will spearhead initiatives that get us talking and deeply thinking about our new city and what it needs to continue to evolve into what I know is the best place to live.

Visit McNeil's campaign website here.