The citizen oversight committee is a key component of the transportation sales tax referendum voters will decide on in November, and all of its members have been appointed in advance of the upcoming election.
The initiative would establish an eight-year, 1-cent sales tax to pay for local transportation projects.
If the Moving Alachua County Forward referendum passes in November, the oversight committee would be expected to track the money being spent to ensure it is only used for projects that have been included in the county and local municipalities’ project lists.
Alachua County, the city of Gainesville, the Alachua County League of Cities and the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce all got to appoint members to the oversight committee for the proposed sales tax, according to a county news release. Members were appointed to either two-year or four-year terms while alternates were appointed for four years as well.
The city of Gainesville appointed Jason L. Haeseler for a four-year term and Kinnon Thomas for a two-year term as members of the board and selected Gia M. Arvin as an alternate.
Alachua County appointed Chandler Otis to serve a four-year term and Ronald Thornton to serve a two-year term with Wallace Mazon as an alternate.
The League of Cities, meanwhile, gave Debbie Boyd a four-year term on the board and Mike Giampetro a two-year term. It also chose Jeri Langman as an alternate.
Giampetro is involved in a political action committee that he and another member of the Chamber of Commerce are forming to advocate for the transportation sales tax.
Finally, the Chamber of Commerce appointed John F. Roscow IV to a four-year term but still has to choose an alternate.