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Updated: Jun 19th, 2005 - 20:05:13 |
Three-term Seminole County Commissioner Randy Morris will not seek re-election in 2006.
The conservative Republican, who focused much of his 12-year tenure on economic development, trails and protecting rural eastern Seminole County, said last week that he also has no plans to run for a higher office.
Instead, he said, he would focus on work in the private sector while trying to remain active in the community.
With nearly two years remaining in his term, Morris' decision is sure to set off a prolonged campaign season with hopefuls opening campaign accounts and raising money well before qualifying for the race in mid-2006.
Among those said to be considering the county office are Lake Mary Mayor Thomas Green and School Board member Sandy Robinson.
Morris said he purposely announced his intentions early to allow the candidate field to solidify well before serious campaigning begins. That means candidates will have more time to raise money.
Countywide campaigns have become expensive as Seminole's population and the number of registered voters have grown. In 2004, candidate spending on commission races broke $200,000, Morris said. Indeed, County Commissioner Brenda Carey's campaign reported spending $216,365 in her successful bid to unseat incumbent Daryl McLain. That was more than double what Morris spent in his 2002 campaign.
Morris will leave behind not only successes in economic development and improved regional cooperation but also divisive political struggles that led to a bruising battle over his business practices.
Early in his tenure, Morris helped Seminole County lure new jobs to office space along the Interstate 4 corridor around Lake Mary.
Key to that success was a strong push for economic incentives that Morris championed while chairman of the County Commission in his first term. The incentives, combined with affordable and plentiful undeveloped space and a booming economy, quickly paid off in dozens of new businesses and hundreds of jobs.
Later, he focused his efforts on creating a countywide recreational-trail system that eventually will include four signature pedestrian bridges. With the help of a $25 million, voter-approved bond referendum, the county became a leader in trail building in the region. The 373-foot pedestrian bridge across Interstate 4 became the first cable-suspension bridge of any kind in Central Florida.
Morris' most recent project was a controversial charter referendum designed to protect the character of rural eastern Seminole County. The referendum, approved by voters in November, gave the County Commission final say on land-use and density issues in the rural area even if the land ultimately becomes part of a city.
A circuit court judge has since ruled the amendment unconstitutional. That ruling is being appealed.
Although Morris has gained a reputation as a strong regional leader -- he currently is in charge of the Metropolitan Planning Organization -- a battle with a group of homeowners in 2003 brought the scrutiny of the state's Commission on Ethics.
Five south Seminole County homeowners who opposed a development in which Morris was once a partner filed conflict-of-interest complaints against him. They accused Morris of voting illegally on issues involving his business partners. Morris consistently denied any wrongdoing, and the ethics commission found no evidence that Morris violated state rules.
Seminole County Watch.com
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