On January 16, Leon County Commissioner Mary Ann Lindley appeared on Above the Fold with Tallahassee Reports Editor Steve Stewart. Lindley discussed her experience as Commissioner and her view of the major challenges facing Leon County’s over the next decade.
You can find the full interview here.
Lindley was elected County Commissioner in 2012 after working as a journalist, columnist, and editor at the Tallahassee Democrat. After eight years of serving as County Commissioner, Lindley has chosen to step down.
At the beginning of the show, Stewart asked Lindley what surprised her most after she was elected Commissioner. She said that it can be difficult for private citizens to communicate with elected officials outside public meetings.
“As a journalist, of course, I revered the First Amendment and the Sunshine Law and open government, and so forth,” Lindley said. “Once I got into office, though, I realized, while it’s great in most ways for citizens to want to speak to their elected officials, they cannot speak to us as a group except in meetings.”
Stewart and Lindley also discussed the election and campaign process. Lindley said that, with seven people running for her seat, two candidates will likely end up in the general election, each with small margins of community support.
Later in the show, Lindley discussed the most impactful Commission actions of her two terms.
She mentioned the Emergency Operations Center as an important asset to the community.
“That is a state-of-the-art facility,” she said. “We are really prepared, and we’re preparing citizens in the event of terrible storms.”
She also mentioned the development of Cascades Park as a benefit to the Southside and the community as a whole.
“In the last 10 years, people have been moving here wanting the amenities of bigger communities, more to do, things to go to,” she said.
At the end of the show, Lindley said growth is one of the biggest challenges facing Leon County in the next decades.
“I think we’re expected to get another 35,000 people in our community in the next 10 years or so,” Lindley said. “The way our community’s growing is important.”
For more interviews about local issues, listen to Above the Fold every Tuesday and Thursday at 11:00 a.m. on WVFT 93.3 FM.
Leon County Commissioner Mary Ann Lindley Appears on Above the Fold added by Lexie Pitzen on
View all posts by Lexie Pitzen →
Yeah.
Lets put up a hotel at Holton & Orange.
You gonna park your whip there overnight, homie?
Southside doesn’t need parks, expensive restaurants, hotels and clubs. (Cascades)
Jobs, education, parenting.
Actually, the Southside could use Restaurants, Hotels and other Businesses, they would employee some of the people that live on the Southside.
Enjoy your retirement Mary Ann Lindley.
I have had hope often. Not all that is cracked up. To be.
Here’s hoping that the next person elected will have Humanity and not self-serving motives and your quality of life issue will be resolved in your favor.
Alas, there is hope. She who knows not, and knows not that she knows not, is hope-less, shun thee.
I have hope that someday you will know the truth.
It is quite easy to criticize when one is ill informed. I have first hand experience as a fellow citizen and taxpayer. ( Yes, Ms. Lindley is a citizen and taxpayer too lest we forget). She responded to my issue and followed up multiple times. She did not ask me my political ideology. She was genuine, thoughtful and thorough. My issue still has not been resolved…it is a quality of life issue but it was not for lack of trying on Mary Ann Lindley’s part. I agree with Jerry that she is the best of the best and she and I disagree on occasion on a number of issues. She has character and integrity as do a couple of other Leon County Commissioners. I am humbly thankful for Ms. Lindley’s service and wish her the best in retirement. Curtis Chapman
MAL as an editor at the Tallahassee Democrat swept corruption under the rug and catered to to corruption so that she could ride the same wave into public office so her motives were self-serving nothing more.
If she had taken a different path while on the editorial board she could have helped direct Tallahassee on to greater things instead of the Cesspool it has become. Glad to see that she will be gone soon and good riddance!
Maybe voters will wake up and vote in someone with humanity and not a usual suspect and therefore you may have your quality of life issue finally resolved.
It appears she thought straws were more important than your issue. Wake up!
So, for you, she was “mostly ineffective?”
Thanks for proving my point!
“We’re really prepared.”
Huh?
Wow, no follow-up question on the recent CDA screwup that put first responders in proximity to a known anti-LEO resident prior to TPD securing the scene? I bet she’s been briefed about it.
Never play softball with an illiberal. Thankfully, MAL was mostly ineffective at pushing her progressive agenda.
I’m sure all the restaurant owners will remember having their taxes pay for The Edison, a competitor, and the dirt-turning group photo with her in it.
And Hope, you were too kind to the Kool-Aid drinker.
Mary Ann Lindley is a top notch professional. I worked with her at the Tallahassee Democrat, and can tell you that she is the best of the best!
Either you’ve been smoking too much weed or you are in denial because I strongly disagree with your assessment.
The CDA is still having problems, we are number one in crime, and number four in hunger. Wake up!