Century 21 Island View Realty Broker/Owner Mark Miller, president of Holley-Navarre Water System and Pirates on the Panhandle
Many Navarre residents preferred our community’s previous branding as “Florida’s Best Kept Secret.” Now we’re labeled as “Florida’s Most Relaxing Place.”
Those who’ve lived here more than a few years can recall the Panhandle Butterfly House, duck pond and basketball court at Navarre Park. They often fondly recall those amenities and wish we still had them.
Sometimes change is inevitable. But sometimes it’s unnecessary.
That brings incorporation to mind. Incorporating Navarre would create more government bureaucracy while increasing local taxes and fees and adding more regulation, basically making the community a HOA on steroids.
One of the four candidates vying for the Holley-Navarre Water System (HNWS) board is director of one of two groups pushing incorporation.
He creates videos attacking our community for this or that, spreading his pervasive negativity and suggesting incorporation is the best answer.
Well if Navarre is so bad, why did he decide to move here?
The answer is that some people will never be happy. They are programmed to be pervasively negative, always seeking out problems and sometimes creating them with rumors or unfounded allegations. Dishonesty is never a good approach.
This particular negative newcomer appears to have little to no understanding of local government operations and budgeting. A quick glance at the proposed $22 million annual incorporation budget reveals that.
It’s part of the reason we should consider voting for Mark Miller and Kenneth “Rob” Low for the two open seats on the HNWS board.
Mark is current HNWS president and has been one of the more dedicated community volunteers we’ve seen over the past decade, serving as President of the Navarre Board of Realtors and performing charity work with Pirates on the Panhandle. He’s also the broker/owner of Century 21 Island View Realty, which gives him insight into Navarre’s economy and related needs and challenges.
Miller stands up to lies propagated by the negative faction of the community. He also recognizes how their pervasive negativity against HNWS has damaged staff morale for the utility’s roughly 100 employees.
HNWS employees rush out in the middle of the night to repair sewer lines. Many of us couldn’t stomach the job they perform on a daily basis. We should show appreciation and support to these employees, not constantly shatter their morale for issues over which they have no control.
We need leaders like Miller, who make hard decisions to clean up and hold the utility accountable yet also have an understanding of and a true heart for our community and those who live and work here.
Kenneth “Rob” Low would also make a good director because, like Miller, he tries to build up, not tear down. That’s what we need most! Rob’s managed teams of over 100 people and offers to devote any time needed to help the water system be the best it can be. “I know there have been issues in the past, and I would like to prevent any further issues from occurring,” he said.
If you have an account with HNWS, you can request an absentee or proxy ballot to vote for the board of directors’ candidates three ways:
- Call 850-939-2427 extension 237
- Email election@hnws-fl.com
- Pick up at the HNWS office located 8574 Turkey Bluff Road, Navarre.
The deadline to request for those ballots to be sent via mail is December 6, and ballots must be received by 4 p.m., Friday, December 22 to count.
Voting can also be done in person at the HNWS annual meeting, which will take place from 7:30 am – 7 pm, January 16 at the HNWS office.
Please consider re-electing Mark Miller and selecting Rob Low to serve. They are positive and constructive, not negative and destructive. Navarre needs their brand of team building and leadership.
