Gary Bartell

County Commission District 2

District 2 Map
Email:gary.bartell@bocc.citrus.fl.us

Commissioner Gary Bartell, currently Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, has served the public as the elected County Commissioner from District 2 since 1990 and has been an advocate for the citizens, property and business owners of Citrus County for the past 20 years.

Commissioner Bartell is the chairman of the Tourist Development Council, serves on the Board of Directors for the Florida Association of Counties (FAC), is a member of the Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority (WRWSA), and serves as liaison to the Governor, Cabinet, State Senator, and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Commissioner Bartell is a strong advocate of local and statewide water conservation and planning issues. In 1994, he was appointed by the FAC President as Co-Chair of the FAC Select Committee on Water Policy and was appointed again in 1995, 1996, and 1997. Because of Commissioner Bartell's leadership in this area and years of working with water-quality projects, he has acquired $20.5 million worth of grants for water quality improvements for Citrus County.

In 2005, the Governor and Florida Legislature created the Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida, a board set up to envision the future of Florida and analyze the state's long-term problems. Commissioner Bartell was appointed as a voting delegate of the September 2008 Century Commission Water Congress to represent FAC and its 67 member counties, WRWSA, and Citrus County. After attending, congress delegates came away with a consensus to advance conservation as the state’s best way to handle future growth.

Prior to moving to Citrus County, Commissioner Bartell grew up in Sarasota Florida where he graduated from Riverview High School and attended Manatee Junior College. He later moved to Gulfport Florida where he owned and operated his businesses, House of Classic Thunderbirds and Bartell Stucco.

Commissioner Bartell began his participation in local government in 1985 when he was elected City Councilman for Gulfport and re-elected in 1987 as Councilman and Vice Mayor. Commissioner Bartell was an advocate for 15 years for Pinellas County to conserve water and to develop alternative water resources and served on the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council in the early and mid 1980's.

Commissioner Bartell and his wife Joanne moved to Citrus County in 1988 to raise their family. They have two daughters, one son, and one granddaughter who all continue to live in Citrus County. The Bartell family has been active in the community since moving here 22 years ago and dedicated their efforts to many education and youth committees and organizations in support of public, private and home school students as well as spearheading a number of efforts, many ongoing, to help local children in need. Commissioner Bartell is a sports and antique car enthusiast and spends most of his leisure time enjoying Citrus County's rich natural resources.

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