Johnson joins Lisa Bennett as second woman on the board.
Newly elected District 3 Commissioner Chloe Johnson and Colin Sharman, District 4’s long-serving commissioner, were sworn-in Thursday during Winter Garden’s City Commission meeting. City Clerk Angela Grimmage administered the oath of office.
Johnson joins District 1 Commissioner Lisa Bennett as the second woman on the commission. She is the first Black woman to sit on the commission since 2006 when Charlie Mae Wilder was appointed to complete Commissioner Mildred Dixon’s term after her death.
Johnson used her own family Bible for the ceremony.
During commissioner reports, Johnson, who won election with 68 percent of the District 3 vote, thanked her supporters and said she was looking forward to working with city staff.
“I’m very proud to be on this new journey of mine. I’m very proud,” Johnson said from the dais.
Johnson, who served briefly on the city’s Planning and Zoning Board and Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board, founded the I Am Her Women’s Empowerment Ministry and was formerly vice president of the Historic East Winter Garden advocacy organization, One Winter Garden. She works at the nonprofit Eight Waves, serving children and families.
Sharman, unopposed in the election, stood with outgoing District 3 Commissioner Mark Maciel who held the Bible as he took the oath of office for his seventh term as District 4’s representative. This marks Sharman’s eighteenth year in office. He is an executive for the air conditioning manufacturer Trane.
“My wife came to the last five, so she said she’s not coming tonight,” Sharman said, which drew a huge laugh from attendees.
“You’ve done this so many times, hopefully I’ll get it right,” joked Grimmage as she prepared to swear him in.
The District 2 seat will be decided April 16 in the run-off election between Commissioner Ron Mueller and developer and construction executive Iliana R. Jones.
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