BROOKSVILLE, Fla. — Starting on Dec. 6, the city of Brooksville may be the first in the state run by all millennials. Monday night, Christa Tanner, Thomas Bronson, Casey Thieryung, David Bailey and Mayor Blake Bell were sworn in as the municipality’s newest leaders.
Born and raised in Hernando County, Bell is a 7th-generation Brooksvilian.
“My family has deep history and heritage in the City of Brooksville. They came here in 1851 so it's something that has always called me,” Bell said.
He and the other city council members are all under the age of 50, four are in their 30s and one is in their 20s. “With a young council we have new fresh ideas, and I think that’s an exciting thing for the city of Brooksville.”
Key focuses for the new leaders include infrastructure, jobs, affordable housing and business growth.
“We’re entering a new era. Not just in the City of Brooksville, not just in Hernando County, but in the State of Florida. Florida is the state that people want to be in right now,” Bell said. “They want to be here, they want to live here, they want to raise their family here and they want to grow their business here.”
With many moving to Tampa Bay during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brooksville is seeing growth too. Bell says providing inclusive and equal opportunities for businesses and residents alike are priorities for the city’s newest leaders.
"We are trying to do this with smart growth models because we don't want to lose the charm of the City of Brooksville," he said. "The City of Brooksville is a great, quaint, small town. Oftentimes it's called a Hallmark movie. That's a good thing. That's what draws people to Brooksville. At the same time, we have to understand that housing is important, work is important, getting people employed is important, and making sure our infrastructure can handle all of that."
Bell expressed his thanks on behalf of the city’s newest leaders to the voters for going to the polls. It’s a big responsibility, but he says this new group has a heart for their community and says they’re ready, willing, and able to serve.