CRESTVIEW — Jeremiah Hubbard, a North Okaloosa County native, has declared his candidacy for mayor of Crestview.
Work in ministry and as owner of Ideal Marketing Innovations, a business consulting firm, took Hubbard and his wife, Charity; daughter, Lily, 12; and son, Destin, 7, to homes in several southeast states and Oklahoma.
But when he returned to Crestview, he felt the city had barely grown from when the family left in 2000.
“Crestview was considered one of the fastest growing cities in the state,” he said. “When you come back to the city that you grew up in, we’ve seen there’s been some growth, but we haven’t grown to the potential that Crestview has.”
Noting that Crestview also supports neighboring communities, Hubbard said he believes leadership is needed to drive the city’s growth, especially in areas including technology and manufacturing.
“I believe that Crestview needs a mayor who will lead with vision and who will help position our city to be a place of commerce and industry, leading the way for a new economic boom in Northwest Florida,” Hubbard said.
To stimulate growth, the city’s infrastructure, particularly overcrowded highways, must be enhanced, he said.
“A bypass is not the immediate answer,” Hubbard states on his website, CrestviewForward.com. “We must look at ways that can create simplified solutions in a limited amount of time that will produce substantial results.”
“Should I be elected as mayor, I will work to make sure we grow as a community, take care of our first responders, have a strong economy, improve our infrastructure, have a plan for industrial development, and have the technology in place to enable our success,” Hubbard said.
“Crestview will be a place where people come because we create an environment that encourages that success is achievable.”
Hubbard is the fourth person to declare his candidacy for mayor, following City Councilman Tom Gordon, resident Landrum Edwards and incumbent Mayor David Cadle.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Hubbard prequalifies for Crestview mayor’s race