Jon DePreter for City Commission
JON DEPRETER ANNOUNCES HIS CANDIDACY FOR ST. AUGUSTINE CITY COMMISSION, SEAT 1
ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida (August 5, 2024) – St. Augustine resident and Planning and Zoning Board member Jon DePreter has filed with the St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections to become a candidate for the St. Augustine City Commission, Seat 1. DePreter has a long commitment to public service and advocates for creating an open and constructive dialogue between residents, businesses, and City Commissioners. His priorities include (1) incentivizing sustainable building practices in areas with a documented history of flooding, (2) continuing the goals of the City's Mobility Plan in ways that decrease congestion and improve safety and livability for residents, and (3) encouraging small-scale businesses on commercial corridors that directly serve residents so they can eat, shop, and work closer to home.
“We've owned our home in St. Augustine for over 30 years, and for the last nine years, I've had the privilege of becoming involved in the City as a citizen," DePreter reveals. "I'm passionate about community and encouraging our neighborhoods and businesses to work together with the City to realize city-wide long-term goals in a way that recognizes the unique characteristics of each neighborhood. With experience at both the neighborhood and city-wide level, I feel I can help make this happen."
DePreter was an entrepreneur, successfully owning and operating DePreter Designs and Graphics Studio from 1989 to 2012. He is also a nationally exhibited professional artist who specializes in sculptural art made from wood and metal. His first municipal experience was working with the City of Pine Plains, New York. DePreter was appointed chairman of the Zoning Committee from 2005 to 2007, and his first task was to create zoning regulations from scratch that allowed for protected greenspaces balanced by Main Street business concepts. He was a Planning Board member for the same town from 2004 to 2009. DePreter’s public service work continued in the Lighthouse Park neighborhood on Anastasia Island, where he and his wife have owned their house for over 30 years. He was Lighthouse Park Neighborhood President from 2014 to 2018, organizing the neighborhood to ensure their voices were heard when the St. Augustine Lighthouse underwent rezoning, resulting in protections for the maritime hammock surrounding it. In this role, DePreter was also involved in the creation of the Maria Andreu Conservation Area and in creating safer traffic protocols for students at R.B. Hunt Elementary School. He was invited to join the 2015 Anastasia State Park Management Plan Committee as a citizen representative. Not one to rest on his laurels, DePreter joined the St. Augustine Planning and Zoning Board in 2018, where he has continued to advocate for resident and local business representation, has a strong track record of making collaborative decisions, and was a part of creating long-range goals for the City, including the Comprehensive Plan, Mobility Plan, Parking Code, and land grading plan. He resigned from the City of St. Augustine Planning and Zoning Board to run for office.
Jon DePreter enjoys visiting every corner of the City and regularly cycles to showcase the benefits of sustainable modes of transportation. He enjoys staying active by fishing and swimming at Anastasia State Park and working out at Anastasia Fitness. In his spare time, he continues to create and exhibit as an artist, as well as read and listen to music.
Debbie Wicker, Lighthouse Park Neighborhood President and retired St. Johns County Schools guidance counselor, has endorsed Jon DePreter for St. Augustine City Commission, Seat 1, saying: “I think Jon would be a great addition to the City Commission. I will be voting for him and sending in a donation towards his campaign. I hope others will also feel inclined to do the same. Jon did a great job when he was president of our neighborhood association, and he accomplished a lot that benefited the neighborhood. During his time on the Planning and Zoning board, he listened to residents and took their concerns into consideration when making decisions. He will make a great City Commissioner.”
Learn more about Jon DePreter, Candidate for St. Augustine City Commission, Seat 1, at votedepreter24.com and follow along on social media @votedepreter24
Approved by Jon DePreter. Paid for by the Jon DePreter campaign fund.
