Article and Photos by Larry Oskin
SPECIAL ELECTION: Councilmember Heidi Brishke’s resignation from Clermont City Council left a vacancy on Seat 4. A special election for Clermont Seat 4 was included on the November 3rd ballot. Clermont residents who were interested in running for Seat 4 needed to qualify. Four candidates qualified to run: Pamela Amerson, Jeff Biddle, Ebo Entsuah, and Sheilah “Samii Taylor” Yakoveti.
If one of the four candidates receives more than 50% of the vote he/she will be elected. If none of the candidates receive a majority vote, the two candidates with the highest number of votes will participate in a run-off.
Pamela Amerson is a proud 5th generation native of Clermont, wife to a 3rd generation 
native and a mother of 6 children. She and her husband are both lifetime residents of Clermont. She is currently an undergraduate student at UCF studying for a degree in Public Administration and Non-Profit Management. Her last eight years have been spent raising and educating her children, working towards her advanced degrees, and building relationships with other families who, like herself, love Clermont and want to see it and its residents prosper.
She noted that some of the challenges that she currently sees in Clermont today are a lack of workforce affordable housing and the creation of high paying jobs for the people who work here as many are barely, if at all, able to afford to live here. She acknowledges that the City Council needs to address the challenges that many people are struggling with today. We also must try to efficiently manage and balance the tremendous growth that Clermont has seen, knowing that more growth is yet to come with the growing needs for the challenges of our increased traffic, housing, community amenities, and more. She wants to help do this while also preserving the natural beauty of Clermont that she and so many others grew up with our lakes, hills and green spaces.
Amerson notes, “If elected, I plan to work on ensuring that our Clermont Historic Village is preserved. I plan to help encourage new businesses that move here to Clermont to bring us higher-paying jobs. I want to make sure that we as a city are more adequately supporting the needs of our families and residents of Clermont with services and amenities that will mean the most to their future success.”
She feels that it is really very important that our City Council members have a good grasp of both managing and balancing this as well as the numerous challenges that our explosive growth has brought to us. She adds, “Clermont is more than just my hometown. It is where my husband and I have chosen to raise our children and are deeply rooted in. Being a big family and a special needs mother has allowed me to gain a unique perspective on the impact that the growth has had on our town. This ranges from the influx of traffic to a lack of amenities and activities for all of the residents to enjoy. It isn’t enough to say one wants to be a voice for our community without first having an insight to the needs of families that directly depend upon the city.”
She shares, “Our Clermont City Council needs to represent all of the diverse elements that make up Clermont in order to competently be able to make decisions that will continue to make it the best place for our residents and businesses.” PStosberg@live.com
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Jeff Biddle is from a small town near Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from Westerville High School in 1973 and moved to Orlando, Florida two days later. He is married to Dr. Junie Albers-Biddle. He has a 40-year-old daughter with Down Syndrome from his first marriage and two stepsons from his second marriage. He moved to Clermont in 1995.
Biddle has a Doctor of Education from the University of Central Florida UCF, a Master of Arts in Sport & Fitness, from UCF, a Master of Public Administration, from Troy State University, a Bachelor of Applied Science from Troy University, and an Associate of Applied Science Degree from the Community College of the Air Force as a 12-year Veteran.
Biddle moved to Clermont in 1995. He was, at one time, the owner of the Mulberry Inn, and the South Lake Press. He earned his Real Estate Sales and Handyman Licenses. Presently, he teaches full-time at the UCF Orlando Campus.
He was elected to the Clermont City Council in 1998 where he served as Mayor Pro Tem in 2000 and 2001. Biddle served on the Board of the South Lake Chamber of Commerce and has been active in Clermont Historic Downtown and the Downtown Clermont Partnership. He has served on the boards of directors for the Cooper Memorial Library, Clermont Mainstreet, and the Moonlight Players.
Biddle says that he supports responsible and sustainable growth but declares that The Wellness Way Project south of Clermont on Highway 27 sounds interesting, yet he does not support annexation and wants to keep our southern border at Hartwood Marsh Road. He supports expanding our industrial park off Hancock Road to attract higher-paying jobs, specifically in the high-tech fields. He supports the continued revitalization of Historic Downtown and wants to ensure that the citizens have adequate parking. He supports expanding Clermont health care facilities for seniors. He pledges to support small businesses as the heart of our community.
Biddle states that Clermont has not raised the tax rate for 6 years. By being fiscally responsible, he would push to use the rollback rate next year, keeping the amount paid in taxes the same as this year. He wants to protect the environment by reducing the carbon footprint while promoting the use of electric vehicles, solar power, and other smart initiatives. He wants to find ways to ensure we can help house those on a fixed income.
Biddle shares, “I have lived in Clermont for 25 years. My experience in the military, as a business owner, as a parent of a child with Down Syndrome, and on City Council gives me qualifications unmatched by my opponents. I am a public servant, not a politician! I am the only candidate for Seat 4 that has that needed experience. I believe I am the best candidate to help Clermont become a model city. I want to be the citizen’s voice on the Clermont City Council.” JBiddle1@cfl.rr.com
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Ebo Entsuah was born in Toronto, Ontario. His family moved here to Clermont in 2002, where they have called Clermont home for the last 18 years. He is currently engaged to Morgan Peña, who was born here in Clermont. They have 2 dogs, Maverick and Milo. Entsuah considers himself a Clermont native and is very fortunate to have called Clermont his home for almost two decades. Besides having Clermont as his place of residence, he believes this community helped to shape him into the man he is today. Clermont is where he developed his education, formed deep friendships, met his fiancé, established his faith, and found his desire to serve the community.
Ebo Entsuah received his Bachelor’s Degree in International Affairs and Sociology from Florida State University and his Juris Master’s from Florida State University College of Law with a concentration in Legal Regulation and Financial Compliance. He participated in the Central Florida Political Leadership Institute. This program allowed him to learn the ins and outs of the political process and how best to serve our community. He currently manages the legislative portfolio for the state of Florida for a clean energy trade association. Prior to this, Entsuah was an educator at Montverde Academy here in Lake County. He worked in the Federal House of Representatives for then-Congressman Ron DeSantis as his legislative aide where his legislative portfolio included space, energy, and commerce policy.
Entsuah was appointed Vice-Chair of Clermont’s Planning & Zoning Commission. This allowed him to see the plans and projects that are coming to Clermont and properly assess if they would harm or benefit our city. He shares that as a city growing with over 40,000 residents, Clermont has changed a lot in the last 30 years. He knows it’s now time to take a better look at the development regulations we have in place and see if some need adjusting or editing. He wants to help with the expansion of our traffic and growth plans to go hand and hand with each other. He notes that it’s time we had a team of councilmen and women who can use relationships built with county commissioners and state entities to aid in traffic relief and infrastructure in our city. Since Clermont’s inception, he believes that there has been no true legislative session implemented by our councilmen and women. As Clermont’s next potential new councilman, he pledges to create a legislative calendar that requires municipal legislators to come up with solutions that directly benefit the community. He plans to create a public-private partnership that will facilitate apprenticeships and externships between teenagers, young adults, and Clermont’s small business owners.
Entsuah says, “Clermont needs a councilmember who is actually IN the community and knows our constituents. We also need someone who has relevant experience and as someone who has legislative experience at the federal, state, and local level – I have learned how policy is able to positively and negatively shape your community. As the Choice of Champions, Clermont needs a new champion who is also able to bring a fresh and vibrant energy to the council. I plan to do just that!” EEntsuah@gmail.com
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Sheilah “Samii Taylor” Yakovetic was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In 1977, she moved to Miami, and even though she moved back and forth between Miami and Los Angeles for her work she always considered Florida her home. Taylor permanently relocated to Clermont in 2018.
Her husband is a well-known Walt Disney artist, Joseph Yakovetic. They have a son who lives in Charlotte, NC.
She studied Audio Engineering at the University of Miami. Her Associate’s Degree in English is from Cerritos College in California with an emphasis in screenwriting and broadcasting. She won awards for her professional voiceover work as well as for creating, writing, and producing radio programs. She is a certified video editor.
Taylor was the first female engineer on staff at Criteria Studios in Miami, Westlake, and Oasis studios in L.A. as well as the first female Electronic News Gathering Engineer at NBC in Memphis. She worked for the Bee Gees at their Miami studio. She and her husband created multi-media productions and children’s books for major clients within their own production company.
In an effort to serve her community, Taylor was a member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Volunteer on Patrol Program, providing uniformed support for deputies and the municipal courts. As a Legislative Advocate for California seniors, veterans, and at-risk stakeholders, she served on a Public Utilities Working Group, penned legislation regarding utility infrastructures and land use. She also testified before legislative subcommittees, the Department of Housing and Community Development, and city and county governing bodies.
Taylor believes in “Smart Growth. Smart Jobs. Smart Reform.” She says that the biggest challenge facing Clermont is listening to our residents’ concerns about balancing future development with quality of life. Managed development, updating utility and transportation infrastructures while also preserving clean air and water is vital to our quality of life.
Taylor adds, “Post-pandemic, what we did before may not work now. I intend to include high-paying, cutting-edge, essential industries in our future. I also propose a First Responder Evaluation Program to address the stress experienced by police, fire, and medical personnel. If our men and women who serve and protect are safe and healthy, their families and our community will also be safe and healthy. I’ve lived with gridlock, law enforcement violence and countless negative impacts of rampant growth without oversight. That unique perspective and my ability to work with lawmakers from both parties enabled me to find high-tech, cost-effective solutions to those challenges. I will speak truth to power, bring forward-thinking ideas to the table and ensure that Clermont remains a great place to live for everyone!” SamiiTaylor711@GMail.com
