Candidates Pamela Amerson and Ebo Entsuah Run In A Special Election For Clermont City Council Seat 4 On Jan. 5

Pamela Amerson is a proud 5th generation native of Clermont, wife to a 3rd generation native and a mother of 6 children.  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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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