Clermont, FL, Council Meeting
9 June 2026
Jocelyn Williamson (238 words)

Good afternoon, Mayor, Council Members, city staff, and neighbors.

As we gather today, let us recognize the responsibility of public service and the trust placed in this room.

June gives us much to reflect on. Juneteenth reminds us that freedom, though promised, has too often been delayed, denied, or unevenly protected.

This month also asks us to consider dignity, safety, mental health, and the burdens many people carry quietly.

Pride Month reminds us that people should be able to live honestly, safely, and without fear.

PTSD Awareness Month, National Safety Month, and Men’s Health Month remind us that strong communities are built not only through laws and budgets, but through care, awareness, and a willingness to look out for one another.

James Baldwin once wrote, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

That is a worthwhile consideration for public service.

A community grows stronger when it makes room for every resident to be seen, heard, and considered.

Today, as this Council considers budgets, services, public resources, and the practical needs of a growing city, let its work be guided by facts, fairness, and care for the people of Clermont.

Let public dollars be handled with wisdom, disagreement met with patience, and public concerns heard with respect.

And may all of us remember that self-government asks something of everyone: honesty, humility, participation, and concern for one another. 

Thank you.