Scenic Florida | Preserving Florida

Appointed Positions: In June 2007, Mr. Jonson was appointed by the Pinellas County Board of Commissioners to a “citizens’ representative” board position of the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) where he is Secretary/Treasurer and a member of the Board Finance Committee.  Additionally he serves as Vice Chair of  the Pinellas County MPO Citizens Advisory Committee.  He was appointed to the CAC of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority.

Clearwater City Council:  Mr. Jonson served two three year terms as Clearwater City Councilmember – seat 5.  He was re elected, without opposition, to a second three-year term.  He left office in March 2007 as a result of term limits.  He was the City’s representative to the Florida Suncoast League of Cities (President), the PSTA (Vice Chairman),and the Tampa Bay Estuary Program.   He is Chair of the Courtney Campbell Scenic Highway Advocacy Group, which successfully achieved designation as a Florida Scenic Byway.  The Florida League of Cities appointed him as Chair of their Transportation and Urban Affairs Policy Committee and as a member of Advocacy, Nominations, Resolutions, and Legislative committees, and as a member of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Affordable Housing.  Additionally he served as Chairman of the Pinellas Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Local Coordinating Board for Transportation Disadvantaged.

Previous City of Clearwater Activities:  Mr. Jonson was the founder (1988) and president of Citizens for a Better Clearwater.  This group successfully petitioned the Clearwater City Commission to phase out billboard clutter on a portion of Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard in Clearwater, Florida.  This effort subsequently led to the Pinellas County Commission's adoption of ordinances to improve roadside appearance countywide.

Community Activities:  Mr. Jonson was twice president of the Countryside Northridge Homeowners Association (2000 and 1991), and he is the past president of the Clearwater Coalition of Homeowners (1992).  He was secretary and director of the League of Women Voters of Upper Pinellas.  He served as president of the Countryside High School Advisory Council (94-95).  He was a very active member of the Countryside Lions Club from 1985 to 1994 where he was recipient of the Lions Club Melvin Jones Fellow Award (1991).  Additionally, he was recognized as Lion of the Year in 1999.  He is a graduate of Leadership Pinellas 1999, Leadership Tampa Bay 2005, and Leadership Florida’s Local Government Class VII.  He is a member of the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce and a member of their Government Committee.  He is currently Treasurer of the Florida Orchestra North Suncoast Associates and a member of the MPO Citizens Advisory Committee .

Statewide Activities:  Mr. Jonson is founder and currently president of Citizens for a Scenic Florida, whose statewide mission is to preserve and restore Florida’s scenic heritage.  Prior to the formation of this organization, he has worked extensively on Florida highway beautification activities.  He was a member of the Florida Scenic Byways Advisory Council and was active in legislative and rule development pertaining to vegetation protection and billboard controls.  As a result of these efforts he received the statewide Florida Hazel Simmons Hodges Highway Beautification Award (1997).

National Activities:  Mr. Jonson serves on the Board of Directors of Scenic America, Inc (Treasurer), and was its secretary (1991-93), chair of the Affiliates Committee (1993-98) and chair of the Billboard Policy Committee (1998 – 2001).

Professional:  Prior to his retirement in December of 1999, Mr. Jonson oversaw project management activities within the Information Systems department at Honeywell Inc. in Clearwater, Florida.  During his 29-year career at Honeywell he also performed duties in internal audit, controllership, and systems analysis.  During his professional career he received the following certifications: Certified Public Account, Certified Internal Auditor, Certificate in Data Processing, Certified Project Management Professional.

Education:  Mr. Jonson received his undergraduate degree from Drake University in Accounting.  He did graduate work at the University of Minnesota in Management Information Systems.

Military:  He served in the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1969 as a Military Policeman and Internal Auditor, primarily in Texas and Thailand.

Family:  On 2/2/02 he married Becky Carlson.  Together they have five children Amy, Thomas, Aaron, Jared and Megan.  Over the years Bill has been a Boy Scout/Cub Den Leader and an assistant youth soccer coach.  Bill is a member of Heritage United Methodist Church where he sings in the Choir.