President, Citizens for a Scenic Florida
Clearwater City Council
Mr. Jonson serves on the Clearwater City Council. He was first elected in 2001 and left when term limited in 2007. He was re-elected in 2010 and again in 2014. He is the City’s representative to the Florida Suncoast League of Cities and the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (Past Chairman). He is Chair of the Courtney Campbell Scenic Highway Advocacy Group, which successfully achieved designation as a Florida Scenic Byway and subsequently developed the Courtney Campbell Trail across Tampa Bay. 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. Appointed Positions: In 2008, Mr. Jonson was appointed to the Tampa Bay Regional Transportation Authority Citizen Advisory Committee where he was elected its Chairman. Additionally he has served as Vice Chair of the Pinellas County MPO Citizens Advisory Committee.
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. 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).