ORANGE PARK – Municipal Super Tuesday on April 11 will offer voters in four Clay County townships important choices. One of those choices will be Doug Benefield, who wants to keep Seat 1 on the council.

He was appointed last August following the resignation of Councilman Eddie Henley.

Benefield, an Orange Park CPA, has a long history in the town. Before being appointed to the council, the CPA answered the call to volunteer on the Town of Orange Park’s Budget and Finance Committee and the Police Pension Board. “Orange Park has always been a real gem in the State of Florida and this is a critical time in our town’s history,” said Benefield. “We need to join together as a town to keep our taxes from rising so that our residents, especially our elderly, will not be priced out of the homes they have lived in throughout their lives. We need to keep our roads, streets, parks and river safe for families of all incomes to enjoy. We can do all this, and more, while we keep that hometown feel if we guard against unrestrained spending.”

Benefield said if elected, he also wants to continue the plans he set in motion during his brief time on the council. One of those plans include neighborhood “budget friendly control devices” on various cut-throughs such as Plainfield, River Road, Holly Point, Bellair and Debarry. He believes the devices will encourage non-resident motorists to slow down on these streets and could encourage non-residential traffic to avoid the various streets altogether when passing through the town.

“Areas where kids play, neighbors walk and squirrels dash for acorns are not intended as a high-speed transportation corridor,” Benefield said.

Benefield’s experience as a professional CPA, combined with his passion for the community, has inspired his future goals for Orange Park.

“Growing up in our beautiful little town instilled in me a sense of family, of unity with friends and neighbors, pride in a job well done, and a desire to give back to our community,” he said. “If you vote for me, I will work daily to ensure that every child and adult in our town has the same opportunities that I did while growing up in Orange Park.”