FLEMING ISLAND — Since he was the only candidate running for County Commissioner in District 1, John Sgromolo won his seat on the board. 

He'll be sworn in following the general election on Nov. 5, and he'll be replacing Vice Chair Mike Cella, who was term-limited after serving since 2016. 

"I am excited about being able to serve the community I grew up in. There's a lot of exciting things in Clay County with all the growth coming. There's a lot of opportunity to make Clay County a great place to live, work and raise a family," Sgromolo said. 

"I am very thankful for the community. I am excited to work with (the other commissioners) as collogues, and with great teamwork, we can continue to make our community better," he said. 

The Board of County Commissioners is Clay County's legislative body. The BCC votes on county-wide laws and annual budgets, which allocate funding for public safety, parks, infrastructure, and other capital improvements. Sgromolo will represent the entirety of Fleming Island.

Sgromolo will be joining commissioners Jim Renninger and Kristen Burke, who both won their re-elections unopposed, and commissioners Betsy Condon and Alexandra Compere, who will be up for re-election in 2026. 

Sgromolo said the most pressing issue is the growth coming to the community. Officials in Clay County government have stressed "getting ahead of growth," especially regarding infrastructure, and Sgromolo wholeheartedly agrees. Growth means more businesses and customers, but it can also mean more traffic and a greater strain on resources. 

"You have to be smart and strategic with growth. You can't build developments without infrastructure. It is going to be important we evaluate each project individually. I don't think there is a one-size-fits-all approach to development. It is important to evaluate whether the development adds value to the community," Sgromolo said. 

Sgromolo said he is open-minded regarding mixed-use developments, which interweave commercial and residential spaces, sometimes by constructing multistory buildings with storefronts on the first floor and apartments as you ride the elevator. While dense, mixed-use developments would help slow down sprawl, they may also chip away at the county's receding rural character. 

Sgromolo said that any project depends on the development's merits. 

As a commissioner, Sgromolo will continue his role as the St. Johns Country Day Director of Athletics — he'll just have to mark his calendars every other week at 4 p.m. for the semimonthly BCC meetings. This past year was Sgromolo's first year as the director of athletics. It was also the first baseball championship for St. Johns Country Day and also the first baseball championship for Clay County. 

Sgromolo has possessed a passion for athletics throughout his life. He played baseball as a student at Clay High. He graduated from Clay High in 2008 and was awarded a scholarship to continue playing baseball at Flagler College, where he earned a degree in business administration. After his senior year, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played two seasons in the minor leagues with the Dodgers rookie team in Arizona. 

"I never took it for granted when I put on my Dodgers uniform," Sgromolo said. 

"The place I felt most comfortable is the batter's box. The excitement of playing a game that you love that teaches you so much about life. Baseball is so much like life," he said. 

Sgromolo lives on Fleming Island with his wife, Callie, and son, Charlie. He said he is ready to "step up to the plate" this November, although instead of a baseball diamond, it will be at the dais in the board’s meeting room on the fourth floor of the Administration Building.

"I am community-oriented and a team player. That's my goal as a county commissioner: to work as a team to improve Clay County," Sgromolo said.