On June 10, Mayor Nate Kilton selected City Commissioner Jason Jones to serve as Vice Mayor for the coming year.
Jones, who has lived in Plant City for 20 years, attended Plant City’s Police Citizens Academy. This introduced him to the community and its leaders. “People give back to the community, and give back through organizations.” Out of admiration of the character of Plant City, he soon told his wife, “I don’t ever want to leave.”
From his prior experience in family owned disaster restoration, Jones started Advantage Restoration and Contracting. The company recovers homes and businesses damaged by fire, water, and storms, and removes mold. Jones also jumped into giving to the community by becoming an ambassador and board member for the Chamber of Commerce, and served as its chairman in 2018. He didn’t stop with that organization. He also took on other roles:
-Plant City YMCA Chairman from 2014-2016
-Greater Tampa Bay Area Council, Boy Scouts of America Timucua District Chairman 2021-2022
-Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA Oversight Committee
-Plant City Veterans Week Committee
-Nativity Catholic Church’s Novemberfest emcee and Raffle Chairman
-BayCare’s St. Joseph Hospital Foundation Investment Committee
-Boy Scouts of America Troop 89 Committee Member
-High 5, Inc. Chairman and Board Member
-Tampa Bay Aviation Association Board Member
-Founder and Chairman of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, an annual event at the Plant City Airport
“Family and God comes first for me,” he said. “Then I carve out time for everything I can be at to represent the City to the best of my ability.”
Jones joined the Plant City Commission in 2022. As a part of the Commission, some of his roles include serving on the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, the Ridge League of Cities, and as an alternate on the Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization. The initiative that gives him the most satisfaction is his founding in 2023 of Plant City’s first Youth Leadership Commission. The aim of this enterprise is to teach young people leadership skills and about local government. To give context, the education expanded to learning about Hillsborough County government. The group also took a trip to Tallahassee to meet Plant City native and Florida Attorney General, Ashley Moody, to learn about the State of Florida government from her, and visit the State Senate and House.
“Jason is an excellent Commissioner,” said Mayor Kilton. “He has been strong out of the gate. He is well-known across Hillsborough County, and I wanted to give him the opportunity to step into this role.” The most recent previous Vice Mayors were Commissioners Michael Sparkman and Mary Thomas-Mathis.
“We have a special community,” Jones said. “One of the things that makes Plant City great is the people give back to their community, and a lot of organizations give back to the community. They are always there if you need help.”
Jones earned the Boy Scouts of America rank of Eagle Scout as a young man. “Scouting has been a big part of my life,” he said. “A couple of things about Scouting. One is the values it taught me. I run through the principles of Scouting pretty much on a daily basis to keep those values fresh in my mind. I run my business that way. When I am meeting with people, I remember the values: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent. Also it goes back to the Scout saying, ‘Do your best.’ It doesn’t matter what you are doing, you do your best. Even if it is something you don’t enjoy, you do your best.”
As Vice Mayor, Jones will do his best as he continues to vote on Plant City resolutions and legislation as he has since 2022. He will also represent Plant City with the Community Redevelopment Agency, as an alternate for the Ridge League of Cities, and as a member of the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council. He will also be the official presence of Plant City at local ceremonies, and stand in for Mayor Kilton when needed.
“I love Plant City,” he added. “I am raising three great kids in Plant City. Plant City has been great for my business and it has supported me in my business. I love serving this community. I love giving back to this community. So, being a City Commissioner and representing this community has meant a lot to me, and being asked to serve as Vice Mayor….I am honored and excited, and looking forward to the future.”