Aaron Wadsworth

Elect

Aaron Wadsworth

For Montverde Town Council

"It's time to move forward, together."

See the Platform Get Involved
5
Years living
in Montverde
2
Years on Planning
& Zoning Board
30
Years in Business
Leadership Roles

Montverde marked 100 years of incorporation this year, and we've been celebrating that milestone since last spring. A century of small-town character wasn't an accident, and protecting the next one won't be either.

Why I'm running

The last few years have tested this town's trust in its own government: a sewer project that failed, a council many residents have lost confidence in, and a town manager's resignation after five years of service. I'm running because I believe we get back on track the way this town always has: through steady, honest work and decisions residents can actually see and understand.

I'm also running because I believe a five-member council should actually function like one. Every seat should come prepared, ask real questions, and be willing to sit through genuine disagreement instead of treating it as something to manage. Disagreement isn't the problem. A council where debate doesn't happen at all is.

I have my own ideas about what this town needs to work on, but the most important thing is hearing from you. I'm running to be the voice of the residents on this council, and that means your priorities, not mine alone, will drive my decisions.

For the last two years I've served on the Planning & Zoning Board, taking that responsibility seriously. This November, I'm asking to earn a seat on the council the same way: through the work I've already put in, not through appointment.

Where I stand

A platform built on trust, not talking points

What I'll push for
  • Every council member arriving prepared and ready for substantive discussion and real questions on every significant vote, not just a show of hands
  • Respectful, professional conduct among council members as a baseline expectation, regardless of how heated a disagreement gets
  • Full transparency on the records behind major town decisions, not just what's summarized in a meeting packet
  • Clear disclosure and recusal standards for any town official with a personal or financial interest in a matter before the council
  • Filling council vacancies through election whenever legitimately possible, not appointment
  • A public, searchable record of every council vote and the reasoning behind it, so residents can hold their representatives accountable without digging through meeting minutes
  • Independent, third-party environmental or engineering review required before any conditional use permit is approved on a parcel with a documented environmental flag, no exceptions
What I'll push for
  • Adopting the rollback rate as the town's baseline, with any increase above it requiring clear, public justification
  • A line-by-line review of budget and payroll growth over the last 5 to 7 years to identify exactly where spending has outpaced actual need, and propose cost savings where expenses are not warranted
  • Scenario planning now for reduced ad valorem revenue starting in 2027, so we are prepared if the property tax amendment passes this November
  • Continued zero-debt discipline as a core town value
  • Clear, public explanation of any short-term financing tools, so residents understand the difference between smart bridge financing and taking on real debt
What I'll push for
  • A clear-eyed accounting of remaining land-use capacity before any further PUD approvals move forward
  • Traffic and infrastructure studies required before approval, not after residents start complaining
  • Real solutions for Montverde Academy congestion: staggered timing, dedicated turn lanes, or traffic control support during peak hours
  • Tree canopy, green space, and buffer commitments built into every future development approval
What I'll push for
  • A townwide stormwater management review, ensuring new development and existing drainage do not add nutrient load to our lakes and ponds
  • Regular, public water quality monitoring data for town-adjacent waterways, not just when a state algae alert forces the issue
  • Runoff and buffer standards for any commercial or agricultural use near shorelines or wetlands
  • Continued coordination with the Lake County Water Authority and St. Johns River Water Management District
Aaron Wadsworth

About Aaron

A neighbor, not a newcomer

I grew up in a small farming town, and after years living in larger cities, I made a deliberate choice five years ago to move to Montverde and get back to my roots. My wife's family goes back five generations in Key West, old Florida Conch stock, so while I chose Florida rather than being born into it, this state and its small towns have been part of my family's story for a long time. I wanted the things small towns give you that cities can't: a slower pace, knowing your neighbors, a little quiet, and a connection to the land around you.

5 years ago

Moved to Montverde on purpose, trading city life for small-town roots.

Almost immediately

Started attending Town Council meetings to understand this community, not just live in it.

2 years ago

Began volunteering on the Planning & Zoning Board, now serving as Vice Chair.

Today

Running for Town Council to earn a seat through the work already put in, not appointment.

Professionally, I've spent almost 30 years in leadership roles, most recently as General Manager of an international SaaS company with around 100 employees, before moving into a Senior Director of Product role to bring that same leadership, planning, and vision to a part of the company that had genuinely struggled. Under that leadership, we've made real gains: rebuilding a team that works together and actually delivers on its goals. That's the same kind of steady, hands-on turnaround work this town needs right now.

I'm running for Town Council because I believe Montverde's next hundred years should be built the way its first hundred were: through steady work, honest process, and a council residents can actually trust. This town gave me back something I'd been missing, and my family's own long history in this state gives me a stake in seeing it done right. I want to help make sure it's still here, in the same way, for the next family that comes looking for it.

Get involved

This campaign runs on neighbors

Have a question, a concern, or an hour to spare before November? Reach out, every conversation helps shape where this platform goes next.

Contact the Campaign