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Commissioner Linda Stewart is a lifelong resident of Orange County. She was elected to the Orange County Board of County Commissioners in 2002 and was re-elected in 2006. She was an active community leader long before she was elected though. Not only was she the former Chairwoman of County Watch, but she was also the founder of the Fort Gatlin Historical Group as well as the Conway Community Council. Commissioner Stewart represents the southeast portion of Orange County known as District 4. This district is the largest district by population and at roughly 260,000 residents, it is bigger than the City of Orlando. The district is still growing due to positive economic impacts of Innovation Way, which is the new home to the UCF Medical School, the Veterans Administration Hospital, Nemours Children's Hospital, and the Burnham Institute for Medical Research—which she personally visited in 2005 and ultimately resulted in their relocation to the Lake Nona area. Being an environmental activist, Commissioner Stewart has not only defended against the expansion of development around the sensitive Econlockhatchee River Basin and the Lake Hart Basin, but also advocates for protection of wildlife corridors and water resources. She also served as a member of the St. John's River Restoration Group and has received numerous awards from the Sierra Club and the Audubon Society of Central Florida.
The Sierra Club recently honored Commissioner Stewart for her environmental leadership as a County Commissioner in the public sector and in seeking input regarding land planning and acquisitions. In 2007, she received the prestigious Florida Local Environmental Resources Agencies (FLERA) Commissioner Leadership Award, for outstanding leadership in local environmental protection representing the State of Florida. She spearheaded the effort for a $500,000 grant from the Federal government to continue bicycle and walking trails and has pursued an environmental center for the eastern area of her district. She also initiated trail mapping countywide and has worked with developers as well as Federal and State governments to plan an eastern trail with an environmental trailhead and access to the Hal Scott Preserve. In her efforts to keep the community informed about environmental issues she hosts an annual program called "Conservation Living" that is held in various parks in her district. The program includes many of the County departments that advise how to conserve energy and water in our daily lives. Commissioner Stewart set an example for others by replacing her own St. Augustine lawn with Zoysia grass, drought tolerant plants, and native Florida landscaping. She also hosted a seminar to promote water conservation that included presentations by experts from Florida Yards and Neighborhoods, and the University of Florida Extension Agency. She advocated for a new program "Blue Ribbon Neighborhoods" that focuses on conserving water. The program was piloted in District 4 in 2008. Being active on the Central Receiving Center Board, a jail diversion program, she is also an advocate for public safety issues such as changing laws to allow for red light cameras, legislation on street racing and traffic calming measures, as well as leading the charge for an anti-idling campaign to reduce vehicle emissions. Commissioner Stewart recently completed her role as Chairwoman of METROPLAN, a tri-county transportation agency, where she advocated for the region’s transportation needs including commuter rail and other mass transit in Tallahassee and Washington. Being an advocate for mass transportation and traffic reduction, she is working with LYNX and business leaders to find a new funding source for the LYNX transit system. Commissioner Stewart has worked tirelessly to help the less fortunate by conducting food, clothing, and shoe drives as well as other holiday projects. She is currently working with the Central Florida Regional Commission on Homelessness to help find ways to provide affordable green housing in Orange County, known as the 101 Green Workforce Housing project. In 2004, Commissioner Stewart was selected as Downtown Woman of the Year. She continues to keep Orange County's history alive with a new 5K walk around Conway with stops and signage depicting significant historical notables for the Conway area and plans to expand to the Pinecastle area another rich history area of Orange County. The Daughters of the American Revolution also awarded her with recognition of outstanding achievement for historic preservation. She is married to Jerry Stewart, and has two children and six grandchildren. In her spare time she enjoys bike riding, playing with her grandchildren, and planning projects to serve the needy and the community. |
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