Roberta Walton, one of the candidates running for Orange County Commission – District 6, thinks that many people in the district are benefiting from the 59 million tourists that visit the Orlando area, but at the same time there are many others who do not. For those unable to capitalize on the tourist dollars coming into the region, the problem is inadequate knowledge and information of what’s taking place, she said. Walton was speaking recently, in an exclusive interview with West Orlando News Online, when she made these observations.
“I also would like to go on record as saying that, there are a significant amount of people in District 6 who do capitalize off of our brand and who do benefit from what our tourists bring into this area, but their voices are not loud. The loud voices are from the people who are not benefiting, who have not yet found their way to capitalize and benefit from it. It is not a question of – It can’t be done – it’s about being educated on what’s out there,” she said.
Walton added: “I come in contact with people daily who say, “I had no idea that these type of contracts existed within our Convention Center.” Or they might say, “I had no idea that these different buildings and different development projects are coming forward in the I-Drive corridor.” So, we have to do a better job of communicating what’s happening, so we can drive people to the area where resources are, so they can benefit.”
To help bridge the information and knowledge gap, Walton said she has been pushing what she calls a “Community Caucus” to keep area residents informed on a quarterly basis. Also, she would like to bring project managers of targeted corporations and the area’s MWBEs together every three months, to enhance communication, share information and build relationships.
“…We are still living in a town here, we have not yet transitioned into a city and relationships are what makes this work,” she said.
Walton also discussed several other issues, including economic development, transportation and the challenge of moving people around in the I-Drive area, homelessness, her experience with the inner workings of Orange County government and priorities upon taking office.
Read the full interview with Roberta Walton here.
