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Two New Faces on Orange County Board of Commissioners

L to R: Mayor Teresa Jacobs; District 2 Commissioner Bryan Nelson; District 4 Commissioner Jennifer Thompson; District 6 Commissioner Victoria Siplin.Photo: WMFE News
L to R: Mayor Teresa Jacobs; District 2 Commissioner Bryan Nelson; District 4 Commissioner Jennifer Thompson; District 6 Commissioner Victoria Siplin.Photo: WMFE News

Transportation, jobs, and equal opportunities for women and minorities are at the top of the agenda for two new members of the Orange County Board of Commissioners. Bryan Nelson and Victoria Siplin will serve Districts 2 and 6 respectively for the next four years. At a swearing-in ceremony today at the Orange County Convention Center, Nelson and Siplin said their plan to work with second term Mayor Teresa Jacobs and District 4 Commissioner, Jennifer Thompson, to develop the county.

Siplin said she wants to make sure money from development and tourism along International Drive benefits women and minorities.

“We know there’s a lot of tax dollars—tourism tax dollars—that are going to be poured into I Drive, so we just want to make sure that jobs are created and that we get a fair share of those jobs and also the contracts.”

Bryan Nelson, a former state representative, said he wants to bring a commuter train to District 2. The Orange Blossom Express would run from Orlando to Lake County. Another priority, he said, is to preserve local government.

“We always say in Tallahassee, ‘It’s the unfunded mandates that we’ve got to be careful of down here at the local government,’ so now I’ve got to be on the other side and wear my hat and say, ‘Ok, State. No more unfunded mandates.’”

Victoria Siplin replaces two-term district 6 commissioner, Tiffany Moore Russell. Bryan Nelson replaces two-term District 2 commissioner, Fred Brummer.
Orange County Mayor, Teresa Jacobs and District 4 Commission, Jennifer Thompson, were also sworn this morning.