‘Fired Up’ to Serve Freeport – New Candidacy for Freeport City Council (Seat 5) – Meet Abel Albritton
In Brief:
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Abel Albritton has filed to run for Freeport City Council (Seat 5), challenging incumbent Elizabeth Haffner.
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The firefighter and nonprofit president says he feels called to serve and wants to prioritize safety, communication, and infrastructure.
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He supports workforce housing, improved lighting and signage, and long-term planning as Freeport continues to grow.
Mid Bay News interviewed Abel Albritton, who over the last week completed the official filing process to run for Freeport City Council (Seat 5) to run against incumbent Elizabeth Haffner.
Albritton, a fourth-generation native of the panhandle of Florida, was born in Bay County. The Freeport resident made the city his home because he says he and his wife, Jordyn, love what the city is all about. “We believe Freeport is one of the best cities in the panhandle,” Albritton said with a smile.
A Fire Fighter, Founder of a Non-Profit, Small Business Owner, Husband and Dad – Now Public Office
When asked why he is running for City Council, the candidate replied: “I just feel called to it. I feel called to serve this city. That’s my thing. I feel like my whole life has been dedicated to service, and I serve as a full-time firefighter. I am also the president of a non-profit organization called ‘850 Heroes 4 Heroes.’ Together, many traverse the 911 Memorial Stair Climb every year, and we get to take the proceeds from the participants and those making donations to support the Fallen Firefighters Foundation, which helps first responders who are injured or unfortunately pass in the line of duty.”
Albritton shared that he is a graduate of the Baptist College of Florida (now known as the Baptist University of Florida) with a degree in Ministry Studies. He is a graduate of A. Crawford Mosely High School in Lynn Haven.
Leadership is Modeled and Albritton Has Been Shaped By Community
Albritton shared that his call to public service was formed by many leaders (some elected) who provided the greatest example by the way they lived, served, and “the way they treated people. I realized that these people were ‘movers and shakers’ and these were people who were doing good things – especially giving back to their community.” When he spoke about his upbringing, he referred to a specific lesson that he believed to be most important when considering public office. That lesson, he said, was, “I just want to leave the place where I live in a better condition than the way I found it.”
When talking to the candidate about the platform for running for Seat 5, he mentioned 4 key areas of focus:
- Having a clear vision for service.
- Maintaining a safe city. Albritton extended appreciation for the Walton County Sheriff’s Department, and he believes the service and operation of the Fire Department and the Police Department are doing a great job. He added that ‘response times’ are great and he added, “They are doing a ‘jam up’ [very good] job!”
- Building stronger opportunities for enhanced communication.
- Promoting Safe Roadways for the city. Anticipating growth and planning for the demands and safety of our roads for citizens.
Albritton emphasized the need to increase the number of street lights in the city. “There are a lot of areas in Freeport that are dark and don’t have [well-marked or defined] crosswalks that are generally unsafe,” he explained, “And the odd thing is that these areas are typically found in areas where families ‘hang out’ – in the parks, on walking trails, and areas like that. If the sunsets at 5:30 p.m., it’s dark, and it [walking, bike riding, motor biking, and driving] can generally be unsafe. I think there needs to be an update with street lights and legible street signs.”
Mid Bay News asked Mr. Albritton: Why do you have concerns about legible street signs within the city? He said that growing cities greatly benefited (especially with public safety concerns) when lighting and street signs are easily spotted, and fire rescue and emergency medical vehicles can readily locate an address by first locating street signs that are clearly visible for emergency personnel.
A Fire Department in Freeport?
As a firefighter, Albritton shared that he is aware that “there are a lot of people who would like to see Freeport have its own fire department again, and there’s a bigger majority that don’t want that to happen…My thought on this is that I think Walton County Sheriff’s Department is doing a great job with fire and police.” He added, “I think response times are great.”
Development
Albritton mentioned that a plan is under consideration in Freeport to bring “workforce housing” to the city. He emphasized the need for affordable housing and noted that many Freeport residents are the “movers and shakers” of South Walton. He added, “These people are the blue-collar workforce for South Walton…I am a firefighter, and my wife is a teacher. We just had a baby, and we were lucky enough to get a house, but it’s obviously expensive. And so, I would like to see more workforce housing available. I think we owe it to the people who keep this County moving. So, again, I would not say that quantity [essential housing] is the issue. Instead, I believe affordability is the [primary] issue regarding housing.”
Albritton explained that many strategic areas are going well for the city of Freeport, but he took a moment to speak candidly about the most important challenge and the role a “clear vision” plays in a city with such current and projected growth potential. He said, I talk to citizens about the future of Freeport, and receive messages on this topic. I fully understand that things like Senate Bill 180 and the Blue Ribbon Project (Senate Bill 354) can prevent the City Council from saying “no” to a development if it’s zoned correctly. And I know sometimes the council members’ hands are tied. But I do believe that a lot of the problems that Freeport has came long before the Senate Bill [180] was passed this past year…Some of the more restrictive things about the bill are set to expire in 2027, and so I would love to see us [the City Council] go back to the chalkboard with rezoning – checking to see if the density [of development] is too high in certain areas. [Asking ourselves,] do we have the roads and infrastructure to support this high-density [area]?
Improved Communication and Connection with Constituents
With an emphasis on communication and the availability of the elected official’s role, Albritton was asked, “What is the most important message you would want your constituents to hear today regarding your candidacy for City Council?” Albritton responded, “I want those whom I represent to always feel like you can call on me. I want to be a leader who hears, and that means to listen first.” Albritton spent time sharing ideas for improving communication. He believes availability, connection, and communication are important for the future of Freeport.
The post ‘Fired Up’ to Serve Freeport – New Candidacy for Freeport City Council (Seat 5) – Meet Abel Albritton appeared first on Mid Bay News.
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