Business View Civil & Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 11

27 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 11 MI LTON, FLOR IDA Register of Historic Places,” Jorgensen notes. “No other part of this county has that type of history. The community was founded in 1844 and you can feel it when you’re here.” The city is also home to a thriving full-service hospital, the Santa Rosa Medical Center, which has partnered with Milton to provide quality care to its residents. Lindsay reports, “Their CEO Doug Sills and I have stayed in regular contact during my term as Mayor. The Santa Rosa Medical Center is in the city limits and a wonderful place for folks to go and receive care locally, so they do not have to travel too far from their homes. Their hardworking staff have been tremendous, especially during COVID. They have pulled together, worked extra shifts, and done everything they can to take care of our community. We have a wonderful partnership with Santa Rosa Medical Center and I am really grateful for their leadership and commitment to their staff and to our community.” white and non-African American races. We’ve also switched from majority men to majority women over the last decade. And we’re starting to age, as well, due to the passing of the greatest generation, the delay in starting families, and smaller families in general of the millennials. So we’re seeing those things starting to impact our economy.” Milton, the seat of Santa Rosa County, has also seen an upturn in its median income over the past decade – from an average of $41,000 per year to the current $57,000. “That’s a 39 percent increase in 10 years, so our citizenry are doing well,” Spears admits. “There’s a lot of demand coming because Milton is still an attainable, affordable, and historic place to live.” The city of 11,000 has attracted such growth thanks to its many amenities and unique offerings, like the Blackwater River; one of the last pristine, sandy-bottomed rivers in the U.S. Surrounding the river is an elaborate park system offering plenty of green space, plus a new splash pad for children. Recreation opportunities abound, with a community center that boasts competition tennis courts, a new disc golf course, BMX track, skatepark, competition football fields, numerous baseball diamonds, basketball courts, and pickleball courts. “It’s an area that enthusiasts of recreational activities can enjoy,” says Randy Jorgensen, Milton’s City Manager. “We also provide seniors’ programs and passive and active park and recreational activities. And that’s just at the community center.” When it comes to fun and entertainment, the city hosts festivals and events in the downtown core almost every weekend for more than half of the year, drawing people together to create a true sense of community. The growing city’s small- town feel is amplified by the downtown’s rich history, with many of its buildings still standing from the early 1900s. “We’re on the National