Rocky Ford
FL · Columbia County Commissioner, District 2
Rocky Ford is a Columbia County commissioner and small-business owner who focuses on tax policy, emergency services, infrastructure and local economic development.
Where Rocky Ford stands, based on their records
Supports
Environment and Public Health (1 record), Government Efficiency (1 record), Public Safety and Crime Control (2 records),
Opposes
Housing Affordability (1 record)
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (3 support · 2 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 1 support
Moved to have the county join the national opioid settlement so it could get a share of the money. The motion passed unanimously.
December 16, 2021Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Track record — Government Efficiency
Government Efficiency · 1 support
Moved to have the county join a shared-cost study with the City of Lake City on merging city and county fire services. The motion passed unanimously.
September 18, 2025Supports Government Efficiency
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 3 support · 2 oppose
Moved to build and staff a county animal kennel for animal control. The motion passed unanimously.
August 7, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Moved to keep the county property tax rate at 7.8150 mills for the 2025-2026 budget, the same as the year before. The county manager had proposed 8.00 mills. The motion passed unanimously.
July 24, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Voted no on giving the Sheriff's Office an extra $331,374, and that request failed 2-3. He then moved to use $264,000 of money returned by the sheriff and tax collector for ongoing salaries. That motion passed unanimously.
December 7, 2023Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Moved to give every county employee a raise of $2 an hour. His amended motion set aside $2,360,052 for raises and passed unanimously.
August 12, 2021Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Voted no on buying 10 acres of land for $100,000 from a family trust for the Clay Hole Creek project. The purchase passed 3-2.
September 19, 2019Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 2 support
Moved to let Columbia EMS keep an ambulance at the Fort White fire station to cover the south end of the county. The motion passed unanimously.
February 19, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Moved to build and staff a county animal kennel for animal control. The motion passed unanimously.
August 7, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Track record — Housing Affordability
Housing Affordability · 1 oppose
Voted no on a resolution backing the Sweetwater Apartments Phase II affordable housing project in Lake City. The builder had asked the county to lend it $3 million. The resolution passed 4-1.
September 16, 2021Opposes Housing Affordability
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 support
Moved to approve the agreement setting up the North Florida Water Utility Authority, a regional water utility. He was named one of the county's two members on its board. The motion passed unanimously.
April 18, 2024Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Track record — General
General · 10 records
Voted no on selling the county's sewer plant at the North Florida Mega Industrial Park to the City of Lake City. The sale passed 4-1.
April 16, 2026
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
A county ethics investigation cleared him of breaking the county's code of ethics. The inquiry followed a feud with assistant county manager Kevin Kirby.
November 15, 2025
Source: lakecityreporter.com
Moved to approve a sewer plant agreement with the Town of Fort White, but the motion failed 2-3. He then voted no on a different Fort White plan, which passed 4-1.
April 17, 2025
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Stepped aside from two votes on zoning and land-use changes for land owned by Lisa Ford's company, Lisa's Land. He said he had a conflict.
April 17, 2025
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
In a second complaint, the state ethics commission found no probable cause on claims tied to his construction company's subdivision plans. The claims said he misused his office and had a conflicting contract.
June 7, 2024
Source: ethics.state.fl.us
Moved to require a zoning approval letter from the county before the state health department issues a septic tank permit. The motion passed unanimously.
July 6, 2023
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Moved to end the county's use of the Richardson Community Center and give the building back to the City of Lake City. The motion passed unanimously.
January 5, 2023
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Voted no on a rewrite of the county's rules for how its government is organized and run. The rewrite failed 2-3.
May 20, 2021
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Voted no on a plan to raise county fees for zoning and land-use requests. He said he wanted the fees raised slowly instead. The plan failed 2-2.
May 6, 2021
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Was chosen by the other commissioners to serve as chairman of the Columbia County Commission. The vote was unanimous.
December 17, 2020
Source: columbiacountyfla.com
Track record — Candidate Ethics
Candidate Ethics · 1 record
The Florida Commission on Ethics found probable cause that he filed an inaccurate 2022 financial disclosure form (Form 6). The commission chose to take no further action on it.
June 7, 2024
Source: ethics.state.fl.us
Past race Rocky Ford ran in:
- Columbia County County Commissioner - District 2 · November 3, 2026 · Columbia County, Florida · incumbent