William "Bill" Petersen
FL · Clermont City Council Member, Seat 5
Bill Petersen is a Clermont City Council member and a pharmacist who has worked at a local CVS for about a decade after owning pharmacy and nursing businesses. He wants to protect neighborhood quality of life and keep city spending tight and open.
Where William "Bill" Petersen stands, based on their records
Supports
Government Efficiency (2 records), Public Safety and Crime Control (1 record), Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties (1 record),
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (2 support · 3 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Government Efficiency
Government Efficiency · 2 support
Spoke in support of joining a free state audit program that reviews city finances and operations. The council voted 5-0 to join the Florida Department of Government Efficiency audit.
May 13, 2025Supports Government Efficiency
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Made the motion to end the city's contract with its outside law firm without cause and name Christian Waugh as interim city attorney. He said the old firm cost the city too much in settlements. It passed 4-1.
December 10, 2024Supports Government Efficiency
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 2 support · 3 oppose
Voted no on a tentative city tax rate of 4.29 mills because he wanted a lower rate of 4.21. It passed 3-2.
September 10, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Voted for an emergency purchase and budget shift to set up a temporary site for Fire Station No. 2 during its renovation. It passed 4-1.
February 10, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Voted against a smaller $4 million plan for the Meet Us in the Middle lakefront park, which failed 2-3. He then moved to go ahead with a $9.1 million version that includes docks, which passed 3-2.
October 28, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Voted against cutting the city property tax rate further to 4.4 mills, saying it could put ambulance service at risk. He then moved to adopt the 4.59 mill rate, which passed 4-1.
September 18, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Made the motion to propose a lower city property tax rate of 4.59 mills, down from the current 4.8 mills. It passed 4-1.
July 29, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 1 support
Voted for an emergency purchase and budget shift to set up a temporary site for Fire Station No. 2 during its renovation. It passed 4-1.
February 10, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Track record — Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties · 1 support
Cast the only no vote on a four-year, $67,200 contract for a traffic data service for police. He said he had privacy concerns about how driver data is gathered, kept, and shared. It passed 4-1.
August 25, 2026Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Track record — Housing Affordability
Housing Affordability · 1 support
Voted to cut city impact fees on backyard cottages and in-law units to 25% of the single-family home rate. The goal was to help workforce housing. It passed 5-0.
January 13, 2026Supports Housing Affordability
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 support
Voted against a smaller $4 million plan for the Meet Us in the Middle lakefront park, which failed 2-3. He then moved to go ahead with a $9.1 million version that includes docks, which passed 3-2.
October 28, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Track record — General
General · 11 records
Voted no on a permit for a 7-Eleven gas station and car wash on Wellness Way. The permit failed 0-5.
March 24, 2026
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Voted against asking voters to change council terms from two years to four years. The motion failed 2-3.
March 24, 2026
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Traveled to Tallahassee with the mayor and another council member for the Florida League of Cities' lobbying days. They met state lawmakers to ask for local funding.
February 11, 2026
Source: sltablet.com
Seconded a change to city code that lets flagpoles flying a single American flag go above the normal height limit. It passed 4-1.
September 23, 2025
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Voted no on changing city code to match a new state law. The law has city staff, not the council, approve new subdivision maps and lets builders get some permits sooner. The vote tied 2-2, so it failed.
August 12, 2025
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Seconded a motion to keep a city-owned lakefront lot for possible park use instead of selling it. It passed 4-1.
June 24, 2025
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Cast the only no vote on rezoning the Heritage Square land from industrial to commercial use. It passed 4-1.
June 24, 2025
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Asked to move one monthly council meeting from 5:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and made the motion to do it. He said residents had asked for earlier meetings. The change passed 4-1.
May 13, 2025
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Cast the only no vote on a rule requiring developers of new neighborhoods with 25 or more homes to pay to install natural gas lines. It passed 4-1.
December 10, 2024
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Made the motion to accept the city manager's voluntary exit agreement, which passed 4-1. He then moved to hire Rick Van Wagner as interim city manager for up to 90 days, which passed 3-2.
December 10, 2024
Source: clermontfl.api.civicclerk.com
Won election to Clermont City Council Seat 5, beating sitting council member Michele Pines. He got 11,747 votes to her 9,975.
November 5, 2024
Source: enr.electionsfl.org
Past race William "Bill" Petersen ran in:
- Clermont City Council Seat 5 · November 3, 2026 · Clermont city, Florida · incumbent