District One Supervisor, and Board Chairman, R. Mark Johnson will conclude his Board Service at the end of the year. With that time approaching, we took the opportunity to sit down with him and collect his reflections on Orange County, and how it has changed over the last few decades. Chairman Johnson Reflects on His Board Service By: Orange County Communications Department Mr. Johnson was first elected in 1995 and has served 21 and a half years on the Board. Almost jokingly, we asked where his tenure ranks. Answering with a smile, he said, “Fifth. I’m behind Monroe Waugh, Lindsey Gordon, W.W. Sanford, and William Bucker.” This knowledge shouldn’t have been a surprise. As the Board’s historian, Mr. Johnson has conducted extensive research into past supervisors. In fact, the portraits of former Supervisors which hang in the Board Meeting Room, with details about each’s service, are largely the result of that research.
When asked about his motivations for seeking local office, he recalled that he was interested in the political process from a young age. “My father was always reading the newspaper and listening to politics on the radio. I was fascinated by it.” Later on, that interest would grow into working at WJMA and serving as a volunteer for political campaigns. Encouraged to run in the mid-90s, he admitted “They didn’t have to twist my arm, but I wasn’t sure about my chance of winning — running against a well-liked, three-time incumbent.” Mr. Johnson won by three votes, which highlights just how much individual voter participation matters in local elections. We asked what the biggest area of improvement has been for Orange County since the mid-90s. “It depends on what you think of as good or bad,” he replied. “The County staff was comparatively tiny back then. We had a County Administrator and an Assistant County Administrator, and that was the sum total of the administrative staff. Many departments were one or two people, and we didn’t have any paid EMS personnel at the time.” Chairman Johnson reflected that since that time there’s been a growth in services as “new folks move in and new things become available.” He noted that the Board is responsible to the citizens, and if they are requesting something... “well, that’s what they want.” He highlighted the Orange County Broadband Authority efforts, which have now culminated in the FiberLync internet service provider, as an example of this principle and how local government responds. “I think 1996 was the first year I went ‘online,’ later that year we got an AOL account. By 2004-2005 folks were talking about internet service in Board meetings, but the timing wasn’t yet right. But, by ten years later, we were actively working on it.” As he explained, the shift came as the internet moved from “something that was nice to have” to “something we had to have.” According to Mr. Johnson, the revitalized efforts came directly from citizens asking for better internet (or in some cases, any access at all). Despite seeking private service providers to expand into Orange County, it became clear that the size of the potential customer base wasn’t enough to attract the bigger companies. So, the Orange County Broadband Authority was established. “It was a little outside of what local government normally does, but sometimes it’s the only way to get started.” Comparing it to initiatives like rural electrification in the 1930s and 1940s, he asked, “Who doesn’t want electricity nowadays?" Looking back on the effort, Mr. Johnson said he’s proud of being involved in the Broadband process. “It’s a great example of how the passage of time impacts needs.”
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OCI December 2025
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