New resident fills GreyHawk Landing CDD vacancy

Dennis Smith has only been a GreyHawk Landing resident for a year, but he’s immersing himself in the local government of his new community.

Smith applied for the Community Development District board position left vacant by Tony Vasile, Jr., in August. The board appointed Smith during the September meeting. Last night’s meeting was his first to sit with the other supervisors.

Originally from Massachusetts, Smith moved to GreyHawk West with his wife, Linda, in September 2014. However he spent the last year commuting to and from Connecticut for his civil career at the Department of the Navy in the strategic systems program office, where he was involved in the design, production and procurement of submarines. Smith served in the Navy for 30 years and retired in 1997 as a Lieutenant Commander in the supply corps. He retired from his civil career in August.

Smith and his wife chose Florida because they wanted to escape the harsh winters in New England. Smith was familiar with the Bradenton area due to past work-related visits, so they chose GreyHawk landing when its second phase in the West community just opened. He wanted to get involved in the community, he said, however his commute back to Connecticut prevented much investment at first.

“I wanted to make sure there was a representative from GreyHawk West,” he said. “I wanted to be involved so I understood what the CDD did and understand the process.”

Participating in local government isn’t a new venture for Smith, however: he has previously served as vice chair on a zoning board and a vice president and architectural chair of an HOA when living in Virginia.