2004 - First African-American Mayor
The City reached another historical milestone with the election of its first African-American Mayor, James Smith, in Nov 2004.
2004 - A Flip of the Coin - Sloan VS. Flynn
Also in the year 2004, a shiny silver dollar was used to decide a deadlocked election between G.P. Sloan, a retired 77 year old minister, and Richard Flynn, a 75 year old retired hardware store owner.
Mr. Sloan won the flip calling tails, and Richard said he had no problems about it.
This coin toss ends a lengthy campaign between two candidates strongly divided with regard to the city's plans for growth.
At this time the city is still a mostly rural community of 4,600.
Groveland councilman G. P. Sloan was a descendent of Gipson P. Sloan, the son of Daniel Sloan, and known to be in Bay Lake in 1894. Daniel Sloan and his wife Nancy, came to the area of Groveland in 1866 and built the first known house in the area. You can read more about this family in the section for Slone's Ridge.
[Contributors: Mary Helen Myers, Jason Brown]