Steve L. Howard’s career in public service began with an unexpected turn. One of the first jobs he applied for was as a garbage collector with the city government. The role was filled internally, but he received a call offering a position in utilities instead. He accepted and that decision set the direction for everything that followed.
Over time, he moved across departments. Parks and recreation, fire prevention, procurement. Each role added a layer of understanding about how different parts of government operate and connect. Rather than waiting for a defined path, he built one by taking on responsibility and learning through execution.
His approach remained consistent. Take on as much as you are given and add value wherever you are. That mindset opened the door to larger roles, including county leadership and a position with one of the largest sheriff’s offices in Florida, where he was promoted multiple times. Broader leadership followed, including serving as director of administrative services in Florida before becoming a county administrator in Georgia for over 15 years. That period reshaped how he approaches governance, financial discipline and cross-departmental alignment.
Today, as County Administrator for Citrus County, Howard oversees more than 800 employees and a budget exceeding half a billion dollars across 36 divisions. The scale is significant, but the focus remains on ensuring systems work and progress is visible. That steady, experience-built approach has earned him recognition as County Administrator of the year 2026.
Under his leadership, Citrus County has been recognized regionally, statewide, and nationally for best practices: bond rating affirmations and upgrades, a GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, a Triple Crown Award, and 24 National Association of Counties Achievement Awards. The only county in Florida and one of only three in the U.S. to be awarded the NACo Edge award for Excellence in Strategic Planning in 2024.
Building a Culture Where People Step Forward
Leadership begins with people. You have to get the right people in the right seats, then let them do their jobs. My role is to create an environment where people can contribute, advance ideas and take ownership.
I remind our team that if there is a hole in the boat, everybody goes down. It does not matter who fixes it. What matters is that someone does and that we move forward together. When people feel part of something that matters, they step forward. That is where real progress comes from. It does not sit at the top. It shows up across the organization.
That mindset shapes how I lead. I show up at employee orientation, walk the halls and take time to recognize people doing the work. Culture is not a statement on a wall. It is something built through consistent action, day after day.
Turning Visibility into Accountability
Culture has to be matched with performance. Planning and execution are not separate functions. Many organizations plan. Fewer follow through.
Leadership begins with people. You have to get the right people in the right seats, then let them do their jobs. My role is to create an environment where people can contribute, advance ideas and take ownership.
When I came into Citrus County, one priority was ensuring we were not just planning but executing. Execution requires visibility. We built systems to see performance in real time. In growth management alone, we handle thousands of calls each month. The right tools let us track those calls, identify delays and understand where to improve. We implemented a new permitting platform and developed dashboards to monitor progress and respond quickly.
True performance management means benchmarking against yourself. The question is not how you compare to others. It is whether you are improving over time. That is how you move from intention to results.
Planning Ahead Instead of Catching Up
You cannot lead a community by reacting to growth after it happens. You have to anticipate it.
That is why we are working on a comprehensive plan that looks out to 2050, ensuring growth is managed to protect the county’s character and quality of life. We are advancing initiatives like greenprinting to guide land-use decisions and developing an interactive growth model that shows where growth is likely to occur and what it means for infrastructure and services. Where do we invest? Where do we preserve? How do we balance growth with what makes this place unique?
We are taking the same approach with infrastructure, using advanced technology to assess road conditions and allocate resources more effectively. When you are responsible for assets at that scale, discipline matters. My goal is simple. Years from now, I want people to say we planned rather than caught up.
Government You Can Actually See
None of this matters if people cannot see it or connect with it. I make it a priority to stay engaged. My email is public and comes directly to me. I do a weekly commentary. I spend time in the community, listening to residents and sharing what we are working on.
Transparency isn’t just a value. It is a practice. Every initiative, project status and performance measure is publicly available online through a real-time dashboard, giving residents a clear view into how decisions are made and how work is progressing. That visibility extends beyond data. Through the Our Citrus County: In Focus monthly video series, we bring context to the work, helping residents understand not just what is happening, but why it matters.
It is not about presenting everything as perfect. What matters is being honest about where you are and what you are working through. Over time, that consistency builds credibility. People do not need perfection from their government. They need honesty and follow-through.
Staying Focused When Everything Pulls at Once
My role comes with constant pressure. You are working with residents, employees and elected officials, each with their own priorities. In government, it can feel like red tape at one level and quicksand at another. The work is moving through that without losing momentum.
Projects rarely fail because the idea is wrong. They lose momentum when communication breaks down or when stakeholders are not brought in early. Legal reviews, budgeting, approvals and procurement all take time. If people are not brought along, frustration builds and momentum fades.
That is why I focus on communicating not just the outcome but the path to get there. When people understand the process, they stay engaged and support the work.
What This Work Really Means
At the end of the day, this role is about impact. A veteran accessing care when a clinic opens. A family is driving on a safer road. Natural spaces preserved for future generations.
“Transparency is not about presenting everything as perfect. It is about being honest about where you are and what you are working through. Over time, that consistency builds credibility. People do not need perfection from their government. They need honesty and follow-through.”
That is what makes local government different. You are close enough to see the results. And when the work stays visible, people stay involved. Progress continues. You give the community something they can rely on.
For me, that keeps the work grounded. You are not managing abstractions. You are shaping the outcomes people experience in real life.
