BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
As of Tuesday night, voter turnout was nearly 11% in Bradford County.
Most of those ballots — 1,399 — were cast by mail. Another 559 people had voted early at the courthouse.
Early voting continues everyday through Aug. 21 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Bradford County Courthouse. Primary Election Day is Tuesday, Aug. 23, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. When voting in person at your local precinct, remember to bring a photo and signature ID.
Local races include two for county commission, two for the city of Starke and one for the school board.
County
Running for the District 2 county commission seat are Kenny Thompson, Larry Davis and Mark Williams. Thompson is a local business owner and the incumbent, having served two terms on the board. He is running on his experience in helping put together a management team that he says is serving the public more efficiently than ever.
Larry Davis is running against him. He worked for the county road department before starting a business of his own. He’s running in response to tax increases and wasteful spending. He wants to bring about financial stability and economic growth.
Owner of his own construction company and a frozen yogurt shop in downtown Starke, Mark Williams has both worked alongside county departments and been vocal about how things are run. He said the county should be accountable to the public for its spending, and it is spending too much.
All are running as Republicans in District 2, as are the four candidates in District 4.
Incumbent Danny Riddick is seeking a fourth term and is running on his record of infrastructural improvements and support for public safety agencies. Employees are now responding from the fire station he fought for in Speedville, and he supports improvements to make it a 24/7 station for Bradford County Fire Rescue.
Tom Germano touts his public involvement, including politics, business, environmental conservation and traffic safety. The county needs leadership, not just a balanced budget, he has said. He names the Speedville station as an example of wasteful spending, a “warehouse” that was just recently staffed prior to the election.
Christiann Hudson has worked for the county and the sheriff, beginning as a clerk and eventually code enforcement officer and mapping specialist. She left to take care of her family, and now she wants to take care of her larger Bradford County family. She wants to create financial stability and healthy growth.
Trish Tucker is over finance in the sheriff’s office and that is the experience she would bring to the board. If the county continues to overspend, it will deplete its reserves, she said. With the cost of living going up, taxpayers shouldn’t be paying more out of their pockets. Taxes can be kept low by expanding the tax base, she said.
School board
The school board is a nonpartisan race with two candidates in District 5.
Erica Reddish is the incumbent with two terms on the board. She is a mother who ran to become involved in improving schools. She says she has been an active board member, supporting teachers and students, communicating with parents and building relationships with stakeholders. The tough decisions she has made were made with the belief they were in the best interests of students and staff.
Opponent Lynn Melvin has more than 35 years of experience as a teacher and school principal at Starke and Brooker elementary schools. Now she seeks to bring that experience to the school board. She intends to act as a bridge between the community, teachers, staff and lawmakers to create a district everyone is proud of.
Starke
Starke Commission District 1 incumbent Danny Nugent is running again, having served four terms. He works for the Department of Corrections and is a Chief Warrant Officer for the Florida National Guard. He has touted ongoing infrastructure improvements and wants to help bring new businesses into the city.
Michael Heeder, head of 911 coordinator for the sheriff’s office is running against him. He says he’s not running to change policies but change the culture and make it one in which the city is planning for what will happen 10 years down the road. A successful event planner, he also wants to help create new opportunities to attract people to Starke.
Randy Crews is running for the open seat in District 5. He believes Starke is the best city in America. A past city commissioner, he says he supports local law enforcement and recreation. He would also make it a mission to deliver utility customers a bill they can understand.
Also running in District 5, Andy Redding wants sustainable growth in business and jobs to get Starke out of a rut that has kept if from growing since the 1960s. The city must improve roads, increase its water supply, expand its sewer capacity and provide access to high-speed internet. In addition to attracting businesses that can pay a livable wage, the community must embrace its schools to improve achievement, he said.
Lex Sanders is a well-known local attorney with a long family history in Starke and Bradford County. Drawing more people to experience what Starke has to offer is important to him. He wants to help find ways for Starke to flourish.
