Richard Gonzales – Candidate for Board of Commissioners – Biography
I am Richard Gonzales, and I am a candidate for Lakeland Commissioner.
I am not a career politician, nor do I have any aspirations to be one. I am simply a citizen who believes leaders should set a positive example for others. I am one who believes Lakeland can grow without putting our citizens in financial distress. I also believe in order to progress, we should not compromise the quality of public safety nor education.
A strong supporter of education, I am a graduate of Wooddale High School in Memphis and graduated with honors from the University of Tennessee at Martin. While at U.T.M., I participated in the university’s Army ROTC program and received my commission as Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps upon graduation. I had many challenging assignments while on active duty, one of which was the custody, control, and the ultimate release of nuclear weapons while serving in Germany. After eight years of active duty, I served in the U.S. Army Reserve. My last reserve position was an instructor in the Reserve Component of the U.S Army Command and General Staff College. I retired from the Army Reserve in 2005, with 28 years of service reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In 2014, I was appointed by Governor Haslam to the Great War Commission, a statewide group charged with commemorating Tennessee’s contributions to the First World War.
After leaving Army active duty, I spent 30 years in the building maintenance and facilities services industry. In the industry, I managed a business portfolio valued at $500,000 per month. I was promoted to the position of Regional Manager over the Memphis office of Kimco Services Corporation, working in this position until my retirement in December 2015.
My lovely wife of 25 years is the former Carol Judkins, also of Memphis. I am a proud father of two and the grandfather of five. A lover of trains, I am actively involved in the “Casey Jones High Railers,” a local model railroading group. In addition, I currently serve as the Treasurer of the Casey Jones Chapter of Train Collectors Association. I am Vice President of the Evergreen Hills Home Owners Association, having served since its inception.
As you can see, I have experience serving the public in various leadership roles, and I am ready to serve ALL citizens of Lakeland as your Commissioner!
What is your vision for Lakeland over the next four years?
It is necessary that Lakeland pursues ways to update and expand our infrastructure so we may be properly equipped to encourage strategic economic development. This is the only way we can bring in tax dollars to fund programs, sports facilities and a quality school system. These are amenities that attract families and set us apart from other cities. Focusing on making our existing schools the very best in Shelby County comes first. The high school will come with financial readiness, adequate student population and when a quality education is ensured for all. Our schools are the future of our city, and their continued success must be the number one priority of our city leaders.
What is the major issue for Lakeland now and how do you address it?
Our city is faced with a tremendous debt of $28 million dollars. Uncontrolled spending and lack of additional revenues will prevent us from affording the things we want, much less the things we need. Our neighborhoods have infrastructure problems that need to be addressed. These problems negatively impact the quality of life for many of our citizens, and their voices have been neglected. We must enact a debt ceiling, put expenses into perspective and do a better job of evaluating where our dollars are directed. I will commit to being a good steward of your tax dollars and evaluate every expense using my 30 years of corporate experience.
Why are you the person needed to guide the City’s future? List your capabilities.
Our next mayor and board of commissioners must instill the principle of good stewardship in every city employee. I possess the following skills to help lead Lakeland:
- Leadership skills l developed during 28 years of military service. As an Army officer in Germany, I was responsible for soldiers, equipment and systems directly related to the daily security of our nation.
- Management skills, financial skills and people skills I developed during 30 years in the corporate environment.
- Listening skills developed over a lifetime of working with individuals from all walks of life.
- A fundamental belief that all leaders must respect the thoughts, concerns and ideas of others and never treat others with contempt or disrespect. I am guided by the principles of honesty, integrity and trust when communicating with others.
Describe your involvement in the Lakeland community
I was one of the early homeowners in our Evergreen Hills subdivision. I worked closely with the developer to ensure that issues of our new neighborhood were dealt with expeditiously. When our HOA was turned over to the homeowners, I volunteered to serve on the board of directors as the vice president. I remain in this position today. In 2017, the HOA board of directors solicited bids for the repaving of our private alleyways, a $47,500 project. I managed the project, including the negotiation of the loan to finance the funding, and ensured the contractor completed the project in a satisfactory manner. I am an active and vocal advocate for Evergreen Hills, attending numerous Lakeland Board of Commissioners’ meetings to raise awareness about issues and providing ways to address them.
