Richard Gonzales Jr., 5343 Conifer View Lane, has pulled a petition to run for a Commissioner slot in the Lakeland election Nov. 6. There are now 11 candidates running for six positions.
Mr. Gonzales retired from Kimco Corp as Memphis regional manager and was with the company 30 years. He served in the Army Reserve as a lieutenant colonel and is current vice president of his neighborhood association.
The list of those who have signaled they will run for Lakeland BOC (Board of Commissioners) or LSB (Lakeland School Board) are listed below.
Mayor – one position open
Wyatt Bunker – petition filed
Mike Cunningham – petition filed
Commissioner – two positions open
Jeremy Burnett – petition filed
Michele Dial
Richard Gonazles Jr.
Michael Green
Clark Plunk
Lakeland School Board – three positions open
Zachary Coleman
Kevin Floyd
Laura Harrison
Deborah Thomas – petition filed
There are six seats total up for grabs: three on the BOC, three on the LSB.
The six open positions were filled in 2013: Mayor Wyatt Bunker; Commissioner Clark Plunk; Commissioner Sherri Gallick (who resigned and was replaced by Matt Wright); School Board Members Kevin Floyd, Laura Harrison and Kelley Hale. All have served longer than the typical four years because the BOC voted to move the September 2017 regular election to the next general election which will be Nov. 6, 2018. Officials felt the voter turnout would be greater if attached to a state and federal contest.
Two current elected officials are not contenders for their seats: Kelley Hale, LSB, and Matt Wright, BOC.
Members of the BOC not up for reelection this year are Josh Roman and Wesley Wright, who was elected a year ago to fill the seat vacated by Mrs. Dial.
LSB members Teresa Henry and Geoff Hicks are not up for reelection.
The qualifying deadline to file is noon Aug. 16. The withdrawal deadline is noon Aug. 23. Early voting is Oct. 17-Nov. 1 with the actual election Nov. 6.
Lakeland Currents will bring its readers information on all candidates before early voting starts.
