Brandon Alvarado to Seek Seat on City Commission

With only four months to go before Lake Wales voters will choose two candidates to serve on the city commission, the first challenger has announced his intention to win a three-year term on the five-member board.

Lifelong resident Brandon Alvarado will seek the district two seat currently held by Daniel Williams. Alvarado, 27, is deeply engaged in civic organizations and in his announcement, he touts his experience as an example of his commitment to the city.

"My experience working at various non-profits gives me a wide perspective of the challenges facing our city today," he told LakeWalesNews.net. The young activist, a former drum major in the Highlander band, is president of the Lake Wales History Museum, chair of the city's Historic Preservation Board, and former director of education at the Lake Wales Arts Council. He also serves on the city's library board and the Main Street Design Committee..

He points to his wide range of civic engagement as evidence of his wholistic approach to improving the community.

Alvarado has a degree in business administration from the University of South Florida and is the chief administrative officer of Leo's Construction Services, a Lake Wales commercial contractor that recently completed a major project at Webber University.

Alvarado cites the Lake Wales Connected and Envisioned plans as important to shaping the future of the city in view of the massive development pressures the community faces. The ongoing Connected construction is designed to reinvigorate the city's core areas. The Envisioned plan was conceived to help the city avoid being overrun by walled developments. Among other concepts, the plan calls for "traditional neighborhood development" featuring rear-access garages and a connected grid of streets to avoid traffic congestion.

He said "common sense and responsible decision making" were needed to create a "more sustainable future for Lake Wales." In his announcement statement Alvarado mentioned three "key pillars" for his service to the community, citing "responsible growth, unity, and economic prosperity."

"It's okay to say "no" to poorly designed and thoughtless development," he said. "This isn't about stopping progress, it's about being smarter about how we grow."

An accessible city commission "allows all voices to be heard" develops transparency and collaboration, and a cohesive city, he said, while "making the permitting process more efficient and user friendly" will help attract potential investors to downtown and the Lincoln Avenue business district.

Although candidates must reside in their districts, the elections are city-wide so all voters are able to vote for any candidate. Qualifying for the race happens during the second week of February. The election will take place on April 2.