Carol Gillespie First to Qualify for One of Two Lake Wales City Commission Seats Up For Election

Carol Gillespie was a prompt qualifier for the April 2 Lake Wales City Commission Seat 4 on Monday as qualifying opened for a pair of three-year terms on the board representing seats 2 and 4..

Gillespie is challenging incumbent Commissioner Danny Krueger in the non-partisan city-wide vote. Krueger had not yet turned in his qualifying packet as of late afternoon on Monday, the first day of qualifying.

Both Gillespie and Krueger are residents of Lake Ashton. Seat 4 candidates must reside in that north-side district, even though all eligible voters in the city may cast ballots in the election. In order to qualify, each candidate must submit their paperwork to City Clerk Jennifer Nanek, who transports them to the office of the Supervisor of Elections Lori Edwards, who verifies the required signatures of 25 qualified voters in their district. Candidates also pay a required filing fee of $115.72, which represents a $25 base fee and one percent of the commissioner's salary.

In the other commission election, three individuals have picked up packets and will have until noon Friday to submit their packets. The three are incumbent Daniel Williams and challengers Brandon Alvarado and Crystal Higbee. Higbee also turned in a qualifying packet on Monday, but it was found to have an insufficient number of valid signatures by the elections office. She will have until the end of qualifying to turn in the required number.

Seat 2 includes neighborhoods around the eastern end of Lake Wailes and beyond. If all three qualify they will face off in the April 2 vote for a three-year term in Seat 2 on the five-person commission. Again, all city voters may cast ballots in that election as well.

The pace of new development within the city is emerging as a significant issue, with many voters expressing anxiety at the dozens of subdivisions proposed. More than 15,000 total residential units have been brought before the city's Growth Management Division, with many already approved by the city commission.