Lazaro Aleman
ECB Publishing, Inc.
Six of the seven candidates who are running for local elected offices braved the public at a recent political forum sponsored by the Monticello-Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. Participating candidates shared their credentials, the reasons for their candidacies, and what they hope to accomplish if elected, among other things.
The seven candidates, and the respective offices that they are seeking, are Jamia Bradley, Donnie Burdick and Miranda Gillyard Gilley, school board, District 2, a nonpartisan race; incumbent Brenda Bentley Wirick and challenger Shirley Washington, school board, District 3, also a nonpartisan race; and Republican incumbent Austin Hosford and Democratic challenger Lois Howell Hunter, county commission, District 4, a partisan race.
Unlike in previous years when a panel asked the candidates questions, forum founder and moderator Ron Cichon announced at the start of the proceeding on Tuesday evening, July 21, that the format this year was returning to “old school,” with each candidate allowed 10 minutes to address the audience on whatever topic he or she wanted, and 10 minutes to respond to questions from the audience.
The candidates, consisting of four women and two men (one candidate was a no show) were a mix of newcomers and seasoned office holders. All, however, exhibited professionalism, preparedness and sincerity, and their presentations were generally thoughtful and informative, if some were more polished than others and a few rushed their deliveries, possibly from nervousness.
The first group to address the public included the three candidates in the District 2 school board race, all newcomers to political office.
Bradley was the first to speak. A self-described mother, grandmother, county native and community leader, Bradley, a 2000 graduate of Jefferson County High School (JCHS), is currently employed with the Florida Department of Health. She called children and education her passions, her avowed goal to strengthen community bonds and improve the well-being of children and families in Jefferson County.
Bradley is credited with more than two decades of effort to increase civic engagement and outreach in the local community. She currently serves as the vice president of the United Force of Jefferson County, a nonprofit that hosts community outreach programs. For years, she has organized vital Farmshare food distributions, coat drives, back-to-school giveaways and other outreach-focused initiatives, motivated by what she called a desire to strengthen unity across Jefferson County.
Second to speak was Burdick, also a county native, 1981 JCHS graduate and self-described Christian desiring to emulate Christ. His was a passionate, animated and seemingly off-the-cuff presentation. Growing up parentless in Monticello, Burdick credited the local community for watching over him and helping him to graduate from high school and become the person he was today. Following high school, he had enlisted in the military, from which he was discharged honorably, he said.
Among his many job experiences, Burdick cited working as a correctional officer, a sheriff’s deputy, a substitute teacher and athletic safety coordinator at the local high school. He is currently the substitute teacher coordinator for Jefferson County High Schools. His platform, Burdick said, was a return to the basic ABCs of education, which he identified as accountability top to bottom, communications across the board, and bringing a caring attitude to teaching.
“If you’re not willing to be a servant like Christ, you shouldn’t be in education,” Burdick said.
Third to speak was Gilley, a lifelong resident, local graduate, parent, educator and children’s advocate, for whom education, more than a profession, was a passion and a purpose, she said. Gilley also is the founder and operator of Neenee Sweet Treats and Eats Catering, a catering business.
Her decision to run, she said, was rooted in her belief that education began with a servant’s heart, and that when one helped others, it made for a stronger and better community. Her listed social activities include supporting families in need and tutoring students, as well as organizing clothing giveaways and spearheading Christmas drives to ensure children enjoyed the holiday. As an educator, Gilley said, she believed that every child deserved the opportunity to succeed. As a parent, she understood the importance of safe, high-quality schools. Hers, Gilley said, was a personal campaign, her goal to provide every student with the same opportunities that she and her families had received.
“I am running to serve,” Gilley said, promising to be a voice for students, teachers, parents and the community.
The candidates in the District 3 school board race are both educators and campaign veterans.
First to speak was Washington, a lifetime teacher and longtime former school board member. Washington’s was a classic message of caring and advocating for children.
“To me, every child is special,” she said, repeating a favorite personal slogan.
She leaned into her teaching and school board experiences to buttress her argument that children were at the heart of all her educational-related decisions and that she was a fighter for their interests. She underscored the many scholarships that she had awarded throughout the years to deserving high school graduates, her way of returning to the community some of what it had given her when she was coming up.
“I want children to know I care,” Washington said, vowing she would always be an active and vocal advocate for them.
Wirick, also a veteran teacher, likewise leaned into her teaching experience and school board incumbency, citing the district’s many problems prior to her election and its many accomplishments since. She noted the district's financial woes and poor-performing schools under the previous school board, which problems had ultimately resulted in the state’s takeover of the district.
By contrast, she said, in the last four years the district had taken back the schools, the budget was in the black, school grades were improved, graduation levels had risen and teacher/student morale was up, among other positives. School board meetings also, she said, were conducted with congeniality and collaboration, unlike the chaos of former school board meetings.
Her vision for the next four years, Wirick said, was to maintain stability, focus on student and teacher retention, and continue moving the district forward.
“Let’s put the past behind us. Let’s keep the upward momentum,” she said.
In the District 4 commission meeting, Hosford had the floor to himself, as the various attempts to reach his opponent had proven unsuccessful, according to Cichon.
Hosford underscored that throughout his first four years in office, he had abided by the two promises he had made in his campaign. These two, he said, were to preserve the county’s rural character while seeking economic development and protect the taxpayers’ money as if it were his own.
“I am proud of what we have accomplished,” Hosford said, noting improvements in law enforcement and fire protection, greater accountability and transparency of government functions, and creation of one of the strongest ordinances for regulating solar facilities in the state.
“I am particularly proud of our financial gains,” Hosford said, underscoring that the board’s elimination or reduction of longstanding debts and deficits that had long drained the county’s finances and making certain vital operations self-sustaining while keeping the millage rate low.
“We are moving Jefferson County in the right direction,” Hosford said, adding that his goal remained to create meaningful jobs while preserving the county’s rural character and quality of life.
“Our best days are ahead,” he said.
For Cichon, the moment was bittersweet, as it was to be the last forum that he would moderate. At 82 and after 50 years of doing the forums, he was ready to pass the baton, Cichon said.
He recalled when he had first proposed the idea to the chamber of commerce in the 1970s being told that such thing had never been done. However, if he wanted to do it, it was his to do, was the chamber’s response. He recalled also that when he had broached the idea to candidates in those early days, some had considered the concept radical.
“You expect me to stand up there and answer citizens’ questions,” Cichon quoted one astounded incumbent asking.
“Yes, it’s done other places,” Cichon said he told the individual, reminding him that the people were his bosses.
Some 50 years later, the forums have become a local institution and cherished tradition.