Voters in High Springs are heading to the polls Tuesday for a special election to fill a City Commissioner seat vacated at the end of last year.
Meet the hopefuls — Wayne Bloodsworth Jr. and Chad Howell, two candidates who’ve never run in an election before.
Wayne Bloodsworth
Bloodsworth, 62, explained that he wanted to run for office earlier but could not because he was working full time. So, he waited until retirement.
“I’ve seen how things have changed somewhat, and I think there needs some different way of thinking,” Bloodsworth said. “Home-thinking. Home-grown thinking.”
Bloodsworth was born and raised in Fort White in Columbia County. He and his wife, Kathy, moved to High Springs almost 40 years ago. The couple raised a son who’s now an adult, Layne, 24.
The former UPS driver said that after he experienced a dramatic rise in property, garbage and water taxes, he knew it was time to run for office. A Republican, he said that he wants to be able to help people who are affected by this unexpected financial burden.
“Property taxes went up 27% because of spending issues,” Bloodsworth said. “One citizen said his dumpster fee went up 60 or 70% more because somebody, or parties, didn’t pay attention to the contract re-negotiating.”
Bloodsworth said he believes the two most important issues facing the city are budget and infrastructure.
“I’m not against new growth, but our long-term residents deserve better than what they have been getting,” he said. “Growth is good, but we’ve got to take care of the people that are here. I think they feel like they’re left behind.”
Chad Howell
Howell, 44, said he decided to run for office because he thinks it is time to give the city back to the people of High Springs.
“I want to make it the best High Springs that we can,” Howell said. “There's just too much potential here, and I don’t think we're reaching it.”
Howell was born in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Because his father was in the Marine Corps, Howell moved a lot as a child. He and his wife, Lindsay, have lived in High Springs for six years. The couple has two daughters, Emily and Charlee. He said his main concern about the election is getting his name out to the public and letting them know he cares for their city.
“I may have gotten here a little later,” he said, “but it’s still just as important to me.”
Howell served on the Babe Ruth Softball Board for four years and the High Springs Park and Recreation Board for two. He was a police officer for 15 years and served in the Marine Corp for five, including two tours in Iraq. He is currently a detective sergeant and supervisor of the Criminal Investigations Division for the Alachua County Sheriff's Office.
A Republican, Howell said he believes the two most important issues facing the city are the financial crisis and the lack of infrastructure. He said that he wants to put more focus on the parks and recreation of High Springs and that responsible spending is a must.
“Growth is coming to this small town,” he said. “I would love to maintain the small community feel as well as protect our natural resources. Our springs are in jeopardy.”
Howell said it is hard to make change from the outside looking in. He said he believes a new voice is needed in High Springs. He said that one thing he brings to the table is that he is going to continually educate himself and make informed decisions based on the citizens of High Springs.
Last November, Howell added, 1,000 residents voted out of the 5,400 registered. He said he is trying to show people that their voices do matter.
“It’s not just about the five people sitting up there,” he said. “It’s about the entire community.”
The need for a special election
Both candidates are running for a seat vacated by former City Commissioner Steve Tapanes, a Republican who served for two months before resigning on Dec. 30. Tapanes reportedly said he resigned because of the requirement to fill out Form 6, which he was opposed to do because he thought it was an invasion of privacy.
Form 6 is a newly required full and public financial disclosure form that the Florida Commission on Ethics mandated for all county candidates, commissioners, constitutional officers, school board and judicial members.
Both candidates said they have no concerns regarding the Form 6 requirement that was passed last year. However, Bloodsworth said that he can understand why some self-employed people would not want to disclose customer names and information.
“The customer base may not want to have their names and information out as public record,” he said.
High Springs Mayor Katherine Weitz (R) said that being open-minded, fair and honest are paramount characteristics for anyone running for this position.
“You have to be able to listen to people whether they agree with you or not,” she said. “You’ve got to represent all of them equally. If you’re just a real person, the job becomes much, much more straightforward.”
So, who’s the mayor’s favorite candidate?
“I can’t say that there is a bad choice,” Weitz said. “They both seem like very strong candidates.”