Candidate Communications Seat 4

Candidate Communications Seat 4

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Communications by Tom McMacken

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Communications by Pete Weldon

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Candidate Communications Seat 3

Candidate Communications Seat 3

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Communications By Carolyn Cooper

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Communications by Lambrine Macejewski

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Election 2016

Election 2016

Campaign Season in Full Swing

election-2016Invitations to campaign fundraisers follow close on the heels of kickoff parties, with the holidays barely behind us. The race for Commission is ON. Lambrine Macejewski challenges Carolyn Cooper for Seat #3, and Peter Weldon will oppose Tom McMacken for Seat #4.

WP Voice Needs Your Help

We are requesting that when you receive an email or a flier from a candidate, please scan front and back and email it to the Voice at editor@winterparkvoice.com  We will eliminate any reference to your name, address or other identifying information before we publish.

The Voice will use this information to post a chronology of communications from each candidate. When you are forming your voting decisions, whether you are filling out your absentee ballot or going to the polls, it may be helpful to review each candidate’s position on the issues.

Phone Polls

If you receive a phone call about the candidates or the issues, please record it if you can. Remember, you should always get the consent of all parties before recording any telephone conversation or any in-person conversation that common sense tells you is private. We will post a link so others can listen. If you need assistance, email editor@winterparkvoice.com or call 407-671-2964. There will be someone to assist you.

Some voters report they have already received one political phone call, though when the pollster was asked the origin of the call, neither he nor his supervisor could provide that information. According to the Orange County Division of Elections, if the pollsters make fewer than 1,000 calls and the duration of the calls exceeds two minutes, the call is presumed to be a “political poll,” and no disclosure is required.

This poll solicited Winter Park voters’ opinions of Congressman John Mica, Mayor Steve Leary, candidates Peter Weldon and Lambrine Macejewski, and Commissioners Tom McMacken and Carolyn Cooper. The pollster then asked closely worded questions about issues such as the Historic Preservation ordinance, the Dog Park and development in Winter Park, which could have been a reference to the Carlisle.

Attend a Candidate Forum

In addition to campaign coverage in local media, there will be four candidate forums where you can see the candidates square off in person.

Tuesday, February 9, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Sun Trust Auditorium, Crummer Hall, 1000 Holt Ave.

Hosted by Rollins College Democracy Project and WPRK

 

Wednesday, February 10, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.

Winter Park Community Center, 721 W. New England Ave.

Hosted by Winter Park Voice

 

Friday, February 12, 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Winter Park Welcome Center, 151 W. Lyman Ave.

Hosted by the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce

 

Friday, February 19, Noon – 1:00 p.m.

Winter Park Public Library, 460 E. New England Ave.

Hosted by the Winter Park Public Library

Absentee Ballots

To request or check the status of your absentee ballot, visit www.ocfelections.com  or call the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office: 407-836-2070.

Most Important: VOTE on March 15, 2016.

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Four Candidates Vie for Two Commission Seats

Four Candidates Vie for Two Commission Seats

Cooper and McMacken Seek Re-election

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As of the qualifying deadline on December 18, four candidates have declared their intentions to run for Commission Seats #3 and #4 in the March 15, 2016 election.

Commissioner Carolyn Cooper will seek a third term in Seat #3. Challenging Cooper is restaurateur Lambrine Macejewski.

Commissioner Tom McMacken will run for re-election to Seat #4, opposed by Peter Weldon.

Introductory information about each candidate is below. In the New Year, the Voice will publish more detailed information about the candidates’ platforms and the issues each finds important.

Three Candidate Forums in February

Winter Park residents will have the opportunity to see the candidates square off in a series of three Candidate Forums in February 2016.

  • Wednesday, Feb. 10, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. – Community Center – Hosted by the Winter Park Voice
  • Friday, Feb. 12, 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. – Welcome Center – Hosted by the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce
  • Friday, Feb. 19, 12:00 Noon – 1:00 p.m. – Winter Park Public Library – Hosted by the Winter Park Public Library

 

Candidates for Commission Seat #3

 

Commissioner Carolyn Cooper

headshot-carolynCarolyn and Ned Cooper have lived in Winter Park for over 20 years and raised 3 of their 5 children here. Carolyn was elected to the City Commission in 2010 and re-elected in 2013.

Through her service on the Florida League of Cities (FLC) Tri-County Board of Directors, Carolyn advocates in Tallahassee on behalf of Florida’s 400+ cities.  She understands first hand that many of Winter Park’s challenges can be resolved by building coalitions at the state level.  The FLC named Carolyn the 2015 FLC Home Rule Hero for her advocacy during the 2015 legislative session.

Carolyn has a strong background in finance and budgeting.  She has a Masters in Systems Management from the University of Southern California, worked as a Department of Defense Financial Manager and has professional training in Florida municipal budgeting.  She has drawn on this background to build city reserves and maintain services while never voting to raise taxes.

Carolyn honed her management skills as a member of the Space Shuttle Ground Support negotiating team and later as Director of Contracts for Martin Marietta Data Systems.  This experience, coupled with her understanding of land use gained from her service on the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Comprehensive Plan Task Force, positions her to effectively represent citizens’ interests as the City considers how best to grow into the future.

Winter Park Magazine named Carolyn one of Winter Park’s 25 most influential people in 2015 noting,  “. . .nobody controls Carolyn … she only cares about the citizens of Winter Park.”

Candidate Lambrine Macejewski

headshot-lambrineMost people know Lambrine Macejewski (Lam-bree-knee Muh-chess-ski) as one of the co-owners of Cocina 214, the award-winning Tex-Mex restaurant just off Park Avenue.

As a citizen volunteer, Lambrine has participated in the Park Avenue Merchants Association (PAMA), serving one term as president and currently as vice president. The other city and community boards on which she serves include Keep Winter Park Beautiful and Sustainable, the Winter Park History Museum and the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce. Lambrine founded the “Running of the Chihuahuas” to benefit Winter Park Lost Pets, and she is a Girl Scout Troop Co-Leader.

In 2015, Winter Park Magazine named Lambrine “The Entrepreneur,” one of the Winter Park’s 25 Most Influential People.

Lambrine grew up in Dallas, Texas, where her father was co-owner and chef of 4 restaurants. She was raised in their family business and worked part-time throughout high school and college.

She graduated from Texas Woman’s University with a B.B.A. in accounting and went on to work for Electronic Data Systems (EDS). She then worked for Level 3 Communications, 360networks and finally left to start her own consulting firm, which specialized in performance management, business process improvement and integrations.

With the inception of Cocina 214, Lambrine was able to go back to her roots in the restaurant business. She lives in Winter Park with her husband Ronnie, daughter Rachel and their family pet Oliver.

Candidates for Commission Seat #4

 

Commissioner Tom McMacken

headshot-tomTom McMacken brings over 30 years of experience as a landscape architect, creating parks and communities, and six years of service as City Commissioner.

McMacken is running for a third term on the Winter Park City Commission. Known for frequently casting the swing vote, McMacken listens to citizens and strives to hear all sides of an issue before reaching a decision.

In 2014, Tom was named Winter Park Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year. He remains a member of the Chamber, as well as American Society of Landscape Architects, First United Methodist Church of Winter Park, the Orange County Community Action Board, the Friends of Casa Feliz, and the Winter Park History Museum.

He participated in planning the Park Avenue streetscape, the Winter Park Village and The Park at Orwin Manor.

McMacken has served on a City board or commission since 1998. Before becoming a City Commissioner, he chaired each of the four boards on which he served for at least one term, including the Planning & Zoning Commission.

In addition to Planning & Zoning, McMacken served on the Historic Preservation Commission, the Tree Preservation Board and the Public Art Advisory Board.

Tom, his wife, Ann, and their daughter, Emily, have lived in Winter Park for nearly three decades.

Candidate Peter Weldon

headshot-peterPeter and Fran Weldon have lived in Winter Park since 1989. Their children were born at Winter Park Memorial Hospital and raised in Winter Park.

Peter Weldon earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Miami in 1971 and a Master of Business Administration from Duke University in 1974.

After careers for both Weldons at Johnson & Johnson, they relocated to Winter Park when Peter was recruited to run a venture capital backed startup. After leaving the startup he became a Chartered Financial Analyst and investment advisor. He retired in 2013.

The Weldons have been actively involved in the community for 25 years. Fran has been neighborhood watch coordinator. They have supported many civic organizations, including the Winter Park Library, Live Oak Fund, Polasek Museum Capen House restoration, Feed the Need Winter Park and Art in the Park. Peter Weldon served on the United Way agency review panels and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Orlando Science Center.

Pete Weldon began writing www.WinterParkPerspective.org in 2008 to share views on decision making and political processes at city hall. His intent was to help make better decisions by putting policy arguments in context with relevant facts.

Pete Weldon has served on Winter Park city boards since 2008. Currently he serves on the Tree Preservation Board and the Planning and Zoning Board. His management and investment experience is grounded in a patient, long term view, based on careful study and prudent risk taking, in context with the facts. If elected, he would bring this same focus on long term value creation to his role on the City Commission.

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Political Attacks Anger Winter Park

Political Attacks Anger Winter Park

Like many other citizens of our city, I am outraged at Steve Leary’s conduct and his personal attack on his opponent — calling her a racist and taking out of context her use of the historically correct term “Negro Town.” I cannot sit back and say nothing about the way Leary’s campaign has turned this mayoral race into a disgrace.

 

It is one thing to have different views on what is right for the City of Winter Park — rampant development vs. careful managed growth; transparency in government vs. keeping residents out of the “know.” The list of differences goes on.
Leary is spreading his vitriol using all available means. Peter Weldon has become little more than a mouthpiece for Leary. The Republican Party propaganda machine has poured in thousands of dollars into funding Leary’s mailers and ads. Leary’s attempt to debase his opponent’s character with unfounded lies cannot and should not be tolerated in silence. I am not the only citizen of this town who is personally outraged by the Leary campaign.

 

I’m Not the Only One

Randy Noles, editor of Winter Park magazine, wrote, “Ms. Mackinnon’s use of this phrase, in the context of a historical discussion, is accurate. Any effort to make more out of this is just willfully misleading and an insult to Ms. Mackinnon and to the intelligence of Winter Park voters.”

Dr. Gary Barker wrote, “Steve Leary needs to address this now or lose any credibility he has. It’s one thing to argue about trees, traffic or Trader Joe’s, but to wrongly attack someone’s personal honor and values is unacceptable in this or any election. Do what’s right, Steve Leary, and publicly withdraw your accusations and apologize to Cynthia Mackinnon.

How can any decent citizen ever offer their candidacy for city office knowing they are likely to be personally attacked for offering you, the voter, a choice?

If this is the kind of person who could be our next Mayor, how shameful for the City of Winter Park. Consider carefully when you choose on March 10th.

 

Special Election 2015 Section in The Voice

To see full candidate profiles, interviews, filings, positions on various issues and other stories as they are published, click on the “Election 2015” button in the upper right portion of your screen when you are viewing the website. Or click this button >  

Campaign Treasurer’s Reports can be found on the City of Winter Park website at http://cityofwinterpark.org/government/city-info/election-info/financial-reports/

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Leary Resigns to Run for Mayor

Leary Resigns to Run for Mayor

Generous Donors for the Holidays

On December 17, Steven J. Leary announced his resignation from the Winter Park City Commission, effective March 15, 2015, which he was required to do to launch his mayoral campaign. Leary will continue to serve as Commissioner, Seat #1, until March 15. If he is elected, Leary will assume his post as mayor at that time. If he loses the mayoral election, Leary will officially resign from the Commission. 

Brewer vs. Shambeck for Leary’s Commission Seat

Either way, as it stands now, Leary’s current seat on the Commission will be filled either by former Mayor and Commissioner Gary Brewer or by his opponent, political newcomer Willow Shambeck – to date, the only two who have declared their intentions to run for this seat.

 

But There’s Still Time

According to Lucy Melendez of the Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office, candidate qualifying begins December 29, 2014 and lasts until January 6, 2015. During that time, additional candidates may file to run either for Commission Seat #1, currently held by Leary, or for the mayoral race.

More Candidates Means February 10 Primary

Three or more candidates for any seat would result in a primary election, to be held on February 10, 2015. If any one of the three opposing candidates in the primary receives 51 percent or more of the votes, that candidate wins the election then and there. If no one receives 51 percent in the February primary, the two candidates with the highest vote counts run against each other in the March 10, 2015, election. 

 

February 10 Primary Changes Voters’ Schedule

A primary would significantly change the dates for voters as well as for candidates. A chart of events is below. Please note: in the event of a February 10 primary, Voter Registration would close January 12, 2015.

2015 Election Schedule — Mayor and Commission Seat #1


Mayoral Donors Generous

The latest Campaign Treasurer’s Report Summaries show that political support has been robust throughout the holidays. Leary’s contributions totaled $21,700 as of an amended December 5, 2014, report. Of that amount, five of the most recent donations came from controversial Ravaudage developer Daniel Bellows and his partner, attorney Robert Saltsman. 

Mackinnon Outstrips Leary

Leary’s opponent, retired Judge Cynthia Mackinnon, has so far raised in excess of $95,000. Her donations come from a somewhat broader base of Winter Park residents. That said, Mackinnon’s campaign began its efforts earlier. Leary’s campaign is expected to ramp up once the holidays are over.

Commission Donors Lag

In contrast, Brewer recently reported donations totaling $7,700 and Shambeck reported a total of $4,000 in contributions. These are early days, however, and things are sure to heat up in the new year.

Campaign Treasurer’s Reports can be found on the City of Winter Park website at http://cityofwinterpark.org/government/city-info/election-info/financial-reports/.

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