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2020-12-15 News Article14 Lake Okeechobee News -merger of Okeechobee News, Clewiston News, Glades County Democrat, and The Sun December 23, 2020 CC la/ls1 ro Mee4i'vL5 r lE- Candidates sought for South Bay city election By Chris Felker Lake Okeechobee News SOUTH BAY — The seats of Mayor Joe Kyles and Vice Mayor Betty Barnard will be up for election on Tuesday, March 17, 2021, in South Bay, and candidates who might be interested need to get their qualification ducks in a row quickly. City Clerk Natalie Malone said the quafi- lying period for this election will be during the second full week of January 2021 — Monday, Jan. 11, through close of business on Friday, Jan. 15. The South Bay Municipal Code has a couple of simple requirements for aspiring candidates for the South Bay City Commis- sion: Ch. 10, Sec. 1049 — "Each candidate for the city commission shall be a resident and qualified elector of the city." Ch. 10, Sec 10.51—'All candidates for city office shall qualify by paying to the city a qualifying fee of $25 and by complying with the provisions of the city charter and this article." The mayor, who occupies Seat 2 of the commission, has this biography on the Cylof South in S official website: "Joe yles has livedd in South Bay City of was educated in the local schools, where he graduated from Lake Shore Junior -Se- nior High in Belle Glade. He matriculated into vocational training at North Technical School in Riviera Beach. He began his ca- reer with the Okeelanta Sugar Corporation, a subsidiary of Florida Crystals Inc., for 20 years to refire as a division supervisor. The energy and vigor for helping and empow- ering people was raging and he began a second career that also span 20 years as a labor negotiator with the International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) Lodge 166 in Cape Canaveral. He studied labor management in Hollywood, Md., at William Wimpersing- er Center. Mayor Kyles has earned several community and humanitarians awards, yet he's mostly excited about his godly service as the chair deacon of Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Belle Glade, where he remains grounded and ready to serve. He's a devoted Christian, dedicated husband and father. Mayor Kyles thrives upon improving the quality of life for the residents of South Bay." Vice Mayor Barnard's bio (edited for length): "On March 13, 2018, Betty J. Bar- nard was elected to the City of South Bay sinc olds commls- Os ge1970. He City Commission. Barnard hdiscontinues Zoom meetin keechobee By Cathy Womble Lake Okeechobee News OKEECHOBEE — Those who have gotten used to attending the Okeechobee City Council meetings via Zoom may have noticed the Dec. 15 meeting had no Zoom link. This was explained as the meeting began. For months now, the city has been working toward having closed captioning of their meetings so they can be posted online. In addition, they are working on the audio quality to ensure the best possible audio for those listening. Because the com- pany doing the installation has had so many all over South Florida, it has taken quite a bit of time. Now they are waiting on a few parts to come in, and hopefully it will be finished soon. When everything is com- pletely set up, the meetings will be put on YouTLbe as they were for several months during the state of emergency. One of the first things on the agenda this week was a presentation of proposals by professional landscape architect services. sion Seat 4 and was installed on March 20, 2018, for the 2018-2020 term. She is a fast -time city commissioner. Betty Barnard was in Belle Glade to Maggie and Eddie Lee Adams and raised in South Bay, Florida. Betty is the third youngest sibling. She is the proud parent of two children. Betty grew up in Western Palm Beach County. Her elementary education was spent in the first through sixth grades attending Rosenwald Elementary School. She then attended grades seventh through eleventh at Lake Shore Jr. -Sr. High School; her last year of high school, 1971, she graduated from Glades Central High School. Betty received her associate of arts degree from Palm Beach Community; a Bachelor of Arts in education from Florida Atlantic University (FAU); and a Master of Arts in education and Certification in Gifted Education from Nova Southeastern University (NSU); a Certification in Gifted Education from Saint Leo College; a Certification in Early Childhood Education from NSU; and an educational leadership - all levels certifica- tion from FAU. Betty is also an active and engaged member the Glades Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Betty has 40 years of experience as an educator for Palm Beach County School There were five presentations: • Michael Flaugh; • CPH Inc.; • Chen Moore & Associates; • Community Solutions Group; and, • Calvin, Giordano & Associates Inc. After some discussion, the council chose to accept the rankings made by the staff. The presentations were done after the staff ranked the services a few weeks ago, and Councilman Bobby Keefe said he wanted the council to be more involved District. She also has 30 years of experience as an adjunct professor at Palm Beach Community College — teaching education - a] credit courses. Barnard taught child care classes at West Technical Service Center as well. She also spent her last three years an assistant principal. Barnard decided to run for city commissioner because she wanted to actively engage citizens through transpar- ency, communication, education, advocacy and breaking barriers. Her greatest efforts revolve around serving the city through building movements, not monuments. Demonstrating leadership throughout her 40 years as an educator for the School District of Palm Beach County has prepared her to step into the forefront of leadership. As city commissioner, her plans are to offer more town hall meetings for resident dialogue, as well as an open ear and mind. She seeks to address problems and matters brought forth. She is also a member of the Palm Beach League of Cities, Palm Beach League of Cities Transportation Commit- tee." All candidates who fife for office wffl be invited to participate in an interview with the Lake Okeechobee News. in the process. After the presentations, he complimented the staff and said, "I hope there was no offense taken by my previous comments or inquisitions into the process. am very procedural, and it's the principle of things." Councilman Bob Jarriei, who had agreed with Councilman Keefe, said, At the end of the night, you guys made the right decision. We're hard-headed, but y'all made the right decision." Negotiations vvill begin with the compa- ny ranked number one by staff. Four candidates seek Pahokee commission seat By Chris Felker Lake Okeechobee News PAHOKEE — The terms of two city com- missioners, Felisia Hill and Benny L. Everett 111, are expiring and will be on the ballot for the March 17, 2021, municipal election. Commissioner Everett reportedly has said he will decline to run again. Along with two other current commissioners (not including Commissioner Hill), Everett may be facing a recall election regardless, sometime in the new year. (A recall effort has been under way directed at him, Mayor Keith W. Babb Jr. and Vice Mayor Clara Murvin for several months that may result in a special election. Babb's and Murvin's termgexpire in 2022. Signatures reportedly are still being gathered in a second round of gathering petitions to a circuit judge for a special recall vote on the three commis- sioners.) The qualifying period for candidates in the 2021 election was Nov. 17-24; however, no official list of candidates has been made public by the city as yet, and city hall has not responded to requests for information as late as Friday, Dec. 18. A request was made via the city's website, submitted to the clerk, and an email that day sent to City Manager Chandler Williamson has evinced no reply. (A public records request was submitted to the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections' Office, or SOE, during Novem- ber and is being processed, according to an email from SOE staff member Renato De La Rosa, received Dec. 9. His reply to a follow-up email on Thursday, Dec. 17, revealed it is still being processed.) Commissioner Regina Bohlen, reached by telephone Friday, Dec. 18, said she had received a brief response to her question on Nov. 25 of who were the candidates who filed before the deadline the previous day. The email reply from Williamson that Saturday morning indicated there would be four: "Candidates opposing are... Sanquetta Cowan, Juan (Johnny) Gonzalez Jr., Josefa Hernandez and Sara Perez, for the two seats that are up for election March 17." (Names rearranged to equate with how they will appear on the March 17 ballot.) Commissioner Bohlen then asked, And the resumes?" She said Dec. 18 she has received no further reply from the city man- ager. At the last city commission meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 8, which was supposed to have been livestreamed but went offline for the majority of the time as it was happen- ing, she said he made no mention of the candidates for office next March. Commissioner Felisia Hill, who has been on the city commission since 2012, also served previous terms as vice mayor in 2016.17 and 2013-14. She confirmed on Friday, Dec 18, that she is not running for a new term but said, "1 do have future plans." A ceephone call Friday afternoon to Commissioner Everett was not answered except with the voice message: The person you are trying to reach is not accepting calls at this time." A caveat about the March 17 election: The City of Pahokee has exempted itself from the early voting provisions of state law via a 2005 ordinance, so the only voting will take place as specified during the hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 17, 2021, at one lo- cation in the city (under a 1984 ordinance), to wit: "Until otherwise directed by the city commission there shall be one voting place in all city elections and that voting place shall be at the cafeteria building at the rec- reation complex located at 360-C East Main Street, Pahokee, Florida."