news from the media
Lowe receives praise, criticism at meeting
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130404/ARTICLES/130409776
published: April 4, 2013, 9:10 a.m.
last updated: April 4, 2013, 11:36 a.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
Gainesville Mayor Craig Lowe received a mix of praise and criticism Thursday evening at the first City Commission meeting he has attended since his drunk driving arrest and the last regular meeting before the April 16 mayoral runoff.
[...]
On Monday, he entered a deferred prosecution agreement with the State Attorney’s Office.
[...]
Lowe has not answered media questions about the DUI but has issued multiple statements apologizing and accepting “full responsibility for my actions.”
[...]
Mark Venzke, who received 128 votes in the March mayoral race, criticized Lowe. He said that, instead of crashing into a ditch, Lowe could have hit another vehicle and “killed someone.”
Venzke requested that Lowe undergo an addiction evaluation and make the results public before the runoff.
At each meeting, commissioners have the opportunity to respond to public comment. Lowe did not respond to any of the comments of support or criticism.
____________________
ed. The number of votes that Mark received is immaterial to this story and is prejudicial toward him and his statements during the public comment period.
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130404/ARTICLES/130409776
published: April 4, 2013, 9:10 a.m.
last updated: April 4, 2013, 11:36 a.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
Gainesville Mayor Craig Lowe received a mix of praise and criticism Thursday evening at the first City Commission meeting he has attended since his drunk driving arrest and the last regular meeting before the April 16 mayoral runoff.
[...]
On Monday, he entered a deferred prosecution agreement with the State Attorney’s Office.
[...]
Lowe has not answered media questions about the DUI but has issued multiple statements apologizing and accepting “full responsibility for my actions.”
[...]
Mark Venzke, who received 128 votes in the March mayoral race, criticized Lowe. He said that, instead of crashing into a ditch, Lowe could have hit another vehicle and “killed someone.”
Venzke requested that Lowe undergo an addiction evaluation and make the results public before the runoff.
At each meeting, commissioners have the opportunity to respond to public comment. Lowe did not respond to any of the comments of support or criticism.
____________________
ed. The number of votes that Mark received is immaterial to this story and is prejudicial toward him and his statements during the public comment period.
Mark appears on the Bob Rose Show
March 18, 2013
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- Mark spoke with Bob Rose on his radio program, the Bob Rose Show this morning. The two talked for a few minutes at 9:40 a.m.
Mark shared his views on the energy policy of Gainesville, on openness in governance in Gainesville and on express bus service.
The Bob Rose Show is a talk show focused on politics, sports and current event on WSKY FM, 97.3. The station has studios in Gainesville and Ocala.
March 18, 2013
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- Mark spoke with Bob Rose on his radio program, the Bob Rose Show this morning. The two talked for a few minutes at 9:40 a.m.
Mark shared his views on the energy policy of Gainesville, on openness in governance in Gainesville and on express bus service.
The Bob Rose Show is a talk show focused on politics, sports and current event on WSKY FM, 97.3. The station has studios in Gainesville and Ocala.
Mayoral candidate: Mark Venzke
Independent Florida Alligator (student newspaper of the University Of Florida)
http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_9bfef6dc-8f7d-11e2-ad75-001a4bcf887a.html#user-comment-area
published: Monday, March 18, 2013, 2:18 a.m.
last updated: Monday, March 18, 2013, 2:18 a.m.
Kelcee Griffis, Alligator Writer
Editor’s note: This is the final part of a series that profiles candidates running in the 2013 mayoral race.
Mark Venzke has led a colorful life.
The Chicago native used to work as a conductor and tour guide on an antique railway near Orlando.
He was also a Gainesville cabdriver who conducted informal quiz shows with passengers, giving chocolate as prizes for correct answers.
He ran, unsuccessfully, for Gainesville city commissioner last year.
But with the campaign experience under his belt, Venzke said he’s ready to take it to the next level.
He’s running for mayor in Tuesday’s Gainesville city elections.
Venzke, 55, said his No. 1 issue is revamping the city’s proposed biomass plant contract to allow more resources for integrating renewable energy.
“We’ve put all of our eggs in one basket — a biomass basket,” he said.
“We don’t have any eggs left over that GRU — the City of Gainesville — can use to promote and to facilitate the installation of renewable energy systems. But we could do that if we renegotiate this contract.”
Venzke also criticized the city for information he said was withheld from the public during the negotiation stages of the contract.
He said citizens didn’t have a chance to discuss the contract with officials until a lawsuit settlement prescribed workshops.
“That’s wrong,” he said. “Our city leaders, and I, as mayor, would call workshops as often as we needed …to get a thorough airing of issues so that we can formulate good public policy based on good information.”
Making public records more accessible is another item Venzke said he would tackle if elected.
Under the city’s current model, he said, residents must often navigate a maze of agencies and red tape to find documents they’re looking for.
“It’s a rather Byzantine process,” he said. “Often, people don’t get the information they need because they have to work through the system.”
Venzke said he would look into deinstitutionalizing the process and using more efficient technology.
Reed Franklin, a 65-year-old combustion turbine technician at the Cogeneration Plant located on the UF campus has been friends with Venzke for about 10 years.
He said Venzke brings a personable dimension to politics.
“I have a lot of respect for him,” Franklin said. “He’s very smart and very kind and caring — and honest. He’s not a politician. He’s just into making things better.”
Contact Kelcee Griffis at [email protected].
_________________________________________________
comment of Mark Venzke posted after the article
In addition to working for three years as a conductor on an antique tourist railway and offering Chocolate Cab info-choco-tainment service as a cab driver (ChocolateCab.weebly.com), I have worked for seven years as a designer, draftsman and technical illustrator for architecture and engineering firms and for twenty-three seasons in most sectors of the landscape industry. For seven of those years, I owned and operated and environmentally friendly landscape maintenance service. Also, I studied landscape architecture at Purdue University. Please see my campaign Internet site at MarkForMayor.us.
Independent Florida Alligator (student newspaper of the University Of Florida)
http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_9bfef6dc-8f7d-11e2-ad75-001a4bcf887a.html#user-comment-area
published: Monday, March 18, 2013, 2:18 a.m.
last updated: Monday, March 18, 2013, 2:18 a.m.
Kelcee Griffis, Alligator Writer
Editor’s note: This is the final part of a series that profiles candidates running in the 2013 mayoral race.
Mark Venzke has led a colorful life.
The Chicago native used to work as a conductor and tour guide on an antique railway near Orlando.
He was also a Gainesville cabdriver who conducted informal quiz shows with passengers, giving chocolate as prizes for correct answers.
He ran, unsuccessfully, for Gainesville city commissioner last year.
But with the campaign experience under his belt, Venzke said he’s ready to take it to the next level.
He’s running for mayor in Tuesday’s Gainesville city elections.
Venzke, 55, said his No. 1 issue is revamping the city’s proposed biomass plant contract to allow more resources for integrating renewable energy.
“We’ve put all of our eggs in one basket — a biomass basket,” he said.
“We don’t have any eggs left over that GRU — the City of Gainesville — can use to promote and to facilitate the installation of renewable energy systems. But we could do that if we renegotiate this contract.”
Venzke also criticized the city for information he said was withheld from the public during the negotiation stages of the contract.
He said citizens didn’t have a chance to discuss the contract with officials until a lawsuit settlement prescribed workshops.
“That’s wrong,” he said. “Our city leaders, and I, as mayor, would call workshops as often as we needed …to get a thorough airing of issues so that we can formulate good public policy based on good information.”
Making public records more accessible is another item Venzke said he would tackle if elected.
Under the city’s current model, he said, residents must often navigate a maze of agencies and red tape to find documents they’re looking for.
“It’s a rather Byzantine process,” he said. “Often, people don’t get the information they need because they have to work through the system.”
Venzke said he would look into deinstitutionalizing the process and using more efficient technology.
Reed Franklin, a 65-year-old combustion turbine technician at the Cogeneration Plant located on the UF campus has been friends with Venzke for about 10 years.
He said Venzke brings a personable dimension to politics.
“I have a lot of respect for him,” Franklin said. “He’s very smart and very kind and caring — and honest. He’s not a politician. He’s just into making things better.”
Contact Kelcee Griffis at [email protected].
_________________________________________________
comment of Mark Venzke posted after the article
In addition to working for three years as a conductor on an antique tourist railway and offering Chocolate Cab info-choco-tainment service as a cab driver (ChocolateCab.weebly.com), I have worked for seven years as a designer, draftsman and technical illustrator for architecture and engineering firms and for twenty-three seasons in most sectors of the landscape industry. For seven of those years, I owned and operated and environmentally friendly landscape maintenance service. Also, I studied landscape architecture at Purdue University. Please see my campaign Internet site at MarkForMayor.us.
Gainesville city elections are Tuesday
Gainesville Guardian
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130313/GUARDIAN/130319811/1103/GUARDIAN?p=5&tc=pg
published: Thursday, March 13, 2013, 2:54 p.m.
last updated: Thursday, March 13, 2013, 2:54 p.m.
Cleveland Tinker, Contributing Writer
City of Gainesville voters will elect the mayor and a District 4 city commissioner when they go to the polls Tuesday.
Registered voters will be able to cast their ballots at their designated precincts in Gainesville only from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday or take advantage of early voting from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. through Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday at the Alachua County Administration Building at 12 SE 1st St. Pam Carpenter, Alachua County supervisor of elections, said all registered voters will be able to vote for mayor, but only voters who reside in District 4 will be able to vote for city commissioner.
[...]
In addition to those races, a referendum to change Gainesville's election schedule also is on the ballot. Voters will decide if the city charter should be changed to move elections to the fall during odd years, with the regular election in October and a run-off in November. Terms on the commission would be extended from three to four years. If approved, a phased transition would begin in 2014, with fall elections and four-year terms eventually coming in 2017.
Carpenter said city elections have historically drawn 15 percent to 20 percent of voters, but she said there might be an increase in this election because of the number of candidates in the mayoral race and the proposed change to the city charter.
"We typically see an increase in turnout when there are a lot of candidates in a race because each candidate has their own supporters that go to the polls and vote for them," said Carpenter.
Both races offer candidates with a different vision for the future of the city and both races have candidates who have served on the commission in the past and relative newcomers to the city's political scene.
The candidates in the District 4 race are Alfredo Espinosa, former commissioner W.E. "Mac" McEachern and incumbent Randy Wells. The candidates for mayor are former commissioners Ed Braddy and Scherwin Henry, Pete Johnson, incumbent Craig Lowe, Donald Shepherd Sr. and Mark Venzke.
[...]
Venzke, 55, an unemployed entrepreneur working to start an electric cab company that will use electric-powered cars, wrote in an email that the three major issues at stake in this election include the level of democracy in city government, safe drinking water and the safety and health of residents living in the Stephen Foster neighborhood near the Cabot-Koppers Superfund site on NW 23rd Avenue. The site and parts of the neighboring area contains groundwater contamination from past charcoal, pine oil and pine tar production.
Venzke wrote that his top three priorities will be to establish a forward-looking and responsible energy police, re-establish open and responsive government and to empower socially and economically disengaged residents by revitalizing struggling neighborhoods through public/private partnerships.
Facts CITY ELECTION What: Election for Gainesville mayor and District 4 City Commission.
When: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday.
Where: Voting precincts in Gainesville only.
Miscellaneous: Early voting continues from 9 a.m-5 p.m. through Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday at the Alachua County Administration Building.
Information: Call 352-374-5252; www.votealachua.com.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville Guardian
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130313/GUARDIAN/130319811/1103/GUARDIAN?p=5&tc=pg
published: Thursday, March 13, 2013, 2:54 p.m.
last updated: Thursday, March 13, 2013, 2:54 p.m.
Cleveland Tinker, Contributing Writer
City of Gainesville voters will elect the mayor and a District 4 city commissioner when they go to the polls Tuesday.
Registered voters will be able to cast their ballots at their designated precincts in Gainesville only from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday or take advantage of early voting from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. through Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday at the Alachua County Administration Building at 12 SE 1st St. Pam Carpenter, Alachua County supervisor of elections, said all registered voters will be able to vote for mayor, but only voters who reside in District 4 will be able to vote for city commissioner.
[...]
In addition to those races, a referendum to change Gainesville's election schedule also is on the ballot. Voters will decide if the city charter should be changed to move elections to the fall during odd years, with the regular election in October and a run-off in November. Terms on the commission would be extended from three to four years. If approved, a phased transition would begin in 2014, with fall elections and four-year terms eventually coming in 2017.
Carpenter said city elections have historically drawn 15 percent to 20 percent of voters, but she said there might be an increase in this election because of the number of candidates in the mayoral race and the proposed change to the city charter.
"We typically see an increase in turnout when there are a lot of candidates in a race because each candidate has their own supporters that go to the polls and vote for them," said Carpenter.
Both races offer candidates with a different vision for the future of the city and both races have candidates who have served on the commission in the past and relative newcomers to the city's political scene.
The candidates in the District 4 race are Alfredo Espinosa, former commissioner W.E. "Mac" McEachern and incumbent Randy Wells. The candidates for mayor are former commissioners Ed Braddy and Scherwin Henry, Pete Johnson, incumbent Craig Lowe, Donald Shepherd Sr. and Mark Venzke.
[...]
Venzke, 55, an unemployed entrepreneur working to start an electric cab company that will use electric-powered cars, wrote in an email that the three major issues at stake in this election include the level of democracy in city government, safe drinking water and the safety and health of residents living in the Stephen Foster neighborhood near the Cabot-Koppers Superfund site on NW 23rd Avenue. The site and parts of the neighboring area contains groundwater contamination from past charcoal, pine oil and pine tar production.
Venzke wrote that his top three priorities will be to establish a forward-looking and responsible energy police, re-establish open and responsive government and to empower socially and economically disengaged residents by revitalizing struggling neighborhoods through public/private partnerships.
Facts CITY ELECTION What: Election for Gainesville mayor and District 4 City Commission.
When: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday.
Where: Voting precincts in Gainesville only.
Miscellaneous: Early voting continues from 9 a.m-5 p.m. through Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday at the Alachua County Administration Building.
Information: Call 352-374-5252; www.votealachua.com.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Candidates battle, students weigh in
Independent Florida Alligator (student newspaper of the University Of Florida)
http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_6104af60-8c5b-11e2-83ed-001a4bcf887a.html
published: Thursday, March 14, 2013, 1:00 a.m.
last updated: Thursday, March 14, 2013, 1:00 a.m.
Billy Kennedy, Contributing Writer
With less than a week until Tuesday’s Gainesville city election, candidates discussed local business, the soft closing of bars, utility rates and homelessness Wednesday night.
UF Student Government’s Chomp the Vote agency hosted the forum in the Reitz Union Rion Ballroom. About 60 people attended.
[...]
Venzke, Johnson and Lowe support soft closing. McEachern said that soft closings have been done before and didn’t work, but said he is “willing to listen to anything that you have to present.”
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Independent Florida Alligator (student newspaper of the University Of Florida)
http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_6104af60-8c5b-11e2-83ed-001a4bcf887a.html
published: Thursday, March 14, 2013, 1:00 a.m.
last updated: Thursday, March 14, 2013, 1:00 a.m.
Billy Kennedy, Contributing Writer
With less than a week until Tuesday’s Gainesville city election, candidates discussed local business, the soft closing of bars, utility rates and homelessness Wednesday night.
UF Student Government’s Chomp the Vote agency hosted the forum in the Reitz Union Rion Ballroom. About 60 people attended.
[...]
Venzke, Johnson and Lowe support soft closing. McEachern said that soft closings have been done before and didn’t work, but said he is “willing to listen to anything that you have to present.”
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville candidates for mayor question each other at forum
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130313/ARTICLES/130319796?tc=cr
published: March 13, 2013, 4:55 p.m.
last updated: March 13, 2013, 4:55 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
In the final days of the race for Gainesville mayor, the Democracy Commitment at Santa Fe College’s forum Wednesday offered a new wrinkle.
photo gallery
Mayoral Candidates Forum
Candidates fielded questions from other candidates, which led to incumbent Craig Lowe and former two-term City Commissioner Ed Braddy each accusing the other of playing loose with facts.
[...]
As the incumbent, Lowe had the majority of the questions put to him. Candidate Mark Venzke questioned the non-competitive hiring in 2010 of Lowe’s former campaign manager as a mayoral assistant.
The creation of the position and the hiring, Venzke said, were not consistent with the city charter.
During the forum and in a brief interview afterward, Lowe said the clerk of the commission made the hire and the job did not have to go through a competitive hiring process under city policies because it was established as a temporary position.
Asked after the forum if he had not requested that the clerk hire his former campaign manager, Garrett Garner, Lowe said that he’d had “input” and asked for that individual but reiterated his statement that the clerk made the final decision.
He also downplayed the issue, saying challengers had to “go into the weeds on this” because of the economic successes in the city.
“When you focus on issues like this, you’ve got nothing,” Lowe said in an interview after the forum.
[...]
During the forum, Lowe frequently stated that companies were coming to or expanding in Gainesville because the city offers a good quality of life achieved by environmental and neighborhood protections and broad anti-discrimination policies.
Henry said economic inequalities remain under Lowe.
[...]
On the biomass plant, every candidate but Lowe said they would support an effort to nullify the 30-year biomass contract to purchase power on the grounds that two separate sales of a combined 57 percent ownership interest violated the contract.
If the contract cannot be voided, Johnson and Venzke said they felt there could be some benefit if the city is able to purchase a controlling interest in the plant. That is something the city’s ongoing demand for arbitration seeks as an option.
Johnson said he felt that could cut costs because the city would not have to include the private biomass company’s profit margin in its electric prices. Venzke said it would give the city more control over decisions involving the plant.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130313/ARTICLES/130319796?tc=cr
published: March 13, 2013, 4:55 p.m.
last updated: March 13, 2013, 4:55 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
In the final days of the race for Gainesville mayor, the Democracy Commitment at Santa Fe College’s forum Wednesday offered a new wrinkle.
photo gallery
Mayoral Candidates Forum
Candidates fielded questions from other candidates, which led to incumbent Craig Lowe and former two-term City Commissioner Ed Braddy each accusing the other of playing loose with facts.
[...]
As the incumbent, Lowe had the majority of the questions put to him. Candidate Mark Venzke questioned the non-competitive hiring in 2010 of Lowe’s former campaign manager as a mayoral assistant.
The creation of the position and the hiring, Venzke said, were not consistent with the city charter.
During the forum and in a brief interview afterward, Lowe said the clerk of the commission made the hire and the job did not have to go through a competitive hiring process under city policies because it was established as a temporary position.
Asked after the forum if he had not requested that the clerk hire his former campaign manager, Garrett Garner, Lowe said that he’d had “input” and asked for that individual but reiterated his statement that the clerk made the final decision.
He also downplayed the issue, saying challengers had to “go into the weeds on this” because of the economic successes in the city.
“When you focus on issues like this, you’ve got nothing,” Lowe said in an interview after the forum.
[...]
During the forum, Lowe frequently stated that companies were coming to or expanding in Gainesville because the city offers a good quality of life achieved by environmental and neighborhood protections and broad anti-discrimination policies.
Henry said economic inequalities remain under Lowe.
[...]
On the biomass plant, every candidate but Lowe said they would support an effort to nullify the 30-year biomass contract to purchase power on the grounds that two separate sales of a combined 57 percent ownership interest violated the contract.
If the contract cannot be voided, Johnson and Venzke said they felt there could be some benefit if the city is able to purchase a controlling interest in the plant. That is something the city’s ongoing demand for arbitration seeks as an option.
Johnson said he felt that could cut costs because the city would not have to include the private biomass company’s profit margin in its electric prices. Venzke said it would give the city more control over decisions involving the plant.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
audio interview
Q&A with Mark Venzke
WUFT web
http://www.wuft.org/news/2013/03/08/mayoral-candidate-profile-mark-venzke
click on the play button near the top of the page
[outstanding interview]
Q&A with Mark Venzke
WUFT web
http://www.wuft.org/news/2013/03/08/mayoral-candidate-profile-mark-venzke
click on the play button near the top of the page
[outstanding interview]
Profile: Mark Venzke
WUFT web
http://www.wuft.org/news/2013/03/08/mayoral-candidate-profile-mark-venzke
published: March 8, 2013
last updated: March 13, 2013, 4:27 p.m.
Ashira Morris, reporter
Leah Harding, reporter, contributed audio reporting.
Mark Venzke’s résumé already includes antique tourist railway conductor, landscape architect and cab driver.
He’s hoping to add Gainesville mayor to the list.
As a self-described fiscally conservative centrist, Venzke believes that he can “suit the political taste of a broad range of people.” He is running in the public’s interest, he said, without the support of any interest groups.
His campaign is centered around a responsible energy policy, revitalizing trade and service sectors and a more open governance.
If elected, Venzke said he would work to renegotiate the biomass contract, which he believes is one-sided. He wants a plan that would purchase the minimum amount of energy from the biomass plant. He would spend the rest of taxpayers’ dollars on renewable energy sources.
“We can’t just let (the biomass contract) go and see where it’s going to take us,” he said, “because it has the potential. . . to be financially devastating to our city and to its citizens.”
Venzke also wants to take the mentality of Gainesville’s burgeoning innovation community and apply it to trade and service industries. He would build education and training centers to help more people launch business careers.
He considers himself a part of the innovation community and participated in Gainesville Startup Weekend last September.
Venzke, who frequently attends lectures at the Bob Graham Center for Public Service, said he also wants to bring more intellectualism to city government.
“I have a strong respect for knowledge and information gained systematically through the social science and political sciences,” he said.
He has felt a calling to public service since his young adulthood. A year ago, he ran for Gainesville city commissioner and received a little more than 1 percent of the vote, according to the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections.
Before moving to Gainesville, he worked on political projects ranging from environmental activism to Ross Perot’s 1996 presidential campaign.
Venzke has lived in Gainesville for most of the past decade. In that time, five of his bicycles have been stolen. After he was attacked in his Near South neighborhood in 2011, Venzke has worked to revitalize the area, from cleaning up trash to sending out neighborhood newsletters.
Ten years from now, he hopes that Gainesville will be “a place of great opportunity for those across the socioeconomic and education spectrum.”
WUFT web
http://www.wuft.org/news/2013/03/08/mayoral-candidate-profile-mark-venzke
published: March 8, 2013
last updated: March 13, 2013, 4:27 p.m.
Ashira Morris, reporter
Leah Harding, reporter, contributed audio reporting.
Mark Venzke’s résumé already includes antique tourist railway conductor, landscape architect and cab driver.
He’s hoping to add Gainesville mayor to the list.
As a self-described fiscally conservative centrist, Venzke believes that he can “suit the political taste of a broad range of people.” He is running in the public’s interest, he said, without the support of any interest groups.
His campaign is centered around a responsible energy policy, revitalizing trade and service sectors and a more open governance.
If elected, Venzke said he would work to renegotiate the biomass contract, which he believes is one-sided. He wants a plan that would purchase the minimum amount of energy from the biomass plant. He would spend the rest of taxpayers’ dollars on renewable energy sources.
“We can’t just let (the biomass contract) go and see where it’s going to take us,” he said, “because it has the potential. . . to be financially devastating to our city and to its citizens.”
Venzke also wants to take the mentality of Gainesville’s burgeoning innovation community and apply it to trade and service industries. He would build education and training centers to help more people launch business careers.
He considers himself a part of the innovation community and participated in Gainesville Startup Weekend last September.
Venzke, who frequently attends lectures at the Bob Graham Center for Public Service, said he also wants to bring more intellectualism to city government.
“I have a strong respect for knowledge and information gained systematically through the social science and political sciences,” he said.
He has felt a calling to public service since his young adulthood. A year ago, he ran for Gainesville city commissioner and received a little more than 1 percent of the vote, according to the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections.
Before moving to Gainesville, he worked on political projects ranging from environmental activism to Ross Perot’s 1996 presidential campaign.
Venzke has lived in Gainesville for most of the past decade. In that time, five of his bicycles have been stolen. After he was attacked in his Near South neighborhood in 2011, Venzke has worked to revitalize the area, from cleaning up trash to sending out neighborhood newsletters.
Ten years from now, he hopes that Gainesville will be “a place of great opportunity for those across the socioeconomic and education spectrum.”
Candidates criticize biomass plant, transportation
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130311/ARTICLES/130319921?p=1&tc=pg
published: Monday, March 11, 2013, 9:30 p.m.
last updated: Monday, March 11, 2013, 9:30 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
On the day that early voting started with 156 ballots cast, challengers for mayor and District 4 city commissioner criticized the city over the biomass contract and transportation issues.
At a Gainesville Business Community Coalition forum, five candidates for mayor and two commission candidates said the biomass contract would drive up electric rates that already ranked among the highest in the state for most usage levels.
At a forum hosted by a coalition comprised of the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce, Gainesville/Alachua County Association of Realtors and the Builders Association of North Central Florida, candidates said the coming rate hikes associated with the biomass plant posed a threat to the viability of businesses.
There was also general consensus among the candidates that the city does not pump enough money into road repairs and opposition to the current commission's plans to develop a bus rapid transit system.
The only candidates absent were the incumbents, Mayor Craig Lowe and Commissioner Randy Wells, who were attending the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization meeting. They were gone but not forgotten.
[...]
Mayoral candidate Mark Venkze supported investing in the enhancement of the current bus system, saying the congestion on some area roadways showed the need for “efficient public transit.”
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130311/ARTICLES/130319921?p=1&tc=pg
published: Monday, March 11, 2013, 9:30 p.m.
last updated: Monday, March 11, 2013, 9:30 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
On the day that early voting started with 156 ballots cast, challengers for mayor and District 4 city commissioner criticized the city over the biomass contract and transportation issues.
At a Gainesville Business Community Coalition forum, five candidates for mayor and two commission candidates said the biomass contract would drive up electric rates that already ranked among the highest in the state for most usage levels.
At a forum hosted by a coalition comprised of the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce, Gainesville/Alachua County Association of Realtors and the Builders Association of North Central Florida, candidates said the coming rate hikes associated with the biomass plant posed a threat to the viability of businesses.
There was also general consensus among the candidates that the city does not pump enough money into road repairs and opposition to the current commission's plans to develop a bus rapid transit system.
The only candidates absent were the incumbents, Mayor Craig Lowe and Commissioner Randy Wells, who were attending the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization meeting. They were gone but not forgotten.
[...]
Mayoral candidate Mark Venkze supported investing in the enhancement of the current bus system, saying the congestion on some area roadways showed the need for “efficient public transit.”
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Six in race for Gainesville mayor
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/section/TOPIC0319
published: Monday, March 11, 2013
last updated: Monday, March 11, 2013
various journalists
This special section of the newspaper provides a compilation of coverage of the race for mayor.
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/section/TOPIC0319
published: Monday, March 11, 2013
last updated: Monday, March 11, 2013
various journalists
This special section of the newspaper provides a compilation of coverage of the race for mayor.
Six mayoral candidates have distinctly different missions
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130309/ARTICLES/130309572/0/FRONTPAGE?tc=ar
published: Sunday, March 10, 2013
last updated: Sunday, March 10, 2013
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
Six candidates are vying to be Gainesville’s mayor in the March 19 city election.
With early voting under way starting Monday, the ballot also includes the race for City Commission District 4.
If a runoff is needed for either the mayoral or City Commission race, that will occur on April 16.
The field for mayor includes two former city commissioners; the incumbent, who is also a former city commissioner; and the former chairman of the airport authority. Here’s a glimpse at the mayoral candidates:
Ed Braddy
[...]
Like most candidates, Braddy is campaigning in opposition to the city’s biomass contract, saying it will drive up electric rates.
He had been termed-limited out of office when the City Commission unanimously approved the contract in 2009. A year earlier, it was Braddy who made the motion, after listening to public opposition, for the city to select staff’s top-ranked proposal for a biomass plant, a 100-megawatt generating station, and start contract negotiations.
At that May 2008 meeting, Braddy said the city had a “good set of proposals in front of us” and had been a “long way” in reviewing and discussing the planned plant.
“I don’t see this as a rush to judgment,” Braddy said then.
Today, Braddy said he was never a strong supporter of the biomass plant and initially favored a coal-fired plant, which he says, in retrospect, was a mistake. Braddy said the City Commission, himself included, should have heeded the public concerns in 2008.
“I think the biggest lesson is that a lot of people in the audience were right and we should have listened to them more carefully,” Braddy said.
Scherwin Henry
[...]
Henry was in office when the City Commission unanimously approved the biomass contract in 2009. If he had it to do over, he said he would vote against the contract. Henry said his decision to approve the contract relied on information staff provided on projected rate impacts and those impacts are now more substantial than he was told.
[...]
Pete Johnson
[...]
He said he wants city government to be more “accessible and available” to the public and more “citizen focused.”
[...]
On transportation, he supports a sales tax referendum for roads and bus service. But he said bus rapid transit should not be part of those tax talks when the current transit system still needs improvement. The city and the county need to work together more closely to “get political support for the obvious need of our roads.”
[...]
Craig Lowe
Lowe served on the City Commission from 2003 to 2010 and now seeks a second term as mayor.
[...]
With all other candidates criticizing the biomass contract, Lowe noted that Braddy voted in support of moving ahead with plans for the plant as a commissioner and Henry was part of the City Commission that unanimously approved the contract.
[...]
[...]
During his tenure as mayor, Lowe has faced criticism over the fact that the city hired his campaign manager from 2010, Garrett Garner, as a mayoral aide without a competitive hiring process.
Lowe has responded that a competitive process was not required because the job, which Garner has now been in for some three years [ed emphasis added], is categorized as a temporary professional position.
Lowe has also faced criticism, including from mayoral opponents, for putting in place the requirement that speakers sign up in advance to speak at the 6 p.m. time for public comment.
“There are those, a very tiny group, who want to disrupt City Commission meetings,” Lowe said. “It is my duty as mayor to ensure that meetings run in an orderly fashion and there are apparently mayoral candidates who want meetings run in a disorderly fashion.”
Donald Shepherd Sr.
Shepherd, a former groundskeeper and worker at the University of Florida, currently supports himself through unemployment. He said he knows the struggles those with limited means face paying utility bills and taxes.
[...]
Mark Venzke
Venzke ran for the City Commission in 2012 and says he is now an entrepreneur trying to start an electric taxi company in Gainesville.
Venzke’s platform focuses on a “fully responsible” energy policy, having open and responsive government, and enabling “socially and economically disengaged” people while revitalizing struggling neighborhoods.
He said pushing to see through the cleanup of the Koppers superfund site and contaminated off-site properties would also be a priority.
Venzke said coal, natural gas and biomass all raise environmental concerns as fuel for power plants. He would like to see the city, which already has an ambitious solar program, take additional steps to promote the public and private sector installation of solar arrays.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130309/ARTICLES/130309572/0/FRONTPAGE?tc=ar
published: Sunday, March 10, 2013
last updated: Sunday, March 10, 2013
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
Six candidates are vying to be Gainesville’s mayor in the March 19 city election.
With early voting under way starting Monday, the ballot also includes the race for City Commission District 4.
If a runoff is needed for either the mayoral or City Commission race, that will occur on April 16.
The field for mayor includes two former city commissioners; the incumbent, who is also a former city commissioner; and the former chairman of the airport authority. Here’s a glimpse at the mayoral candidates:
Ed Braddy
[...]
Like most candidates, Braddy is campaigning in opposition to the city’s biomass contract, saying it will drive up electric rates.
He had been termed-limited out of office when the City Commission unanimously approved the contract in 2009. A year earlier, it was Braddy who made the motion, after listening to public opposition, for the city to select staff’s top-ranked proposal for a biomass plant, a 100-megawatt generating station, and start contract negotiations.
At that May 2008 meeting, Braddy said the city had a “good set of proposals in front of us” and had been a “long way” in reviewing and discussing the planned plant.
“I don’t see this as a rush to judgment,” Braddy said then.
Today, Braddy said he was never a strong supporter of the biomass plant and initially favored a coal-fired plant, which he says, in retrospect, was a mistake. Braddy said the City Commission, himself included, should have heeded the public concerns in 2008.
“I think the biggest lesson is that a lot of people in the audience were right and we should have listened to them more carefully,” Braddy said.
Scherwin Henry
[...]
Henry was in office when the City Commission unanimously approved the biomass contract in 2009. If he had it to do over, he said he would vote against the contract. Henry said his decision to approve the contract relied on information staff provided on projected rate impacts and those impacts are now more substantial than he was told.
[...]
Pete Johnson
[...]
He said he wants city government to be more “accessible and available” to the public and more “citizen focused.”
[...]
On transportation, he supports a sales tax referendum for roads and bus service. But he said bus rapid transit should not be part of those tax talks when the current transit system still needs improvement. The city and the county need to work together more closely to “get political support for the obvious need of our roads.”
[...]
Craig Lowe
Lowe served on the City Commission from 2003 to 2010 and now seeks a second term as mayor.
[...]
With all other candidates criticizing the biomass contract, Lowe noted that Braddy voted in support of moving ahead with plans for the plant as a commissioner and Henry was part of the City Commission that unanimously approved the contract.
[...]
[...]
During his tenure as mayor, Lowe has faced criticism over the fact that the city hired his campaign manager from 2010, Garrett Garner, as a mayoral aide without a competitive hiring process.
Lowe has responded that a competitive process was not required because the job, which Garner has now been in for some three years [ed emphasis added], is categorized as a temporary professional position.
Lowe has also faced criticism, including from mayoral opponents, for putting in place the requirement that speakers sign up in advance to speak at the 6 p.m. time for public comment.
“There are those, a very tiny group, who want to disrupt City Commission meetings,” Lowe said. “It is my duty as mayor to ensure that meetings run in an orderly fashion and there are apparently mayoral candidates who want meetings run in a disorderly fashion.”
Donald Shepherd Sr.
Shepherd, a former groundskeeper and worker at the University of Florida, currently supports himself through unemployment. He said he knows the struggles those with limited means face paying utility bills and taxes.
[...]
Mark Venzke
Venzke ran for the City Commission in 2012 and says he is now an entrepreneur trying to start an electric taxi company in Gainesville.
Venzke’s platform focuses on a “fully responsible” energy policy, having open and responsive government, and enabling “socially and economically disengaged” people while revitalizing struggling neighborhoods.
He said pushing to see through the cleanup of the Koppers superfund site and contaminated off-site properties would also be a priority.
Venzke said coal, natural gas and biomass all raise environmental concerns as fuel for power plants. He would like to see the city, which already has an ambitious solar program, take additional steps to promote the public and private sector installation of solar arrays.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
May (or) may not.
The Fine Print
http://www.thefineprintuf.org/2013/03/06/mayor-may-not-gainesville-elections
published: March 6, 2013
last updated: March 6, 2013
Christine Csencsitz
Confused about who to cast your vote for in Gainesville’s mayoral elections on March 19? Confused because you didn’t realize we had mayoral elections on March 19? Either way, The Fine Print is here to help. Read up on this election season’s candidates, then exercise your right to make an educated vote!
The Fine Print
http://www.thefineprintuf.org/2013/03/06/mayor-may-not-gainesville-elections
published: March 6, 2013
last updated: March 6, 2013
Christine Csencsitz
Confused about who to cast your vote for in Gainesville’s mayoral elections on March 19? Confused because you didn’t realize we had mayoral elections on March 19? Either way, The Fine Print is here to help. Read up on this election season’s candidates, then exercise your right to make an educated vote!
Mark Venzke
www.MarkForMayor.us
Mark Venzke, who ran unsuccessfully for city commissioner last year, is largely a proponent of environmental activism. Venzke worked for a number of years in the landscape industry based in Chicago and later worked in Indiana and Colorado before eventually moving to Gainesville. Though his campaign focuses are broad, ranging from establishing “open and responsive government” to furthering Gainesville’s current transportation systems, Venzke has a keen interest in pursuing a “fully responsible energy policy,” as per his campaign website. Taking stances against the biomass plant contract, which he says is too expensive and not well-suited for Gainesville, and the currently operating solar feed-in tariff program, Venzke seems focused on opening new avenues of renewable energy in Gainesville.
[...]
[ed. Mark supports the solar feed-in tariff program and he advocates that Gainesville Regional Utilities expand programs to promote energy efficiency measures and institute additional, new programs to promote the installation of renewable energy systems with money saved from re-negotiation of the biomass electric contract. Cool caricature. ;) ]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
www.MarkForMayor.us
Mark Venzke, who ran unsuccessfully for city commissioner last year, is largely a proponent of environmental activism. Venzke worked for a number of years in the landscape industry based in Chicago and later worked in Indiana and Colorado before eventually moving to Gainesville. Though his campaign focuses are broad, ranging from establishing “open and responsive government” to furthering Gainesville’s current transportation systems, Venzke has a keen interest in pursuing a “fully responsible energy policy,” as per his campaign website. Taking stances against the biomass plant contract, which he says is too expensive and not well-suited for Gainesville, and the currently operating solar feed-in tariff program, Venzke seems focused on opening new avenues of renewable energy in Gainesville.
[...]
[ed. Mark supports the solar feed-in tariff program and he advocates that Gainesville Regional Utilities expand programs to promote energy efficiency measures and institute additional, new programs to promote the installation of renewable energy systems with money saved from re-negotiation of the biomass electric contract. Cool caricature. ;) ]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Lowe campaign raised the most during the latest reporting period
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130305/ARTICLES/130309819/1183?Title=Lowe-campaign-raised-the-most-during-latest-reporting-period
published: Tuesday, February 5, 2013, 1:57 p.m.
last updated: Tuesday, February 5, 2013, 1:57 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
Incumbent Craig Lowe led mayoral candidates in the number of contributions and the amount of money raised during the latest fundraising period.
For the roughly two-week period from Feb. 9 to Feb. 22, the Lowe campaign received 72 contributions totaling $4,440.
Former City Commissioner Ed Braddy received 34 contributions and $3,475. Former City Commissioner Scherwin Henry received 24 contributions for $2,370. Former Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority Board Chair Pete Johnson received 10 contributions for $1,475.
Candidate Mark Venzke received four contributions and $71. Donald E. Shepherd Sr. reported no contributions during the latest period.
Lowe put $500 toward his own campaign. Other contributors included City Commissioners Lauren Poe, Yvonne Hinson-Rawls and Susan Bottcher, and Don Herget, treasurer of the county Democratic Executive Committee.
In a little more than a year, Lowe’s re-election bid has raised approximately $25,200 and spent about $20,175.
[...]
Early voting begins Monday at the Supervisor of Elections office in the County Administration Building, 12 SE 1st St. Gainesville, and runs through the following Sunday.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130305/ARTICLES/130309819/1183?Title=Lowe-campaign-raised-the-most-during-latest-reporting-period
published: Tuesday, February 5, 2013, 1:57 p.m.
last updated: Tuesday, February 5, 2013, 1:57 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
Incumbent Craig Lowe led mayoral candidates in the number of contributions and the amount of money raised during the latest fundraising period.
For the roughly two-week period from Feb. 9 to Feb. 22, the Lowe campaign received 72 contributions totaling $4,440.
Former City Commissioner Ed Braddy received 34 contributions and $3,475. Former City Commissioner Scherwin Henry received 24 contributions for $2,370. Former Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority Board Chair Pete Johnson received 10 contributions for $1,475.
Candidate Mark Venzke received four contributions and $71. Donald E. Shepherd Sr. reported no contributions during the latest period.
Lowe put $500 toward his own campaign. Other contributors included City Commissioners Lauren Poe, Yvonne Hinson-Rawls and Susan Bottcher, and Don Herget, treasurer of the county Democratic Executive Committee.
In a little more than a year, Lowe’s re-election bid has raised approximately $25,200 and spent about $20,175.
[...]
Early voting begins Monday at the Supervisor of Elections office in the County Administration Building, 12 SE 1st St. Gainesville, and runs through the following Sunday.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
University Corners project fires up mayoral forum
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130303/ARTICLES/130309901/1139?Title=University-Corners-project-fires-up-mayoral-forum
published: Monday, February 3, 2013, 8:36 p.m.
last updated: Monday, February 3, 2013, 8:36 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
Craig Lowe and Ed Braddy sparred over their past votes on the proposed University Corners development during a Sunday afternoon forum for Gainesville mayoral candidates.
[...]
“We both sort of switched positions,” he said. “I think I ended up right.”
The University Corners site borders the University Park residential community and the development was a focus of discussion at Sunday’s forum, which was co-hosted by the Duckpond & University Park neighborhood associations. The six mayoral candidates will face off in the March 19 election for the opportunity to serve a three-year term. A runoff election, if necessary, will be on April 16.
Candidates were asked their stance on an active application from the developer to increase allowable building height from eight to 10 stories and a request for tens of millions in tax reimbursements from property tax revenues University Corners will generate for the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency.
“I do think that 10 stories would just be overpowering for this neighborhood,” said former city commissioner Scherwin Henry.
Henry, who was in the majority that approved a roughly $98 million tax reimbursement package in 2007, said his decision whether to support incentives will depend on the amount ultimately requested. The package approved in 2007 has expired because the project did not meet a deadline for construction.
Candidate Mark Venzke spoke against the requested height increases and said a six-story building would be more appropriate. On incentives, he said he would not like to see the city provide any “substantial” amount of tax funding.
[...]
The dispute between the city and the company behind the biomass plant and whether the late-2011 sale of a 40 percent stake constituted a change of ownership also came up. Asked if the city had grounds to terminate the contract, all candidates but Lowe said yes. Lowe said that, according to the city’s attorneys, Gainesville did not. The city is seeking arbitration, saying the sale violated a provision of the contract.
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130303/ARTICLES/130309901/1139?Title=University-Corners-project-fires-up-mayoral-forum
published: Monday, February 3, 2013, 8:36 p.m.
last updated: Monday, February 3, 2013, 8:36 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
Craig Lowe and Ed Braddy sparred over their past votes on the proposed University Corners development during a Sunday afternoon forum for Gainesville mayoral candidates.
[...]
“We both sort of switched positions,” he said. “I think I ended up right.”
The University Corners site borders the University Park residential community and the development was a focus of discussion at Sunday’s forum, which was co-hosted by the Duckpond & University Park neighborhood associations. The six mayoral candidates will face off in the March 19 election for the opportunity to serve a three-year term. A runoff election, if necessary, will be on April 16.
Candidates were asked their stance on an active application from the developer to increase allowable building height from eight to 10 stories and a request for tens of millions in tax reimbursements from property tax revenues University Corners will generate for the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency.
“I do think that 10 stories would just be overpowering for this neighborhood,” said former city commissioner Scherwin Henry.
Henry, who was in the majority that approved a roughly $98 million tax reimbursement package in 2007, said his decision whether to support incentives will depend on the amount ultimately requested. The package approved in 2007 has expired because the project did not meet a deadline for construction.
Candidate Mark Venzke spoke against the requested height increases and said a six-story building would be more appropriate. On incentives, he said he would not like to see the city provide any “substantial” amount of tax funding.
[...]
The dispute between the city and the company behind the biomass plant and whether the late-2011 sale of a 40 percent stake constituted a change of ownership also came up. Asked if the city had grounds to terminate the contract, all candidates but Lowe said yes. Lowe said that, according to the city’s attorneys, Gainesville did not. The city is seeking arbitration, saying the sale violated a provision of the contract.
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
City candidates talk transportation, park plan during forum
Independent Florida Alligator (student newspaper of the University Of Florida)
http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_62b94afe-7f0a-11e2-87d4-001a4bcf887a.html#user-comment-area
published: Monday, February 25, 2013, 12:15 a.m.
last updated: Monday, February 25, 2013, 12:27 a.m.
Billy Kennedy, contributing writer
Gainesville city election candidates discussed transportation needs, the closing of a former jail and building renovations during a forum Saturday afternoon.
The Alachua County League of Women Voters hosted the third candidate forum of the 2013 Gainesville city elections at the First United Methodist Church, located at 419 NE First St. About 65 people attended the event.
The forum began with the mayoral debate and was attended by all six candidates: former commissioners Ed Braddy and Scherwin L. Henry, former Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority board member Pete Johnson, incumbent Craig Lowe, Donald E. Shepherd Sr. and Mark Venzke.
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Independent Florida Alligator (student newspaper of the University Of Florida)
http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_62b94afe-7f0a-11e2-87d4-001a4bcf887a.html#user-comment-area
published: Monday, February 25, 2013, 12:15 a.m.
last updated: Monday, February 25, 2013, 12:27 a.m.
Billy Kennedy, contributing writer
Gainesville city election candidates discussed transportation needs, the closing of a former jail and building renovations during a forum Saturday afternoon.
The Alachua County League of Women Voters hosted the third candidate forum of the 2013 Gainesville city elections at the First United Methodist Church, located at 419 NE First St. About 65 people attended the event.
The forum began with the mayoral debate and was attended by all six candidates: former commissioners Ed Braddy and Scherwin L. Henry, former Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority board member Pete Johnson, incumbent Craig Lowe, Donald E. Shepherd Sr. and Mark Venzke.
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Candidates offering differing view on transportation, taxes
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130223/ARTICLES/130229765/1182?p=1&tc=pg
published: Saturday, February 23, 2013, 8:39 p.m.
last modified: Saturday, February 23, 2013, 8:39 p.m.
Cindy Swirko, Staff Writer
Contrasting views over transportation, tax incentives to spur economic development and other issues highlighted Saturday's League of Women Voters forum for candidates for Gainesville mayor and City Commission District 4 posts.
While the six candidates were united on some issues — for instance, they all favored the proposal that would put Gainesville's homeless center in a closed state prison — differences of opinion emerged on other fronts.
[...]
Mayoral candidate Mark Venzke said he favors efforts toward a referendum, but he believes it should not include provisions for bus rapid transit.
"I think it is essential that we provide to our city the flexibility to have multi-modal transportation," Venzke said. "I would like to defer any further progress on bus rapid transit because of its prohibitive price, but I would like to see … express bus service."
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130223/ARTICLES/130229765/1182?p=1&tc=pg
published: Saturday, February 23, 2013, 8:39 p.m.
last modified: Saturday, February 23, 2013, 8:39 p.m.
Cindy Swirko, Staff Writer
Contrasting views over transportation, tax incentives to spur economic development and other issues highlighted Saturday's League of Women Voters forum for candidates for Gainesville mayor and City Commission District 4 posts.
While the six candidates were united on some issues — for instance, they all favored the proposal that would put Gainesville's homeless center in a closed state prison — differences of opinion emerged on other fronts.
[...]
Mayoral candidate Mark Venzke said he favors efforts toward a referendum, but he believes it should not include provisions for bus rapid transit.
"I think it is essential that we provide to our city the flexibility to have multi-modal transportation," Venzke said. "I would like to defer any further progress on bus rapid transit because of its prohibitive price, but I would like to see … express bus service."
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Braddy campaign raises $12K in first month
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130215/ARTICLES/130219684/1182?p=1&tc=pg
published: Friday, February 15, 2013, 9:08 p.m.
last modified: Friday, February 15, 2013, 9:08 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
Former City Commissioner Ed Braddy's campaign for mayor raised more than $12,000 in its first month, according to fundraising reports released Friday afternoon.
Braddy's campaign received 102 contributions totaling $12,035.
[...]
During the latest period, which ran from Jan. 1 to Feb. 8, incumbent Craig Lowe raised $8,655. His campaign received 112 contributions, the highest number of contributions so far in a reporting period.
[...]
Mark Venzke, who previously ran for City Commission in 2012, raised $20, according to reports released on Friday.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130215/ARTICLES/130219684/1182?p=1&tc=pg
published: Friday, February 15, 2013, 9:08 p.m.
last modified: Friday, February 15, 2013, 9:08 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
Former City Commissioner Ed Braddy's campaign for mayor raised more than $12,000 in its first month, according to fundraising reports released Friday afternoon.
Braddy's campaign received 102 contributions totaling $12,035.
[...]
During the latest period, which ran from Jan. 1 to Feb. 8, incumbent Craig Lowe raised $8,655. His campaign received 112 contributions, the highest number of contributions so far in a reporting period.
[...]
Mark Venzke, who previously ran for City Commission in 2012, raised $20, according to reports released on Friday.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
MIA mayor roasted at Black Caucus forum
Alachua Voter Guide
http://alachuavoterguide.com/blog/2013/02/12/mia-mayor-roasted-at-black-caucus-forum
(The online article includes good photo images of the candidates.)
published: Tuesday February 12, 2013
Don Marsh, Publisher
High Springs, Florida, U. S. A.-- It was a rough night for Mayor Craig Lowe at the Alachua County Democratic
Black Caucus forum, and he didn’t even have to be there. The Mayor notified the
organizers at the last minute that he had a “family emergency” and that he could
not attend. Moderator Charles Gosten and the rest of the crowd were not
mollified. Gosten complained openly about the Mayor’s lack of communication in
the three weeks leading up to the forum.
[...]
The candidates were mostly amiable toward one another, saving their attacks
for the Mayor, but there were a few attempts at getting some separation. On the
Koppers issue, Henry said that the issue was complicated and that the jury was
still out on the health effects. Pete Johnson disagreed, saying that the jury
was very much in on the health hazards of dioxin, and that we have it in our
neighborhoods surrounding the old plant. Braddy said we needed to dig up and
remove the contaminated soil, but Mark Venzke said it would be an astronomical
cost, but offered no solution.
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Alachua Voter Guide
http://alachuavoterguide.com/blog/2013/02/12/mia-mayor-roasted-at-black-caucus-forum
(The online article includes good photo images of the candidates.)
published: Tuesday February 12, 2013
Don Marsh, Publisher
High Springs, Florida, U. S. A.-- It was a rough night for Mayor Craig Lowe at the Alachua County Democratic
Black Caucus forum, and he didn’t even have to be there. The Mayor notified the
organizers at the last minute that he had a “family emergency” and that he could
not attend. Moderator Charles Gosten and the rest of the crowd were not
mollified. Gosten complained openly about the Mayor’s lack of communication in
the three weeks leading up to the forum.
[...]
The candidates were mostly amiable toward one another, saving their attacks
for the Mayor, but there were a few attempts at getting some separation. On the
Koppers issue, Henry said that the issue was complicated and that the jury was
still out on the health effects. Pete Johnson disagreed, saying that the jury
was very much in on the health hazards of dioxin, and that we have it in our
neighborhoods surrounding the old plant. Braddy said we needed to dig up and
remove the contaminated soil, but Mark Venzke said it would be an astronomical
cost, but offered no solution.
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
City Commission, mayoral candidates debate during forum
Independent Florida Alligator (student newspaper of the University Of Florida)
http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_dcdb410c-74ce-11e2-84c9-0019bb2963f4.html
published: Tuesday, February 12, 2013, 12:45 a.m.
Billy Kennedy, Contributing Writer
The Alachua County Democratic Black Caucus hosted the second candidate forum of the 2013 Gainesville mayoral and District 4 City Commission campaigns Tuesday night at the Alachua County Administration Building.
[...]
Mark Venzke, former Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority board member Peter Johnson, Donald Shepherd Sr. and former city commissioners Scherwin L. Henry and Ed Braddy participated in the mayoral debate. Mayor Craig Lowe was not in attendance due to a family emergency.
[...]
All the mayoral candidates said they would support pulling the city out of the current biomass contract. The facility is set to become operational later this year.
[...]
BRT features longer, higher-capacity buses and bus-only traffic lanes that allow for the bypassing of traffic congestion. BRT has longer distances between stops than traditional buses. BRT buses have floors the same height as curbs, and covered bus stations.
[...]
Venzke proposed implementing it on a trial basis to determine if the system were to work.
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Independent Florida Alligator (student newspaper of the University Of Florida)
http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_dcdb410c-74ce-11e2-84c9-0019bb2963f4.html
published: Tuesday, February 12, 2013, 12:45 a.m.
Billy Kennedy, Contributing Writer
The Alachua County Democratic Black Caucus hosted the second candidate forum of the 2013 Gainesville mayoral and District 4 City Commission campaigns Tuesday night at the Alachua County Administration Building.
[...]
Mark Venzke, former Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority board member Peter Johnson, Donald Shepherd Sr. and former city commissioners Scherwin L. Henry and Ed Braddy participated in the mayoral debate. Mayor Craig Lowe was not in attendance due to a family emergency.
[...]
All the mayoral candidates said they would support pulling the city out of the current biomass contract. The facility is set to become operational later this year.
[...]
BRT features longer, higher-capacity buses and bus-only traffic lanes that allow for the bypassing of traffic congestion. BRT has longer distances between stops than traditional buses. BRT buses have floors the same height as curbs, and covered bus stations.
[...]
Venzke proposed implementing it on a trial basis to determine if the system were to work.
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Bus rapid transit, biomass hot topics at mayoral debate
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130211/ARTICLES/130219922?tc=cr
published: Monday, February 11, 2013
last updated: Monday, February 11, 2013
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
Bus rapid transit, biomass and the public's access to records were a few of the issues debated at the Alachua County Democratic Black Caucus Monday evening.
Five of the six candidates participated, with incumbent Mayor Craig Lowe absent.
[...]
Mark Venzke, who ran for the commission last year, supported moving ahead cautiously with bus rapid transit. Venzke proposed express bus routes on a trial basis on a high demand route. He said enhanced transit service would bring benefits through reduced congestion and carbon emissions.
[...]
Former Gainesville-Alachua County Airport Authority Board Chair Pete Johnson said the situation at City Hall “has gotten so political that even when mistakes are made, people won't admit them and they won't address them.”
[...]
Each candidate said the city should take a more hardline stance and try to terminate the 30-year contract to buy power from the biomass plant.
[...]
This week, Lowe cited a family emergency for his absence, said moderator Charles Goston. Goston, who routinely included criticism of the current City Commission majority in his questions, said the organizers had tried to reach Lowe for weeks about the event and it was an “affront to the organization” that he did not attend.
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130211/ARTICLES/130219922?tc=cr
published: Monday, February 11, 2013
last updated: Monday, February 11, 2013
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
Bus rapid transit, biomass and the public's access to records were a few of the issues debated at the Alachua County Democratic Black Caucus Monday evening.
Five of the six candidates participated, with incumbent Mayor Craig Lowe absent.
[...]
Mark Venzke, who ran for the commission last year, supported moving ahead cautiously with bus rapid transit. Venzke proposed express bus routes on a trial basis on a high demand route. He said enhanced transit service would bring benefits through reduced congestion and carbon emissions.
[...]
Former Gainesville-Alachua County Airport Authority Board Chair Pete Johnson said the situation at City Hall “has gotten so political that even when mistakes are made, people won't admit them and they won't address them.”
[...]
Each candidate said the city should take a more hardline stance and try to terminate the 30-year contract to buy power from the biomass plant.
[...]
This week, Lowe cited a family emergency for his absence, said moderator Charles Goston. Goston, who routinely included criticism of the current City Commission majority in his questions, said the organizers had tried to reach Lowe for weeks about the event and it was an “affront to the organization” that he did not attend.
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Biomass, transportation, conference center topics at candidate forum
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130204/ARTICLES/130209846?tc=cr
published: Monday, February 5, 2013, 10:56 p.m.
last updated: Monday, February 5, 2013,10:56 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
The African American Accountability Alliance hosted the first candidate forum of the Gainesville election season Monday.
All six of the mayoral candidates and two of the three District 4 candidates attended.
The biomass plant, a potential downtown hotel and conference center and transportation issues were among the topics covered.
Former city commissioners and current mayoral candidates Ed Braddy and Scherwin Henry also criticized incumbent Mayor Craig Lowe over the way that the city hired Lowe's former campaign manager as a mayoral assistant outside a competitive process.
Braddy described it as a "disgraceful act by the mayor." When Lowe said all hiring regulations were followed as required, Henry questioned if the job was advertised and interviews conducted. Lowe said those steps were not necessary because the job is categorized as a temporary position.
[...]
Mark Venzke
On biomass, Venzke, who ran for City Commission in 2012, said, "What appeared to be a good idea morphed into a monster." He called for the city to pursue the renegotiation of the contract to lower its costs.
On the potential of a transportation sales tax referendum that would include roads and transit, Venzke said he would support letting the voters decide if they are willing to pay an extra tax for those projects.
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130204/ARTICLES/130209846?tc=cr
published: Monday, February 5, 2013, 10:56 p.m.
last updated: Monday, February 5, 2013,10:56 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
The African American Accountability Alliance hosted the first candidate forum of the Gainesville election season Monday.
All six of the mayoral candidates and two of the three District 4 candidates attended.
The biomass plant, a potential downtown hotel and conference center and transportation issues were among the topics covered.
Former city commissioners and current mayoral candidates Ed Braddy and Scherwin Henry also criticized incumbent Mayor Craig Lowe over the way that the city hired Lowe's former campaign manager as a mayoral assistant outside a competitive process.
Braddy described it as a "disgraceful act by the mayor." When Lowe said all hiring regulations were followed as required, Henry questioned if the job was advertised and interviews conducted. Lowe said those steps were not necessary because the job is categorized as a temporary position.
[...]
Mark Venzke
On biomass, Venzke, who ran for City Commission in 2012, said, "What appeared to be a good idea morphed into a monster." He called for the city to pursue the renegotiation of the contract to lower its costs.
On the potential of a transportation sales tax referendum that would include roads and transit, Venzke said he would support letting the voters decide if they are willing to pay an extra tax for those projects.
[...]
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Mayor, city commission candidates set for elections
Independent Florida Alligator (student newspaper of the University Of Florida)
http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_6f4afaf6-6e7f-11e2-a80f-001a4bcf887a.html
published: Monday, February 4, 2013, 1:00 a.m.
Billy Kennedy, Alligator Contributing Writer
With the conclusion of the five-day qualifying period Friday, the race for the March city elections is on.
As of Sunday night there were six mayoral candidates as well as three District 4 City Commission candidates, according to the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office.
In the mayoral race, former Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority board member Peter Johnson, Donald Shepherd Sr., Mark Venzke and former city commissioners Ed Braddy and Scherwin L. Henry are challenging incumbent Mayor Craig Lowe.
In the City Commission race, UF building construction junior Alfredo Espinosa, former City Commissioner W.E. “Mac” McEachern and incumbent Commissioner Randy Wells are vying for the District 4 seat.
[...]
Elections will be held March 19.
All registered voters living in Gainesville can vote in the mayoral race, while only District 4 residents can vote in the District 4 race.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Independent Florida Alligator (student newspaper of the University Of Florida)
http://www.alligator.org/news/local/article_6f4afaf6-6e7f-11e2-a80f-001a4bcf887a.html
published: Monday, February 4, 2013, 1:00 a.m.
Billy Kennedy, Alligator Contributing Writer
With the conclusion of the five-day qualifying period Friday, the race for the March city elections is on.
As of Sunday night there were six mayoral candidates as well as three District 4 City Commission candidates, according to the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office.
In the mayoral race, former Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority board member Peter Johnson, Donald Shepherd Sr., Mark Venzke and former city commissioners Ed Braddy and Scherwin L. Henry are challenging incumbent Mayor Craig Lowe.
In the City Commission race, UF building construction junior Alfredo Espinosa, former City Commissioner W.E. “Mac” McEachern and incumbent Commissioner Randy Wells are vying for the District 4 seat.
[...]
Elections will be held March 19.
All registered voters living in Gainesville can vote in the mayoral race, while only District 4 residents can vote in the District 4 race.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Races set in Gainesville city elections
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130201/ARTICLES/130209987?tc=cr&tc=ar
published: Friday, February, 2013, 1:35 p.m.
last modified: Friday, February 1, 2013, 1:35 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
The races are set for Gainesville's March city elections.
Qualifying ended at noon Friday, with six candidates in the race for mayor and three in the race for City Commission District 4.
The candidates for mayor include former City Commissioner Ed Braddy; former City Commissioner Scherwin Henry; former Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority board chair Pete Johnson; incumbent Mayor Craig Lowe; Donald Shepherd, a resident of the Lamplighter Mobile Home Park and frequent attendee of commission meetings; and Mark Venzke, who ran for the commission in 2012.
A seventh candidate who previously had filed the required paperwork to launch a campaign, barber shop owner Edward Earl Young, did not file qualifying papers this week.
The City Commission District 4 race includes University of Florida student Alfredo Espinosa, former Mayor-Commissioner Mac McEachern and incumbent Randy Wells.
McEachern's home, which is his registered voting address, was in the former boundaries of District 4 but is not within the newly drawn boundaries that commissioners approved on Dec. 20 when completing the redistricting process.
Earlier in the week, Supervisor of Elections Pam Carpenter asked the City Attorney's Office for legal guidance on how to deal with a candidate who might not live in the district but signed a sworn affidavit of district residency.
In an email to commissioners Thursday, City Attorney Nicolle Shalley said the Supervisor's Office served an administrative role for city elections and "must accept completed qualifying papers submitted under oath or affirmation."
At that point, if another candidate or a registered voter in District 4 filed a lawsuit to challenge a candidate's residency, it would be a matter for the court system to decide, Shalley wrote.
The city elections will take place March 19, when the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Information on early and absentee voting has not yet been posted by the county elections office.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130201/ARTICLES/130209987?tc=cr&tc=ar
published: Friday, February, 2013, 1:35 p.m.
last modified: Friday, February 1, 2013, 1:35 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
The races are set for Gainesville's March city elections.
Qualifying ended at noon Friday, with six candidates in the race for mayor and three in the race for City Commission District 4.
The candidates for mayor include former City Commissioner Ed Braddy; former City Commissioner Scherwin Henry; former Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority board chair Pete Johnson; incumbent Mayor Craig Lowe; Donald Shepherd, a resident of the Lamplighter Mobile Home Park and frequent attendee of commission meetings; and Mark Venzke, who ran for the commission in 2012.
A seventh candidate who previously had filed the required paperwork to launch a campaign, barber shop owner Edward Earl Young, did not file qualifying papers this week.
The City Commission District 4 race includes University of Florida student Alfredo Espinosa, former Mayor-Commissioner Mac McEachern and incumbent Randy Wells.
McEachern's home, which is his registered voting address, was in the former boundaries of District 4 but is not within the newly drawn boundaries that commissioners approved on Dec. 20 when completing the redistricting process.
Earlier in the week, Supervisor of Elections Pam Carpenter asked the City Attorney's Office for legal guidance on how to deal with a candidate who might not live in the district but signed a sworn affidavit of district residency.
In an email to commissioners Thursday, City Attorney Nicolle Shalley said the Supervisor's Office served an administrative role for city elections and "must accept completed qualifying papers submitted under oath or affirmation."
At that point, if another candidate or a registered voter in District 4 filed a lawsuit to challenge a candidate's residency, it would be a matter for the court system to decide, Shalley wrote.
The city elections will take place March 19, when the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Information on early and absentee voting has not yet been posted by the county elections office.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Candidates Start To Qualify
Gainesville Sun
http://citylimits.blogs.gainesville.com/16685/candidates-start-to-qualify/?tc=ar
Monday, January 28, 2013
first published Monday, January 28, 12:43 p.m.
last updated Monday, January, 28, 12:43 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
The qualifying period for Gainesville city candidates began at noon and the action started early.
[...]
Qualifying ends at noon Friday.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville Sun
http://citylimits.blogs.gainesville.com/16685/candidates-start-to-qualify/?tc=ar
Monday, January 28, 2013
first published Monday, January 28, 12:43 p.m.
last updated Monday, January, 28, 12:43 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
The qualifying period for Gainesville city candidates began at noon and the action started early.
[...]
Qualifying ends at noon Friday.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Editorial: State Of the City
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130127/OPINION01/130129680/1017?p=1&tc=pg
No byline appeared for this editorial but Chris Curry told Mark personally that he wrote this editorial.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
first published Sunday, January 27, 6:01 a.m.
last updated January 25, 2013, 10:55 p.m.
In last week's State of the City speech, Gainesville Mayor Craig Lowe used a barn raising to symbolize the need for the community to come together to address major challenges.
It wasn't a banner year for cooperation in 2012. The city battled with the school board over stormwater fees and with the county over a transportation tax.
[...]
...let's take this opportunity to press the reset button and call for a high-minded mayoral race. In his speech, Lowe highlighted a host of good things that happened under his watch, including the innovation economy starting to blossom here.
It's incumbent on his opponents to articulate how they would do things differently and how that would result in a better outcome. It's up to Lowe to explain how he's going to deal with challenges ahead.
[...]
Gainesville might be on the cusp of greatness. This is an important time in setting the city's path and thus an important mayoral race. We hope the candidates meet this challenge by outlining a concrete vision for moving the city forward. We'll try to play our part in putting aside the personal digs for a debate on these and other issues that matter.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130127/OPINION01/130129680/1017?p=1&tc=pg
No byline appeared for this editorial but Chris Curry told Mark personally that he wrote this editorial.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
first published Sunday, January 27, 6:01 a.m.
last updated January 25, 2013, 10:55 p.m.
In last week's State of the City speech, Gainesville Mayor Craig Lowe used a barn raising to symbolize the need for the community to come together to address major challenges.
It wasn't a banner year for cooperation in 2012. The city battled with the school board over stormwater fees and with the county over a transportation tax.
[...]
...let's take this opportunity to press the reset button and call for a high-minded mayoral race. In his speech, Lowe highlighted a host of good things that happened under his watch, including the innovation economy starting to blossom here.
It's incumbent on his opponents to articulate how they would do things differently and how that would result in a better outcome. It's up to Lowe to explain how he's going to deal with challenges ahead.
[...]
Gainesville might be on the cusp of greatness. This is an important time in setting the city's path and thus an important mayoral race. We hope the candidates meet this challenge by outlining a concrete vision for moving the city forward. We'll try to play our part in putting aside the personal digs for a debate on these and other issues that matter.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Other mayoral candidates respond to Lowe
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130123/ARTICLES/130129825/1182?Title=Other-mayoral-candidates-respond-to-Lowe&tc=ar
Thursday, January 24, 2013
first published 10:39 p.m.
last updated 10:39 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
Gainesville Mayor Craig Lowe, in the midst of running for re-election, gave the annual State of the City address on Wednesday.
The Sun contacted five other candidates for mayor in the March 19 election as well as the campaign treasurer for candidate Edward Earl Young to offer them an opportunity to respond to Lowe.
Three candidates submitted responses — Ed Braddy, Donald E. Shepherd Sr. and Mark Venzke.
Braddy, a former Gainesville city commissioner, said after Wednesday's State of the City gathering, "There's much to celebrate about Gainesville, but Mayor Lowe's leadership is not among them, Braddy said. "His ‘jobs that create jobs' agenda betrays political favoritism. New jobs from preferred companies don't offset the jobs lost from businesses closing for which there are thousands more.
"Nor would his barn-raising scheme lift the restraints inhibiting small businesses that he seems oblivious to," Braddy continued. "Regardless of rhetoric, the mayor's agenda is an effort to micromanage the local economy from City Hall.
Shepherd wrote that he felt Lowe's speech "was not his own words" but those of the commissioners with whom he serves. Shepherd stated that he knew he can make a difference in Gainesville and that a candidate "must have their own vision, plans, directions, perspectives, and views, and points for the people."
Venzke noted that, "Mayor Lowe accurately reflected on most of our common experience and progress over 2012. However, as our City Commission has failed to do for many years, he failed to identify and propose adequate solutions to the biggest threats to our city: the severe inequity of the biomass electric plant contract and the threat to our water supply and to our residents living around the Cabot-Koppers Superfund site.
"As mayor, I would directly and persistently address those threats," Venzke said.
The field of mayoral candidates also includes former City Commissioner Scherwin Henry, Pete Johnson, a member of the city plan board and a former member of the Gainesville Alachua County Airport Authority board, and Edward Earl Young, the owner of an area barber shop.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130123/ARTICLES/130129825/1182?Title=Other-mayoral-candidates-respond-to-Lowe&tc=ar
Thursday, January 24, 2013
first published 10:39 p.m.
last updated 10:39 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
Gainesville Mayor Craig Lowe, in the midst of running for re-election, gave the annual State of the City address on Wednesday.
The Sun contacted five other candidates for mayor in the March 19 election as well as the campaign treasurer for candidate Edward Earl Young to offer them an opportunity to respond to Lowe.
Three candidates submitted responses — Ed Braddy, Donald E. Shepherd Sr. and Mark Venzke.
Braddy, a former Gainesville city commissioner, said after Wednesday's State of the City gathering, "There's much to celebrate about Gainesville, but Mayor Lowe's leadership is not among them, Braddy said. "His ‘jobs that create jobs' agenda betrays political favoritism. New jobs from preferred companies don't offset the jobs lost from businesses closing for which there are thousands more.
"Nor would his barn-raising scheme lift the restraints inhibiting small businesses that he seems oblivious to," Braddy continued. "Regardless of rhetoric, the mayor's agenda is an effort to micromanage the local economy from City Hall.
Shepherd wrote that he felt Lowe's speech "was not his own words" but those of the commissioners with whom he serves. Shepherd stated that he knew he can make a difference in Gainesville and that a candidate "must have their own vision, plans, directions, perspectives, and views, and points for the people."
Venzke noted that, "Mayor Lowe accurately reflected on most of our common experience and progress over 2012. However, as our City Commission has failed to do for many years, he failed to identify and propose adequate solutions to the biggest threats to our city: the severe inequity of the biomass electric plant contract and the threat to our water supply and to our residents living around the Cabot-Koppers Superfund site.
"As mayor, I would directly and persistently address those threats," Venzke said.
The field of mayoral candidates also includes former City Commissioner Scherwin Henry, Pete Johnson, a member of the city plan board and a former member of the Gainesville Alachua County Airport Authority board, and Edward Earl Young, the owner of an area barber shop.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Mark Venzke is running for mayor
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130122/ARTICLES/130129925/1182?p=1&tc=pg
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
first published 12:46 p.m.
last updated 12:46 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
One year after vying for a seat on the City Commission, Mark Venzke is now campaigning for Gainesville mayor.
Venzke's platform consists of three broad planks: having a “fully responsible” energy policy, having open and responsive government, and enabling “socially and economically disengaged” people while revitalizing struggling neighborhoods.
Venzke said he feels that, on issues such as the biomass power purchase contract and the Koppers Superfund site, commissioners have not taken the input and concerns of residents seriously.
He says the city needs to work to renegotiate the 30-year biomass contract, which he feels is too long, pays too much for energy and -- at 100 megawatts -- purchases too much electricity.
On Koppers, Venzke does not believe city government has pushed and lobbied federal officials hard enough to clean up the contaminated former wood treatment plant and nearby properties. He said Gainesville should forge a partnership with other local governments that have Superfund sites with Beazer East Inc. as the responsible party for cleanup. Venzke said the governments could jointly pursue legal action and “collectively put forth enough muscle to go against the goliath that is Beazer East.”
On energy, Venzke said the city needs to “expedite the deployment of renewable energy sources” beyond its solar feed-in tariff program. He said the city should work to facilitate increased private sector installation of solar electric and solar thermal systems.
In a city with multiple business and technology incubators, Venzke said the city needs to work with community and private sector partners to “co-locate” education and training programs with those incubators.
On transportation, he said the city needs better designed bicycle lanes as a safety improvement, a more active road maintenance program and better bus service in east Gainesville.
He said he supports the city's efforts to bring a homeless shelter and social services center to the property of the closed Gainesville Correctional Institution.
Venzke, 55, said he is an entrepreneur working to start an electric taxi service in Gainesville.
In 2012, he ran for an at-large seat on the City Commission. In an eight-way race, he received 190 of the votes cast or 1.56 percent.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.
Gainesville Sun
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130122/ARTICLES/130129925/1182?p=1&tc=pg
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
first published 12:46 p.m.
last updated 12:46 p.m.
Chris Curry, Staff Writer
One year after vying for a seat on the City Commission, Mark Venzke is now campaigning for Gainesville mayor.
Venzke's platform consists of three broad planks: having a “fully responsible” energy policy, having open and responsive government, and enabling “socially and economically disengaged” people while revitalizing struggling neighborhoods.
Venzke said he feels that, on issues such as the biomass power purchase contract and the Koppers Superfund site, commissioners have not taken the input and concerns of residents seriously.
He says the city needs to work to renegotiate the 30-year biomass contract, which he feels is too long, pays too much for energy and -- at 100 megawatts -- purchases too much electricity.
On Koppers, Venzke does not believe city government has pushed and lobbied federal officials hard enough to clean up the contaminated former wood treatment plant and nearby properties. He said Gainesville should forge a partnership with other local governments that have Superfund sites with Beazer East Inc. as the responsible party for cleanup. Venzke said the governments could jointly pursue legal action and “collectively put forth enough muscle to go against the goliath that is Beazer East.”
On energy, Venzke said the city needs to “expedite the deployment of renewable energy sources” beyond its solar feed-in tariff program. He said the city should work to facilitate increased private sector installation of solar electric and solar thermal systems.
In a city with multiple business and technology incubators, Venzke said the city needs to work with community and private sector partners to “co-locate” education and training programs with those incubators.
On transportation, he said the city needs better designed bicycle lanes as a safety improvement, a more active road maintenance program and better bus service in east Gainesville.
He said he supports the city's efforts to bring a homeless shelter and social services center to the property of the closed Gainesville Correctional Institution.
Venzke, 55, said he is an entrepreneur working to start an electric taxi service in Gainesville.
In 2012, he ran for an at-large seat on the City Commission. In an eight-way race, he received 190 of the votes cast or 1.56 percent.
To read the entire article, click on the link in the heading above.