Appointee Sam Simmons faces Guy LaLonde in runoff for Lakeland's Northwest District seat

LAKELAND — Lakeland's appointed Commissioner Sam Simmons will face Guy LaLonde at the polls Tuesday to see who wins the people's vote for the next Northwest District commissioner.

Simmons, 66, an entrepreneur and owner of a housing and financial consulting firm, was appointed to the commission in October 2022. Simmons took the remainder of former Commissioner Philip Walker's term after Walker resigned in an unsuccessful bid for Florida House District 50.

Guy LaLonde, 56, a owner of Lakeland Moonwalk and Under One Tent Events, was one of the other seven candidates who applied for Walker's seat.

LaLonde and Simmons seek to win enough ballots in the Dec. 5 runoff to be elected to a four-year term on the commission.

On Election Day, LaLonde took nearly 48%, or 4,467 votes, followed by Simmons with nearly 31%, or 2,875 votes.

Challenger Lolita Berrien was eliminated from the ballot, receiving less than 22% of the votes. But she took 1,947 votes — enough to bridge the gap between the two runoff candidates. Berrien has given a last-minute endorsement to Simmons in Tuesday's run-off election.

"As an interim commissioner Simmons has begun to work and a full term will allow the interim commissioner to continue to work cohesively with the entire commission board," she wrote in a text message.

LaLonde and Simmons have continued on the campaign trail in preparation for Tuesday. Neither candidate has changed his campaign approach based on the Election Day results.

"I've been out making appearances at different venues," Simmons said. "Honestly, just trying to get out the message."

Public Safety comes first

Through the campaign, the issue of public safety in the Northwest District has been a key issue with public discussion about the need for Fire Station 8. The City Commission has been working on plans since 2019, but has struggled to secure land and a site for the station.

Residents have asked city officials to consider building a temporary station. Lakeland Fire Chief Doug Riley and City Manager Shawn Sherrouse have said that establishing a temporary station could be costly and take funding dedicated for the station's design and construction.

"It's a double-edged sword," LaLonde said. "I support a temporary station because we need the service now, even if it may cost the city $400,000 to $500,000."

LaLonde said he was sign waving in the Northwest District when he witnessed a car crash, estimating there was a 15-minute response time for emergency services to arrive at the scene.

"When you put the temporary station there, how much is one life worth?" he said.

Simmons said he supports the creation of temporary station given the city's current estimate of three years before a permanent Fire Station 8 is built and operational.

"It's too long to wait as the city continues to grow, particularly to the north and northwest," he said.

Juneteenth: A holiday or not?

Recently, community leaders approached Lakeland commissioners about recognizing Juneteenth as a city holiday in 2024.

As the Northwest District is one of the city's more racially and ethnically diverse, The Ledger asked both candidates whether they would support the proposition.

"I think the city should recognize Juneteenth as a city holiday, as it's been an important date in the history of our culture, a very important date in the history of our nation," Simmons said.

Juneteenth, celebrated annually on June 19, honors the day nearly a quarter of a million enslaved Americans in Galveston, Texas, were informed they were free and slavery was over in the United States.

There are at least five Polk County municipalities that recognized Juneteenth in 2023: Bartow, Dundee, Haines City, Lake Alfred and Winter Haven. Lakeland issued a proclamation acknowledging the holiday, but did not observe it as a paid day off for employees.

"Lakeland is the biggest city in the county, and I think we should take the lead," Simmons said.

LaLonde said he was unsure if he supported the city adding it as a paid holiday, concerned about the financial budgetary impact. He also expressed concern whether the city would swap it in exchange for a different holiday.

Differing future visions of Munn Park

Lakeland's city manager has been spearheading a project to revitalize Munn Park, offering several ideas and visions of what the downtown gathering place could look like in the future.

Lakeland's next Northwest District commissioner will have a voice in determining what Munn Park will look like. LaLonde and Simmons were asked what their vision was during the appointee process and were asked to provide an update on their thoughts.

"I would like more of a flow so that we can enjoy the park," LaLonde said. "I like the idea of having a covered area or shade to do concerts and stuff like that."

LaLonde said he's reviewed Sherrouse's proposal that would set aside one corner for a dog park, another for a possible parkour course. He said he doesn't believe carving out separate specialized sections is the best way to move forward.

"I don't really like anything with additional costs or liability for the city," he said.

LaLonde said he would like to see some of the removed benches and tables come back for public use, while simultaneously acknowledging there are a number of individuals who are homeless that stay at the park daily.

Simmons was less specific about how he envisions the park's future, but would like to see some activities added.

"I think Munn Park should be available for use by all its citizens," he said. "There have been various scenarios and activities suggested within Munn Park. I think we choose the best one that will accommodate the most people."

What separates them: in their own words

LaLonde said his motivation in running for office is to give back and serve Lakeland residents, the community that he and his family live in. While LaLonde said there may be more qualified candidates than him, he promises no one will work harder.

"My work ethic is completely different from [Simmons]. I won't be outworked by anyone," LaLonde said. "I want to be involved in the communities. Not just sitting on boards or in agenda studies, but we need to be involved in our communities, we need to be out there doing the work."

Abortion-rights amendment Advocates in Polk County make final push to get initiative on ballot

Simmons said he's been working within his community for more than 20 years to improve the quality of life for Lakeland residents. He cited his early career as an accountant for the City of Lakeland and development of affordable housing as part of his business portfolio.

"My life is actually centered around public service," Simmons said.

Who's financially backing the candidates

LaLonde holds a massive campaign warchest of over $41,000 against Simmons, who has raised a fraction of that, receiving less than $7,000 in donations, as of the latest Nov. 27 reports.

LaLonde's donors include Lakeland Professional Firefighters, Lakeland Police Department's Fraternal Order of Police, and the Realtors PAC at $500 each. Significant contributions have been received from Lakeland developer Gregory Fancelli, both individual and through his various business entities, of at least $3,000. His donors include several in real estate and development, including Bob Miller LLC at $1,000, Millshire Investments LLC at $1,000, Broadway Real Estate, at $750 and Wesley Barnett at $250.

The Ledger asked LaLonde if he was concerned about the appearance that his campaign is significantly funded by realtors, developers and investment firms, who might seek to leverage influence for future projects.

"I'll get my support from whoever is going to give it. I'm not beholden to them," LaLonde said. "At the end of the day, we represent our citizens and constituents, that's who we are beholden to."

Simmons' campaign contributions are in smaller amounts. Several come from notable community figures, including Larry Mitchell, founder of New Life Outreach Ministry, at $300; Lorenzo Robinson, president of Paul A. Diggs Neighborhood Association at $250; Kay Fields, CEO and president of Girls Inc. and a Polk County School Board member, at $200, and Kay Klymko, who ran unsuccessfully for the At-Large seat, at $500.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on X @SaraWalshFl.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Sam Simmons faces Guy LaLonde in Lakeland's Northwest District runoff