Two pastors in runoff to serve Winter Haven in Seat 5 on the City Commission
Winter Haven voters will be going to the polls for a run-off election on Tuesday to decide between two local pastors vying for Seat 5 on the City Commission.
Johnathon D. Bush and Clifton Dollison face off after neither received a majority in a three-way race in November.
Dollison received more than 39% of ballots cast. Bush received 32% of the votes. Tom D. Freijo, an executive recruiter who previously served on the Winter Haven City Commission in the 1990s, received about 27% of the ballots cast Nov. 7.
There were two races to determine seats on the City Commission in November. Incumbent Winter Haven Commissioner Tracy Mercer held onto Seat 1 by a narrow margin, getting about 240 more votes at the polls than challenger Kim Davis.
Unopposed and therefore not appearing on the November ballot were the incumbent Commissioners Nathaniel J. Birdsong Jr. and Brian Yates. They retained Seat 2 and Seat 3, respectively.
The seats on the City Commission are all non-partisan and at-large, which means each commission seat represents the entire city population. All members of the commission must be residents of Winter Haven. Once the final seat has been decided, all newly elected commissioners will be swore in during a ceremony in January.
Only registered voters residing within Winter Haven’s city limits are eligible to vote in its municipal elections, according to the Polk County Supervisor of Elections.
Polling places will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on municipal run-off election day this Tuesday.
Abortion: Advocates in Polk County make final push to get amendment on ballot
Voters can confirm their polling location and other information as well as see a sample ballot by going online to PolkElections.gov.
Here's a look at the candidates in Tuesday's runoff election.
Johnathon D. Bush
Johnathon David Bush, 42, has worked as a senior pastor for 14 years, with nine of those years at Southside Baptist Church in Winter Haven after moving to the area from Kentucky.
Prior to the municipal election in November, Bush told The Ledger that he wants to be a voice for Christian, conservative and family values on the commission. As a father of six children, he wants to protect children “from womb to adulthood,” he said.
“I am a conservative Christian, and it is my aim to govern by biblical principles. My convictions are deep and unwavering," Bush said Thursday via email. "My voice will be bold and empowering for family values on a local level."
During his campaign leading up to the runoff, Bush said, “I have asked many citizens ‘What is your greatest concern for our city?' And the overwhelming majority tell me ’Growth management.’"
He continued, “Listening to the everyday citizens is important to me, and as a citizen myself, I echo this concern."
If elected, he plans to examine options and review city codes and ordinances to better manage growth without stopping it.
“Growth is good for our community, small businesses and churches. But we must reasonably manage it,” Bush said. He also said Winter Haven is a unique city and he doesn’t want it to lose its “small town vibe.”
Clifton E. Dollison
Clifton E. Dollison, 66, has served as a pastor and teacher for the First Missionary Baptist Church of Winter Haven for the past 31 years.
In the lead-up to the November election, he said he wants to offer leadership that promotes the greater good for every citizen. His community leadership experience includes the city’s downtown Community Redevelopment Agency as well as positions leading nonprofits such as the Polk Ecumenical Action Council for Empowerment (PEACE) that seeks social justice and health care for Polk County residents.
He gave the following statement by phone Friday about growth, the main concern among city residents.
“We are certainly aware of the growth,” he said by phone Friday, adding that growth is essential and the city needs to meet the demands of growth.
He said infrastructure is coming and more will be needed, such as wastewater treatment and road improvements, among others.
Regarding wastewater, he said, “Those things are things that have been dealt with years ago and that are currently being looked at as well. But that's not something you could decide today and fix tomorrow. Those things have to be put in place well in advance.”
He also wants to address affordable housing in Winter Haven.
"Because of the expansion and growth, we're seeing housing prices actually escalate. And for some citizens, it makes it very difficult for some citizens to afford the housing because of the pricing increases."
Adopted Baby girl who was abandoned in a Mulberry field in January has a new family
He said he wants to encourage developers to come to Winter Haven and build workforce housing.
Dollison previously served on the city planning board and housing board, among other public service roles addressing issues such as social justice. For the past 25 years, he has served as the senior chaplain for the Winter Haven Police Department.
More on the election
According to voter registration records, Winter Haven, has a total 31,183 total registered voters. Of those, 11,160 are Democrats, 10,536 Republican and the rest are registered as having no party affiliation or registered with other parties.
Winter Haven residents can vote at the following locations:
Precincts 319 and 340 vote at: Abiding Savior Lutheran Church, 1910 Havendale Blvd. N.W.
Precincts 331, 332, 337, 339, 415, 522, 529, 545, 547 vote at Calvary Baptist Church, 2101 Overlook Drive S.E.
Precincts 313 and 314 vote at First Baptist Church Lucerne Park, 5650 State Road 544.
Precinct 325 votes at Samson Masonic Lodge #142, 120 Ave R N.W.
Precincts 329, 330, 336 and 343 vote at Southside Baptist Church, 1301 7th St. S.W. Precincts 322, 323, 324 and 326 vote at Winter Haven Senior Adult Center, 250 S. Lake Silver Drive N.W.
For further more information, visit PolkElections.gov or call the Elections Office at 863-534-5888.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Two pastors seek Winter Haven Seat 5 in City Commission runoff
