ATN teams interviewed currently running city and county commission candidates for their views on neighborhood issues and concerns. Some questions related directly to neighborhoods. Others addressed planning and growth management issues that pertain to neighborhoods in a more general way.
The interviews lasted about an hour. Our intent was to get past the sound bites to a rich discussion of a candidate’s positions. We told the candidates we would be discussing neighborhood and growth management issues, but didn’t give them the questions ahead of time. While the interviews were conducted as open conversations, all candidates were asked the same questions to initiate a topic. In some cases, follow-up questions were asked to get more detail. The same ATN team interviewed all the candidates for a particular seat or district.
Note: As we condensed the information to a readable length, we wrote the candidates’ responses as first person narratives to keep the conversational feel and to make them more readable. The responses are not direct quotes of the candidates unless enclosed in quotation marks.
Introduction: How long have you lived in Tallahassee? Where do you live and why did you choose to live there?
City Commission
Seat 2
Curtis Richardson
I am a 40-year resident of Tallahassee, having moved to the City in 1974 as a student at FSU. After graduation I stayed because I loved the community. My family and I built a home in the Tuskegee neighborhood 30 years ago. I helped form the neighborhood association and worked to prevent a multi-family complex from being built in the neighborhood, as the neighbors felt the size was inappropriate. At the time we moved there, it was difficult to attract middle income folks to the southside. I felt that by locating there, we demonstrated that this neighborhood was a good place to live with a wide range of home values.
Bill Schack
I have lived in Tallahassee since 1985, having stayed after graduating from FSU. Since that time, I have lived in a variety of neighborhoods and currently live in Killearn Estates. I enjoy the location, layout, and friendliness of that neighborhood. I sensed it was being cannibalized by various roads and other developments, so got on the Killearn Homeowners Association board. I served on the Killearn HOA board for five years and continue to be active in various Tallahassee organizations.
County Commission
Group 1 – At Large
Carolyn Cummings
I moved to Tallahassee in 1982 to work for Legal Services of North Florida. I have worked in both the Tallahassee and Panama City office. I have also worked at a variety of state agencies. We built our home in Lafayette Oaks in 1990 and still live there. It has a sense of security as it is a gated community. We were able to purchase a lot and build our own home.
Kelly Otte
I came to Tallahassee to work for Refuge House and have lived here for 25 years. I could tell I wanted Tallahassee to be my children’s hometown. We moved to the Antlers subdivision twenty years ago and are still here.
District 4
Bryan Desloge
I am a native of Tallahassee and have been here my entire life. I live in Bobbin Trace and I enjoy walking or riding my bike to most of my day-to-day activities. I grew up in Betton Hills. Many generations of my family have lived in Tallahassee.
Bryan Desloge did not provide a campaign website.
Brian Welch
I have lived in northeast Tallahassee for the last 23 years, and in the Centerville Conservancy Community for the past five years and serve as the HOA president. I grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, and moved to Tallahassee after high school. I attended TCC, then received bachelors and masters degrees from FSU. Currently, I teach at Chiles High School.