Qualifying period for Oakland Town Commission election opens Friday
By
Norine Dworkin
Founding Editor
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Paul Morrison
Candidates for Oakland Town Commission have until Nov. 12 at 5 p.m. to submit their qualifying materials to the Town Hall and declare their candidacy.
Two seats on the Oakland Town Commission are up for election on March 8, 2022.
Seat 1 is currently held by Commissioner Joseph McMullen, who’s served since 2006. Seat 4 is held by Commissioner Rick Polland, who’s served since 2012.
Polland confirmed to VoxPopuli via email that he is running again "to help guide the town through this challenging time of development."
"It is important to me try to keep the small-town feel that inspired most of us to move to Oakland in the first place," he said. "I am very protective of the environment. I want to make sure the Preserve, which is the crown jewel of Oakland, is protected from abutting development as much as possible. I have also been actively following the progress of restoration of Lake Apopka."
Polland serves on the boards of both the Oakland Nature Preserve and Friends of Lake Apopka.
VoxPopuli reached out to Commissioner McMullen, but as of press time had not heard from him.
Candidates for the seats can qualify in two ways:
By petition. Gather signatures from 10 percent of the town of Oakland’s registered voters OR 100 signatures, whichever is less.
By fee. Pay $100, plus a $5.99 state election assessment fee, which is based on 1 percent of the annual salary for the office of commissioner.
Polland said he intenrded to pay the qualifying fee.
The qualifying period runs Oct. 29, 8 a.m. - Nov. 12, 5 p.m. Submit petitions, fees and candidacy forms to the town clerk at the Oakland Town Hall at 230 Tubb Street.