Editorial: Pendergrass, Alexander best for Lee boards
South Lee County voters have two decisions to make in countywide elections on the Nov. 6 ballot. Early voting in Lee County begins Monday. Here are our recommendations:
Lee Commission District 2
Experience and knowledge of a broad range of issues earn Cecil Pendergrass our recommendation for re-election to his District 2 seat on the Lee County Commission.
The district includes areas of Fort Myers, then south to around San Carlos Park. South Lee voters help elect all five commissioners when they’re on the ballot. Incumbent Brian Hamman had no challenger in District 4.
Pendergrass knows the community well because he’s a lifelong Fort Myers resident. He was elected commissioner in 2012 after 25 years as an officer with the Fort Myers Police Department.
Land acquisition for conservation is one of the hallmarks of the current commission, crowned by the decision a year ago to spend $42.3 million for the wetlands-rich 3,922-acre Edison Farms east of Estero and Bonita Springs.
Pendergrass, who has served as commission chairman, was part of the board that rightly enlisted voter support to continue using property tax dollars for the Conservation 20/20 program. He cites other examples of properties that could be acquired for preservation and favors reviewing the acquisition list more than once yearly as had been proposed.
Concerning water quality, Pendergrass points to the commission’s work in expediting the cleanup of algae-fouled waterways and beaches along with a need to continue pushing federal officials to fund their share of Everglades restoration projects, alternative storage sites to Lake Okeechobee and efforts to direct more water south of the lake.
Opponent Bill Taylor, running without party affiliation though a Democrat at heart, is strong on growth-related and conservation issues but came up short in addressing other issues we raised.
Though we don’t agree with all positions Pendergrass shared, he was well-versed in far more issues. We recommend Pendergrass for re-election.
Lee School Board at-large
Management consultant and former corporate executive Nicholas Alexander is our recommendation to Lee voters for a countywide at-large seat on the Lee County School Board.
Leading into the Aug. 28 primary for four seats, there was the possibility the board elections could result in a lack of experienced educators on the board. At the time we were divided whether to recommend Alexander or opponent Betsy Vaughn, a career teacher and administrator, to advance to the Nov. 6 runoff as both did. Depending on the overall composition of the seven-member board, we felt one or the other might be needed to fill a vital role.
With three district-specific races now decided or crystallized to ensure educator representation on the board, Nicholas emerges as the preferred candidate in what’s on the ballot as nonpartisan District 6.
Whether a sales tax referendum passes or fails, his career working for Fortune 500 companies, including budgeting and project management, could prove beneficial as could his advanced degrees in business and management.
Should the referendum pass, his analytical experience will aid the rapidly growing district as it builds more schools and digs out of its current financial hole. Should the ballot measure fail, his goals to reduce wasteful spending and improve operational efficiency in order to put more money into classrooms multiply in importance.
Alexander, whose three children have come through Lee’s school system, articulated to us an impressive plan to address three major challenges he identified — career readiness, teacher attrition and retention, and safety for students and educators.
Alexander’s skills will be an asset to the board in strategic planning. We recommend his election.