Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Davenport voters to decide who fills 2 City Commission seats

Jacob Ogles

April 2

Voters in Davenport will decide who fills two seats on the City Commission.

Vice Mayor Jeremy Clark faces a challenge from Christopher Lopez for his Seat 2 spot on the Commission. Meanwhile, Linda Robinson and Timothy Scott Woodlee will fight for an open Seat 1 post.

Polls in the city will close at 7 p.m. in Davenport and two other Polk County municipalities on the ballot. All Davenport seats will be decided in countywide elections.

Clark is the only incumbent drawing a challenge this cycle. He won his seat on the Commission unopposed in 2021, after first being appointed to the body the prior year.

He has lived in Davenport since 2016, when he was named as senior pastor at The Gate Church. "His personal values in life are to put God first, then his marriage, then family," reads a bio on the city's website. "Priority is everything!"

He is being challenged by Lopez, the President and CEO of New Power Generation, a financial services company. The firm's website said the business is "dedicated to the crusade of making a difference while making a difference" and helping families become debt-free.

"Christopher has dedicated his life to empowering people to take control of their lives, educating and coaching people so that they can build an organization that they will own for generations to come," the website said.

The Seat 1 contest will decide who succeeds Tom Fellows, a leader whose name appears on the community center where polling is taking place.

Robinson, wife of former Mayor Rob Robinson, grew up in the Miami area. The couple moved to Polk County years ago, and Linda Robinson worked six years as an Assistant City Clerk in Haines City, 12 years as an administrative assistant to the Haines City Manager, and 18 years as a Secretary/Treasurer and resident agent for the Haines City Water Control District.

"My political goal is to see that the City of Davenport continues to flourish and provide essential services to our citizens as well as plan for future growth and expansion," she wrote in a candidate bio.

Woodlee is a retired narcotics detective and Army veteran. His candidate biography details more than 47 years of work in military intelligence, special operations and law enforcement, including work as a private investigator in child custody and missing children cases.

"It is this experience that will serve the residents of the City of Davenport with pride and Honor," he wrote.