There are three candidates running for the two city council seats on the general election ballots this year.
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OKEECHOBEE — There are three candidates running for the two city council seats on the general election ballots this year. Two of the three are incumbents, Monica Clark and Noel Chandler. The third is James “Jamie” Gamiotea.
Monica Clark is a fourth-generation Floridian and has been a resident of Okeechobee for 37 years. She is a third-generation owner of Glades Gas, now operating as Glades AC. She has served on the city council for eight years and is finishing up her second term.
During her eight years on the city council, Clark has been proud of the many accomplishments she had a part in bringing to the city. Some of these accomplishments include:
Clark’s vision is to support families by striving to make Okeechobee an even better place to live, grow and thrive. She is committed to enhancing community services, recreational opportunities and family-friendly initiatives. In addition, she is committed to fostering a supportive environment for new and existing small businesses.
“My dedication to our city is deeply personal,” she said. “I have lived in Okeechobee for 37 years with my husband Jim and our four children. This city is more than just a place to me — it’s home.”
Clark explained her goal is to bring fresh ideas and innovative solutions to the city council, building on their successes and addressing the challenges they face. “It would be my privilege to represent you once again and to contribute to the continued growth and prosperity of our wonderful city.”
Noel Chandler is a life-long Okeechobee resident and is proud to say he is a seventh-generation resident on one side of the family and fifth on the other. A Navy veteran, Chandler served for four years before returning home.
“I’ve seen this town go from dirt roads to four lanes. There have been a lot of changes, some good and some bad.”
His career was spent with Water Mgt. and the Audubon Society. He even spent some time as a dump truck driver. Chandler has served on the city council for a total of 19 years, including a partial term after a special election in May 2021.
Chandler is invested in cleaning up the city and would like nothing more than to clean up the abandoned and condemned house that are now rotting around the city. In addition, he is not a fan of what is known as double taxation and said, “When those taxes were originally put in place, they were for services we no longer need or use. I’m gonna open that can of worms. They don’t want it open, but I’m gonna open it.”
Chandler’s wife, Louise, said she has always admired the way her husband prepares for any meeting he is involved with. “He really does his research, and he is always prepared. He reads his agenda ahead of time, and then researches anything he wants to know more about, so when he gets to the meeting, he is ready for whatever comes up. It’s in his nature to know the answer before the question is asked.”
Chandler agreed saying, “I don’t want to just say, I think. I want to say, here are the facts.”
James “Jamie” Gamiotea is new to the pollical arena but is not new to serving his community. Born and raised in Arcadia, Gamiotea graduated from high school and then joined the Marines, serving four years and going on several deployments. Afterward, he came home to his girlfriend, Lane, and they got married in 1992. The couple has two daughters.
In 1994, he went to work for OUA and has been with them ever since, moving up through the ranks and becoming a plant supervisor in 1998. Gamiotea plans to retire in December whether he wins the election or not.
After sitting on several boards for the city, Gamiotea feels qualified to serve as a councilman. He was on the code enforcement board from 1999-2018, was on the committee that formed Centennial Park and the Charter Review committee. He did these things while also serving as an auxiliary officer for the Okeechobee City Police Department.
Gamiotea also serves the community by volunteering his services as coach for various teams.
Gamiotea said he wants to sit on the city council because he believes city taxpayers have had reduced services without seeing a significant tax cut.
“I’d like to see some different things going on with the city.” When asked what things he would like to change, he said he would like to make sure the salaries of employees were comparable to other counties. “I want to make sure the things we are putting the money out on are worth it.” He said he has learned over the years that there is often more than one way to skin a cat.
He said he is pro-business and wants businesses to thrive while we also maintain a hometown atmosphere.
“There’s a lot of options out there, and I just want to make sure the taxpayers are getting the best value for their dollar.”
To vote on city council candidates, you must live in the city. Those who live in the county will not even see the race on their ballots.
The primary election is scheduled for November 5, but early voting begins Oct. 26 and ends Nov. 2. Vote-by-mail ballots have already gone out.
