Who is Bradenton City Council’s new member? He brings a ‘fresh perspective’
With the appointment of a Ward 3 replacement, the Bradenton City Council is complete again.
On Wednesday, city council members voted to appoint Kemp Schuessler to the vacant Ward 3 seat, which Police Chief Josh Cramer previously held. Officials said they chose Schuessler due to his financial acumen and “fresh perspective.”
According to his resume, Schuessler, 59, is an independent insurance agent and previously served as the managing director for Dream America, a homeownership program for mortgage-ineligible individuals.
He was also a partner and head of energy sales for a power and energy company in New Jersey from 2015 to 2019 and held various roles on Wall Street earlier in his career.
Mayor Gene Brown swore Schuessler into office at the same meeting, and Schuessler took his seat as a city councilman for the first time at the Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting later that afternoon.
“I look forward to serving the city in which I live,” Schuessler said after being sworn in. “I’m about transparent governance, responsible budgeting and forward-thinking policies that strengthen our neighborhoods.”
The council selected Schuessler from a pool of six applicants who expressed their interest after Cramer’s nomination for the police chief role in May. Cramer was sworn in as police chief earlier this month, effectively resigning from the council seat.
It then became the council’s decision to appoint a replacement. Brown and the city council members noted the strong applicant pool and how difficult it was to make a decision.
“Vice Mayor Cramer previously ran unopposed, so it was encouraging to see so many citizens step up,” Brown said in a press release. “We hope the individuals who applied will continue to stay involved by serving on one of our many advisory boards. Civic engagement like this is critical to Bradenton’s continued growth.”
Schuessler joins Bradenton City Council
Councilwoman Jayne Kocher opened the discussion by motioning to select Schuessler for appointment, “based on his education and his education and his background, and a fresh perspective to the community.”
Councilwoman Marianne Barnebey seconded the motion, adding that she believed Schuessler’s background in finance and insurance would bring new perspectives to the council.
“It boils down to looking at what the strengths, the gifts, the talents of those individuals are here and looking at what we might need to fill,” Barnebey said. “I don’t think we could have gone wrong.”
Councilwoman Lisa Gonzalez Moore said she met with each candidate individually before Tuesday’sworkshop and Wednesday’s meeting.
“Our conversation was great,” Moore said of Schuessler. “I commend his willingness to serve his community that he’s relatively new to.”
Moore’s motion to continue the discussion for other candidates failed to get a second, so the council voted 3-1 to approve Schuessler’s appointment. Councilwoman Pam Coachman dissented.
Schuessler will carry out the remainder of Cramer’s term until January 2027. In November 2026, Bradenton voters will select who takes the Ward 3 seat.
