Ward 5 up for grabs in Bradenton City Council race

With Harold Byrd Jr. giving up his Bradenton City Council seat to run for mayor against Gene Brown it’s guaranteed that Ward 5 will see a new face on the council for the first time in a long time.

That new face will be either Pamela Coachman or Keenan Wooten.

Ward 5 consists of neighborhoods in East Bradenton south of State Road 64, as well as neighborhoods between Ninth Street West and First Street and between State Road 64 and 26th Avenue West.

Coachman is new to the political arena, running in her first election while Wooten ran for the Ward 5 seat 2016, losing to Byrd by just 334 votes in a closely contested race.

Coachman said though she is new to politics, she’s not new to social issues.

Growing up amid racial strife, she often looked to local church leaders as her primary mentors, including Rev. C.D. Lazier, who Coachman said, was the, “Martin Luther King of Bradenton.”

Coachman, 63, grew up during a time when mandatory school integration was just beginning and was chosen as one of two students to meet with adults to address a racially charged environment.

She found out early on how important it was to get everyone at the table.

“To be a part in policy making for a better quality of life in my neighborhood and city is important,” Coachman said. “I want to be the person that promotes building relationships between city government and the citizens. Especially those who often feel left out from the rest of the city, which is not how it should be.”

Coachman is a speech/language pathologist for the Manatee County School District.

Wooten, currently the student support specialist and athletic director at Electa Arcotte Lee Magnet Middle School, comes into the election with a lot of momentum from 2016, having barely lost to an “entrenched incumbent,” he said.

“We feel like the city of Bradenton deserves a fourth generation millennial to lead our city into the future,” Wooten said. “The same problems we spoke of in 2016 still exist today and we are ready to help solve those problems if elected.”

Wooten, 39, campaigned hard on ensuring more money is invested into Ward 5 and making sure smart growth takes place citywide.

Among his priorities are to, “Revitalize by bringing smart growth initiatives and infrastructure revitalization to the city that will benefit all residents,” Wooten said. “Reconnect by keeping all residents informed and involved in how their tax dollars are spent and finding creative ways to communicate.”

Wooten said what happened to the Central Community Redevelopment Agency since the city stripped it of power and assumed the role of the agency needs to be addressed. The board still exists but only as an advisory committee and has been fairly inactive since the transition became official in January 2016.

“Another major priority is to bring credibility back to the CCRA advisory committee and establishing consistent meetings that are beneficial to our community,” he said.

The two candidates know each other well and their families go back a long way. Both are educators and have run a strictly issue-based campaign. But they do have their differences.

Wooten said what separates him from his opponent is his level of community involvement, including how much time he spends at city council meetings. Wooten said his experience in corporate America and serving on community leadership boards gives him an edge in hitting the ground running to serve his ward and the city.

Coachman, on the other hand, said, “I am guided through integrity. I have a strong moral compass and believe in doing the right thing. I’m running to serve the city, not running for self. It is not my own agenda. It’s not about ‘I or Me’ but ‘You and Us.’ I want equity and inclusion for Ward 5 and the city of Bradenton.”

Coachman too, said improving city infrastructure is a top priority and also lists returning the CCRA advisory board back to a functioning board is an important priority. Coachman said improving communication between the council and city departments, specifically the police department, is another top issue for her.

Coachman said she would like to “create more external opportunities for citizens to communicate with their city council, BPD and other city departments so they have a seat at the decision table.”

She would try to accomplish that by holding more town hall style events within Ward 5 and ensure an open-door policy.

Wooten said it’s imperative for an elected official to conduct him or herself with professionalism. He said the current city council, “can be a bit argumentative and opinion driven,” as of late.

Wooten said, if elected, “I will make sure I keep the same professionalism and integrity I have always had and remain calm and make sound decisions that will impact all residents in the city of Bradenton.”

The only other city council race is in Ward 1, in West Bradenton, where long-time Councilman Gene Gallo will retire. Jayne Kocher, a Bradenton realtor, filed and qualified for that seat and is running unopposed.