Politics

June 4 2020

Meet your Seat 2 Candidate Janice Crisp

I’m a Christian who believe

s in the Intimate relationship with Christ and service to our Community, a mom to a beautiful Daughter, pet mommy to a brood of cats and pups and youngest sister to Brothers both here and in heaven. I have a background of service with people from every walk of life and I feel like its given me a great advantage to see a city from many perspectives.

I attended East Tennessee State University for 2 years where I was also going through training where I worked with ComCare. They cared for individuals with developmental disabilities. I also graduated from Georgia Medical Institute with a PCT, EKG, CNA, and phlebotomy certification. I later received my Theology degree with Life Christian Christian University and am finishing my bachelors degree in Organizational Management with Ashford University Online.

I have worked for over 20 years with the Developmentally disabled /mentally ill/drug-addicted.

I have worked at ComCare group homes, Hillcrest Behavioral Health in Wheeling WV, Dane County Wisconsin personal companion services, Weustoff Hospital Mental Health ward,

East Coast Christian Center as Food Pantry outreach, North Merritt Island Methodist Church Food outreach.

My work in the above churches has entailed working with the homeless and the needy from all walks of life.. I have worked with many agencies across Brevard County and helped to serve people from every stage in their life.

I have lived in Brevard County for 20 years and in Palm Bay for 10 now. I am committed to helping My Community Grow in the right direction.

June 4 2020

Meet Seat 3 Candidate Thomas Guame

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I have always been active in the City of Palm Bay since moving here when I was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1994 after 12 1/2 years of active duty military service.

I volunteered as both coach and board member of Palm Bay West Little League. Founded the City’s first Little League Challenger Division for children with disabilities and secured the Charter for Palm Bay’s 1st Little League Softball League for female athletes that had previously been underserved by the existing male-oriented Leagues.

I served one term as Chairman of the Board of the Greater Palm Bay Chamber of Commerce, and 18 months as the Chamber’s Government Affairs Director.

As a small business owner, I founded two small computers and Internet companies and received the Palm Bay Chamber Small Business of the Year award in 2007. I’m currently retired.

For enjoyment, I perform solo acoustic guitar and vocal shows for charitable organizations and for those living in assisted living facilities. My wife and I have two fully independent adult Children, and there are 4 generations of my family that reside in Palm Bay.

I’ve decided to run for seat 3 as I believe that we, the Citizens of Palm Bay deserve better. Better leadership and experience that will work tirelessly on your behalf.

My main concern is for the citizens of Palm Bay. We all moved to the bedroom community by choice. Most of us were simply looking for an affordable, safe, and quiet place to raise our families or retire.

Palm Bay was built as a bedroom community and since its inception, each person that has run for office wanted to change that, some wanting to turn us into another Orlando. Attempting to be something we’re not, were not designed to be, and abolish the bedroom community we all chose to move to.

I also believe that growth should be organic. Millions of our tax dollars have been wasted in the name of economic development with limited results, and zero to little return on investment. I intend to stop this practice. We can’t buy or tax our way to prosperity and certainly can’t try to do so by placing heavy tax burdens on the City’s taxpayers.

I’m aware of the condition of our infrastructure and fought tirelessly to remove the draconian assessments that were instituted by the City Council in 2017. Resulting in the first Citizen initiated petition to reign in the City Council and their spending. While at the same time injecting a solid plan for fixing the Palm Bay roads. For as long as I’ve been here people have talked about fixing Palm Bay’s roads, and now we are doing it by a Voter approved road bond program, rather than being dictated to fund this with additional assessments levied by Council.

Property rights are a major concern, and I have every intention of working to abolish ordinances and regulations that restrict what a property owner may or may not do on their own property. One example of that is a recent rule that you can’t park a vehicle on your own grass and are not allowed to park on any unimproved lot, even if that’s the reason you purchased that vacant lot. Presently this council is working towards further restrictions to further erode our property rights. I’ll be working to oppose any new restrictions, and remove those that are presently in place.

My vote is your vote. I will not hesitate to set my personal bias aside and cast a vote that is aligned with a majority of the Citizen. That’s called representation.

I strongly believe in Government of, by, and for the people…not the moneyed interests. I’m asking for your vote and support, so together we can move forward without putting our families, friends, neighbors, and those on fixed or limited incomes in financial jeopardy.

Please feel free to contact me by phone or email anytime.

Thomas Gaume
321-557-4700
tom@gaume.us

https://www.gaume.us

I’ve decided to run for seat 3 as I believe that we, the Citizens of Palm Bay deserve better. Better leadership and experience that will work tirelessly on your behalf.

May 31 2020

Meet your Mayoral Candidate Rob Medina

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U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Served District 5 as a Legislative Assistant for Commissioner Colon Director of Ministry at The House at Palm Bay Church Marine Corps League-Det.918 Member Currently Serves as a Congressional Staffer for Florida’s 8th Congressional District

May 30 2020

Meet your Mayoral Candidate Kay Maragh

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Kay Maragh is a wife, mother, real estate agent and a small business owner. She currently serves on the Planning and Zoning Board and the Community Development Advisory Board for the City of Palm Bay. She is married to her husband, Linval Maragh, of 19 years, and a proud mother of a college bound 17-year-old son. America was founded by immigrants and she too has an immigrant story as she is from Ocho Rios, Jamaica and moved to the United States when she was 19 years old.

Kay’s mother was a school teacher and her father is a retired army veteran who currently serves as a VCOP with the city of Palm Bay. Her parents ensured Kay and her siblings understood the value of hard work and the importance of serving her community. Her parents owning their own business sparked her interest in studying Business Administration. As a teenager, she worked at her parent’s hardware store, which provided her insight to the challenges that come with owning a business with limited support and resources. Her experience of working at her parent’s business and owning her own business showed her the impact that city government has on small businesses.

She was encouraged by her parents to find solutions to problems in the community which prompted her to participate in her first fundraiser at the age 8 years old, to assist the local kindergarten to purchase school supplies. By the age of 16, she started her first youth organization called “Youths with a Purpose”. Youths with a Purpose focused on performing arts, sex education and the environment. At a young age, she realized impact of youth programs and that they are a “must-have” in all communities.

In 1997, when her family migrated to New Jersey she immediately became a part of the West Indian American Association. An organization that worked closely with youth to help feed the homeless. Currently, she serves as the Vice President of the BCASCA which is the largest Caribbean organization in Brevard county. The goal of the organization is to educate, empower, and celebrate the Caribbean community. While in New Jersey, she worked as a transportation consultant with Palisades Consulting Grouping orchestrating projects for national and international transit agencies. She also participated in trade missions to the Caribbean, the UN Summit on Africa that focused on creating livable communities.

In 2001, Kay and her husband started Computer Central Plus an internet Café and computer store in St. Ann, Jamaica. The company’s community outreach is focused on assisting troubled boys between the ages of 8 to 16 years old. The organization challenged the young participants to enhance their computer skills which sparked an interest for all the boys to pursue a career in the technology industry. The high success rate in the program is a great reminder that early exposure to STEM programs can yield positive results.

In 2009, Kay and her family moved to Brevard County, and in 2011 purchased a home in Palm Bay because this was the city she wanted her family to thrive and grow. She connected with a local church where she coached the church’s Bible Bowl. She is proud that as the team is currently undefeated.

As a real estate agent, she understands the value of homeownership and working with home buyers as they make an investment into their future. In her role as a real estate agent it gives her a perspective into the affordable housing crisis. She has a multi prong approach to address the affordable housing crisis. Her passion to serve and help her community has been imbedded in her professional and personal life. She has a passion for the community she lives in and wants to be a voice for those who go unheard. The City of Palm Bay needs to focus on economic development, social and recreational activities.

Kay as Mayor of Palm Bay will implement policies that balance sustainable growth while protecting the environment. She will advocate to continue to develop the City of Palm Bay. She understands that Palm Bay is only 38% built and with her knowledge and experience she hopes to build a smart and green city. A city where young people will choose to stay because there are opportunities for growth economically and socially, expanded

May 29 2020

Meet your Seat 3 Candidate Randy Foster

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Randy Foster has over 25 years of federal and local law enforcement experience. He currently serves as the President of Foster Experts, LLC., a Law Enforcement Experts Witness Consultant firm.

Randy is a retired Supervisory Deputy U. S. Marshal with The U.S. Marshals Service. Prior to this position, he worked as a Federal Air Marshal and Narcotics Officer for the Fayetteville (NC) Police Department. Distinguished assignments during Randy’s federal career include Manuel Noriega Trial; Hurricane Katrina response (Airport Security); and Judicial Protection for U. S. Supreme Court Justices and World Trade Center Bombing Trial. He holds a Certificate in Criminal Justice from Texarkana College (TX) and worked in the private sector as a Chief Loss Prevention Officer for Marriott Corporation. Randy served as a Military Police Officer (MP) for both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air force.

Randy is a retired veteran with the 175th Maryland Air National Guard and is a veteran of Operations “Desert Storm”, “Enduring Freedom” and “Iraqi Freedom”.

Professional Education United States Marshals Service Training Academy. Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) (Criminal Investigator) Fayetteville, N.C. Police Academy (Police Officer Academy) Federal Air Marshal Academy (Air Marshal Academy) U.S. Army Military Police Academy. (Military Police Academy) Texarkana College – Criminal Justice certificate

Seat 3 Candidate

May 29 2020

Meet your Seat 2 Candidate Donny Felix

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Donny Jean Felix was born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He moved to Florida in 1993, shortly after high school to pursue a college degree and the great “American Dream”.

Donny Jean Felix was born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He moved to Florida in 1993, shortly after high school to pursuit a college degree and the great “American Dream”. He started his first job at Publix Super Markets, realizing early on, the endless opportunities the company offered, if you willing to work hard and be disciplined. The application of these principles and his ability to connect with others contributed tremendously to his success. From speaking zero English six years prior, in 1999, he became one of the youngest Assistant Manager in his district. While working an average of 55 hours weekly, maintaining his Christian faith, his relationship with his wife SarahJane, raising a family, he managed to go to school part time, and received a Business Administration degree in 2011 from EFSC. He had a successful 19-year career at Publix Super Markets. In 2012, he felt the strong call to serve his community, he founded the Haitian American Association of Brevard (HAAB), a non-profit organization helping to bridge the language and cultural gap through social, civic engagement, financial, and educational services. In March of 2013, he started his banking career at Wells Fargo Bank, where he held a Personal Banker position. He volunteered as the Bank community liaison, provided hours of financial literacy presentation at the South Brevard Adult Education, local colleges, and also volunteered through the National Junior Achievement Program at local elementary schools. He volunteered at his church, as the team leader for the Guest Services. In addition, he’s currently serving on many City, County Advisory boards, and has served on the City of Palm Bay Charter Review Commission in 2016. The burning desire and call to public service, led him seeking to serve as the next City of Palm Bay Councilman for Seat 2, if elected in the 2020 elections. Donny Jean Felix “A servant leader”

May 29 2020

Meet Your Seat 2 Candidate Berekia Lafaille

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Hello, my name is Berekia LaFaille. I am a mother, a wife, I’m also an independent licensed insurance agent. As you can tell I wear a lot of hats and I am asking for the distinct honor of serving the citizens as your Seat #2 Palm Bay City Council member.

I have lived in Palm Bay for 15 years since moving from Boca Raton, FL to raise our four children. I’ve coached 12U boys’ basketball for 4 years, and I am very family-oriented. I have previously served as the parent representative on the Region 4 Board of Directors and Florida Parent Representative on the National Head Start Association. Currently, I am a board member on the Infrastructure Advisory Oversight Board for the City of Palm Bay.

I believe I am the best candidate because I have a roadmap for the right change in our city and I am prepared and committed to work with all those who want a fully functioning city government, free of corruption, and a healthy community that is safe for all.

I’m running for Palm Bay City Council Seat #2. to:

1)To rebuild the trust between Palm Bay resident’s city Government.

2)To promote and prevent taxing residents out of their homes.

3) Advocate for effective policing & improving community relationships.

4) Creating a fully functioning city government with the correct oversight along with checks and balances