Fredd Atkins Runs For Sarasota County Commission District 2 Seat

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — Voters will decide who will win the Sarasota County Commission District 2 seat.

Two candidates are vying for the position:

• Fredd “Glossie” Atkins
• Mark Smith

Voters will cast their ballots in the Nov. 8 general elections.

Patch has asked all candidates to complete a questionnaire about their campaign and their priorities.

Atkins responded to our survey and her responses are posted below:

Name

Fredd "Glossie" Atkins

Campaign website

https://www.freddatkins.com

City or town of residence

Sarasota

Office sought

Sarasota County Commission, District 2

Education

Bachelors of Arts.

Occupation

Retired, former realtor and substitute teacher.

Family

I have 6 Children, Carol (51), Nilaja (47), Amina (43), Baraka (38), Dumaka (36), Zakia (35). Baraka played linebacker in the NFL, notably for Seattle and New Orleans.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Dumaka, Baraka and Amina work for Sarasota County Schools, none of my children work for the county.

Age

70

Previous public office, appointive or elective

Sarasota City Commissioner, 1985-1995 and 2003-2011
Vice Mayor, 1986-1987, 1990-1991, 2005-2006, 2010-2011
Mayor, 1987-1988, 1991-1992, 2006-2007

Why are you seeking this office?

I have worked tirelessly my entire life for the betterment of the people. I worked to bring single-member districts to Sarasota city and worked to bring them to the county. I served as a City Commissioner and Mayor, working with a broad range of stakeholders to better our city and community. Now, this is the first real chance Democrats have at having a voice on the County Commission in 50+ years. I felt that with my background of working across the aisle to get things done at the city level, I could bring that expertise to the county level to help better everyone's lives in Sarasota.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

I am running to replace Christian Ziegler, who decided to retire early rather than lose. He put his own partisan pursuits ahead of the needs of the residents of Sarasota.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

In addition to housing, I want to work on restoring Sarasota Bay and the overall environment of the county, work on infrastructure so we can handle the demand we have now and avoid spills, and also work to control growth in the county and make sure we have the facilities to handle any new developments.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My tenure as a city commissioner and mayor, I worked with individuals from all different backgrounds, community organizations and interests to do what was in the best interest of Sarasota, I know I can do the same at the county.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

The only fights worth fighting are the tough ones.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I was born and raised in Sarasota County. It is the place I have raised my family and built a wonderful life with my wife, Shelia. I have always worked for the betterment of Sarasota, from desegregation to the issues we face today as a community, I have worked tirelessly to make Sarasota one of the best places to live and will continue to do that if elected.