Bradenton Election: Coachman, Wooten Face Off In Ward 5 Race

BRADENTON, FL — In the 2020 election, Bradenton voters will choose the winner of the city council’s Ward 5 race. Pamela Mitchell Coachman and Keenan Wooten are vying for the role. This is a nonpartisan race.

How to vote

As the Nov. 3 election approaches, Manatee County voters can submit their ballots at early voting locations, at drop-off boxes and by mail. They can also vote at their local voting precinct on Election Day.

If voting in person, either early or on Nov. 3, voters must bring a current and valid ID with their name, photo and signature. Find a full list of acceptable IDs here.

Vote-by-mail ballots may be returned using the U.S. Postal Service. The return postage for a vote-by-mail ballot is two Forever stamps or $.70. They must be received by 7 p.m. Election Day. Additionally, they can be dropped off at any early voting location. Find a list of early voting locations here. The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot has passed.

If you choose to vote in person on Nov. 3, you can look up your voting precinct online here. For your vote to count, you must vote in the precinct in which you reside. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Meet the candidates

Bradenton Patch recently sent out questionnaires to learn more about who these candidates are and where they stand on local issues. Below are the responses submitted.

Pamela Mitchell Coachman, 63, has a master of science degree in speech and language pathology from the University of South Florida. She’s enjoyed a career as a speech and language pathologist.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Coachman: There are so many issues: For one, Ward 5 should feel they are a part of the city. There is a need to improve internal communications between the people with the city council, Bradenton Police Department, and other city departments.

We also need to create more external opportunities for citizens to communicate with their city council, Bradenton Police Department, and other city departments so they have a seat at the decision table. Many citizens feel as though if they’re not at the decision table, they are on the menu. It’s imperative to me to change that narrative.

Additionally, I would hold townhall chats within Ward 5 and provide an open-door atmosphere. At these townhall chats I would inform citizens of services and options provided by their city government along with community resources. I would like varied means of communication to be considered especially when it comes to the council meetings. I would like to survey Ward 5 citizens to help determine the best ways to communicate with them.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Coachman: I do not have any large companies or organizations endorsing me, even though I support working with them to improve communication and respect with citizens. I am supported by people that give their time and hard-earned money. The people who support me are local residents who believe in me and how I can serve them should I be elected.

I want to build relationships. 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. I am a person with integrity and a strong moral compass to guide me.

Also, a side note, I will be the first African American female to be elected.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Coachman: In addition to improved communication, I would like to focus on business development – I want to ensure that we keep our small businesses afloat in these difficult times. Additionally, I would like the city to foster entrepreneurship programs so that way we can create more jobs in the city of Bradenton. I also want to recruit businesses to make Bradenton their home and hire local residents complete with livable wages.

I also want to make sure that city government is doing everything they can to encourage attainable and workforce housing. Our young professionals and seniors need it.

I have facilitated so many meetings, it is hard to count. In those meetings, several experts are at the table and we as a group must find the best plan to resolve the issue at hand. My time in the private sector, school districts of Pinellas, Fulton (GA) Hillsborough and Manatee counties, have given me a multitude of experience in how to conduct the business at head, by listening and collaborating with others to make a positive change.

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

No response from candidate.

Why should voters trust you?

Coachman: I am not a person that seeks attention, but I will give you my attention and help the best that I can. I walk and work with integrity. I sincerely believe in honesty and transparency. I see government as an entity that works with and for the people they represent.

I am seeking a seat on the council with no other agenda to climb higher, because I feel that local government is the best way to make a difference in your community. On the city council you have the chance of meeting a majority of the citizens you represent in a city the size of Bradenton.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

Coachman: Knowing that citizens that once felt excluded, feel included and more citizens are engaged with city government and be better connected to their community will check off the success box for me.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the handling of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

Coachman: I believe in being accountable and fiscally sound. I want to make sure we spend taxpayer dollars responsibly and make sure it is used for its designated purpose. Transparency is key. I also want to utilize more than just the minimal efforts to inform the public of any plan and the execution of funds.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

Coachman: I am a mother to two adult black men. I am concerned about their safety each and every day. I am not affiliated with an organized group, however, I, as any American, feel that peaceful, responsible protests should be just that - peaceful.

We must as a community work together with law enforcement to build better relationships. I have personally met Sheriff Well and Police Chief Bevan. Both are open to building that bridge. We need city and county officials to be open to building bridges as well.

What are your thoughts on the campaign to "defund" the police?

Coachman: The word “defund” is defined differently for people on each side of this issue. There is a need to make sure our law enforcement is properly trained and have the resources they need to do their job to serve and protect. I would like to see more training in diversity, but also in realizing when a person is having a medical/mental episode and to respond accordingly.

I would like to see our law enforcement teams outfitted with a holistic team who could address our societal ills and not just respond to enforce the law. If we could build teams where there are professionals who can help steer people who are experiencing mental health issues, homelessness, and issues, I think we could lower the time law enforcement spends on these cases.

What are your thoughts on the state and national response to the coronavirus pandemic? Do you favor such measures as limiting operation of non-essential businesses or restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a nationwide mask mandate?

Coachman: I value the lives and quality of life of city residents. I also believe in science. The science says that masks help limit the spread of the virus – not prevent it entirely. I would hope that we all would look out for one another and wear masks when we’re not able to social distance. That way our businesses can remain open, and people can still remain safe.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

Coachman: No.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Coachman: Listen more talk less. Treat and respect others as you would want to be treated and respected.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Coachman: I have spent my entire life helping others, professionally and personally. I do not seek recognition or pose for photos. I just do all that I can to help when I see people struggling to be heard. I am very proud of my sons; they are both kind to others and they take great care of their families. I have worked with the church, schools, and my sorority when I lived in Tampa.

Learn more about Coachman at her campaign website.

Keenan Wooten did not submit responses to Patch’s questionnaire. We have compiled some information about him, though.

According to his campaign website, he’s a Bradenton native who graduated from Southeast High School. He went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. He also holds a graduate certificate in leadership in developing human resources and a master’s degree in adult education from the University of South Florida.

Wooten currently works as a student support specialist and athletic director at Electa Arcotte Lee Magnet Middle School, his website said. In the community, he serves on the Minority Task Force for the Manatee County School District, is a member of the Sarasota Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, is vice president of the NAA Sarasota-Manatee chapter and is the Take Stock in Children coordinator for Lee Middle School. He also sits on the Citizen Advisory Committee for the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization.

He hopes to focus on economic development in Ward 5, according to his website. He wants to attract new businesses that offer higher paying jobs to residents. He’d also like to “bring the long overdue grocery store to East-Central Bradenton” and encourage investors to take advantage of opportunity zones in the area. Additionally, he wants to use redevelopment to reduce blight in the area’s urban corridors.

Infrastructure needs to be improved in areas that tend to flood heavily. Traffic flow also needs improvements, Wooten said. He also plans to focus on bringing more affordable housing to the area, youth drug prevention programs and improving relationships with community policing agencies.

Learn more about Wooten at his campaign website.