In addition to state and county elections, Ponce Inlet residents are also voting in a Town Council race this year.
The primary is Aug. 20 when voters will decide whether incumbent Joe Villanella will continue to serve as their councilman, or if they want to give challenger Jair Kessler a chance at the job.
Residents can vote from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the town's Community Center, 4670 S. Peninsula Drive.
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The candidates responded to a questionnaire from The News-Journal. Answers were edited for space and grammar.
Jair Kessler
Name: Jair Kessler.
Age: 74.
Occupation: Retired New York University administrator.
Political experience: None.
Top three priorities:
1. Unity in community: I want to be a voice for all residents.
2. Meet environmental challenges, particularly coastal flooding.
3. Support local and green businesses, as well as the Marine Science Center and the lighthouse.
Why are you running?
I want to be a breath of fresh air, and a new voice for Ponce Inlet. The Town Council has members who have been on the council and its code enforcement and planning boards for many years. Our residents are a diverse group of ages and people. It is important to have a new member who listens to ALL the voices in our town. My second reason is that I am passionate about protecting our environment and meeting the challenges that lie ahead. For example, where possible, all our available empty lots should be turned into natural spaces to protect wildlife, and/or retention ponds.
What is a life accomplishment that illuminates the kind of officeholder you will be?
2. My family is one of my greatest accomplishments (I have four children and six grandchildren) who always keep me grounded. In New York, I was one of the founders of a program at New York University that provided research facilities to academics working overseas at an NYU center. As its director, I oversaw its multimillion-dollar budget and worked closely with staff abroad as well as the NYU academics. Here in Ponce Inlet, I am proud of the creation of the first Ponce Inlet Farmers Market, of which I am a founder.
What is something about your community you treasure and aim to protect? What is something you will seek to change?
No one has any financial incentive to become a volunteer! I treasure the large numbers of volunteers in this town who are committed to working for the Marine Science Center, the lighthouse, the Native Plant Society as well as serve as volunteers on our council boards. I want to protect the special character of our town that engages its residents to protect it. I hope to change the expression of division among residents. I know everyone will not always agree with each other, but we need to bring back the civil arena of disagreement.
Joe Villanella
Name: Joe Villanella.
Age: Not provided. However, in a 2018 News-Journal candidate profile, Villanella said he was 74.
Occupation: Retired — Technical, sales and marketing executive management.
Political experience: River-to-sea TPO committee, Chair of the Ponce Inlet Code Board, and currently Ponce Inlet Town Council member.
Top three priorities:
1. Focusing on public safety by ensuring our police, firefighters and public works teams have the equipment, training and skills they need to carry out their missions to the residents of Ponce Inlet.
2. Focusing on resiliency by implementing our vulnerability assessment and watershed master plans to address and minimize any potential flooding issues we may encounter in the future.
3. Focusing on funding opportunities available at the state and federal levels to acquire funding needed to address the above listed priorities, using our grant-writing skills, to be sure our requests are being seriously evaluated by those sources.
Why are you running?
I am running for reelection to the Ponce Inlet Town Council because I believe that the charm, culture and character of our town is worth the effort to preserve it. I want to continue to build on our remarkable record of achievements since I was first sworn in two years ago. I will continue to listen to the concerns of our residents and implement solutions that benefit as many of them as we can. I remain “Focused on Our Future” and I believe the best is yet to come.
What is a life accomplishment that illuminates the kind of officeholder you will be?
“To whom much has been given, much is expected.” I have been very fortunate in my life and, after retiring from the corporate sector, I have spent the last 14 years giving back to my community. From my work in Ponce Inlet town government to the various ministries at the Epiphany Church, I dedicate my time and energy to improving the lives of others. My supporters know that I desire to continue to help in any way I can. Serving on council is a serious commitment and I enjoy every minute of helping others and preserving all that we love about our town.
What is something about your community you treasure and aim to protect? What is something you will seek to change?
There is so much to treasure about Ponce Inlet but above all, the sense of pride and community spirit we share over our beautiful natural environment stands out.
I would like to see more of our younger residents taking an active role in our community and town government. I would like to explore the possibility of creating a mentorship program that would help achieve this goal. The first step is often the hardest and with a little guidance and encouragement, I think we can help to start others on a path to service. In my experience, Ponce Inlet is worth the investment.
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