Metro | City County Commission - The Independent Florida Alligator

Cynthia Chestnut, dressed in blue, holds up her hand and takes an oath of office as the new At-Large Seat B city commissioner at Gainesville City Hall on Thursday, Feb. 17.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Cynthia Chestnut begins her term as City Commissioner

By Melanie Pena | Feb. 18, 2022

With her hand on the Bible her mother gave her 49 years ago, Cynthia Chestnut repeated the oath of office during her City Commissioner swearing-in ceremony. On Thursday morning, Chestnut was sworn in as At-Large Seat B City Commissioner outside Gainesville City Hall after winning the special runoff election Jan. 25. The position will be a four-year term with elections every two years starting this year, according to a City of Gainesville press release.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Two new candidates join the race for Gainesville mayor

By Melanie Pena | Feb. 7, 2022

Before Ward and Bielarski announced last week, the only two candidates running for the position were Arreola, who announced his race in December 2021, and Shepherd, who filed his paperwork in June 2021.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Free parking spaces are temporarily coming back to downtown Gainesville

By Carissa Allen | Feb. 4, 2022

Free parking is coming back to downtown Gainesville until June 1. The Gainesville City Commission voted 5-1 on Thursday to suspend the paid parking structure in the center of downtown Gainesville. Mayor Lauren Poe was the only dissenting vote.

City Commissioner-elect Cynthia Chestnut (center) stands with Gainesville NAACP President Evelyn Foxx (left) and School Board member Tina Certain (right) at her election watch party at Cypress and Grove Brewing Company on Tuesday, Jan. 25.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Cynthia Chestnut, Matt Howland continue their work in the electoral process

By Melanie Pena | Jan. 31, 2022

In the days following the election, commissioner-elect Cynthia Moore Chestnut prepared for her position as city commissioner at-large seat B. Opposing candidate Matt Howland will be returning to his studies, flying between Gainesville and his classes at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

City commission fired GRU’s general manager, so he ran for mayor

By Melanie Pena | Jan. 28, 2022

The Gainesville City Commission’s vote to fire Gainesville Regional Utilities General Manager Edward Bielarski Thursday ended with a new bid for mayor. At the beginning of the meeting, City Commissioner Harvey Ward proposed the motion to fire Bielarski, which passed with a 4-2 vote. Commissioners Desmon Duncan-Walker and David Arreola opposed.

Following 10 weeks of campaigning, Cynthia Moore Chestnut won the Gainesville special runoff election Tuesday by 244 votes. Chestnut led with nearly 51% of the 12,280 ballots cast while Howland had about 49%. The city’s voter turnout for the special run-off election was about 13.6%, a 0.55% increase compared to the November special election.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Chestnut wins Gainesville special run-off election, newcomer concedes

By Alligator Staff report | Jan. 26, 2022

Chestnut led with nearly 51% of the 12,280 ballots cast while Howland had about 49%, according to preliminary results. Out of the 90,080 eligible voters, only 12,280 voted, or 13.6%, a 0.55% increase compared to the November special election.

Judi Jackson, a 62-year-old election volunteer (left), sits outside Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office Jan. 22 with her fellow volunteer, checking early voting ballots. The special run-off election for City Commission At-large Seat B will be held Jan. 25.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Early voting for the Gainesville City Commission special run-off election ends

By Melanie Pena | Jan. 24, 2022

The Gainesville City Commission Special Election early voting began Friday and ended Sunday, with the official election date being Jan. 25. For voters casting their vote by mail past the early voting period, the mail-in drop box will be available Jan. 24 and Jan. 25 at the Alachua Supervisor of Elections Office at 515 N. Main St. Suite 100.

Judge Stephan Mickle's wife, Evelyn Mickle, speaks at the podium about her husband's trailblazing legacy at the renaming ceremony of the Alachua County Courthouse on Friday, Jan. 14. The courthouse is located at 220 S. Main St.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Alachua renames courthouse to honor the legacy of late Judge Stephan P. Mickle

By Carissa Allen | Jan. 18, 2022

After Mickle died last January, Alachua County commissioners unanimously approved a new courthouse name: Judge Stephan P. Mickle Sr. Criminal Courthouse, ending the nearly 20 yearslong search for the perfect name.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Vaccination gift card programs return to Alachua County and include boosters

By Melanie Pena | Jan. 14, 2022

One program gives any Alachua County resident $25 gift cards for each COVID-19 vaccination and booster they receive. Another awards $100 gift cards to each county government employee for their initial vaccination and booster.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Three Gainesville city board members resign

Jan. 12, 2022

Their letters were sent in December. The Gainesville City Commission accepted the resignations of Shayna Rich, Wendell Porter and Harriet Davis during their meeting Thursday, Jan. 6.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Gainesville City Manager fires all assistant city managers, makes changes to the staff

By Erina Anwar | Jan. 12, 2022

Interim Gainesville City Manager Cynthia Curry fired three assistant city managers and appointed Gainesville Police Department Chief Tony Jones to take their places on Monday.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Plans for supermarket in East Gainesville canceled by city commission

By Erina Anwar | Jan. 12, 2022

The Gainesville City Commission has canceled its plans to put a Bravo Supermarket on the empty lot on Hawthorne Road, leaving many East Gainesville residents grounded in a food desert.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

City Commission votes to provide city workers with COVID-19 at-home test kits

By Melanie Pena | Jan. 7, 2022

At their first meeting of 2022 Thursday, city commissioners, with City Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker absent, voted to keep Gainesville workers safe from rising COVID-19 cases in the county.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Gainesville City Commissioner launches campaign for mayor

By Meghan McGlone | Dec. 3, 2021

Gainesville is holding its City Commission election for the mayor at-large seat and districts two, three and four on Aug. 23, 2022.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Marihelen Wheeler appointed chair of Alachua County Commission

By Bryce Brown | Dec. 1, 2021

Wheeler won her seat on the County Commission in 2018 and is now entering the fourth and final year of her term as commissioner after being appointed to chair on Nov. 9. Commissioners will serve as the chair at some point before their term ends, said Wheeler, who served as vice-chair last year.

Election Day for Gainesville City Commission was on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. Polls were open across Gainesville from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Two candidates held watch parties later in the evening. The special election was held to fill the seat vacated by Gail Johnson when she resigned. Matt Howland, Cynthia Chestnut, Scherwin Henry, Patrick Ingle and Gabe Kaimowitz faced off for the open seat, but none prevailed yet. Howland and Chestnut will face off in January during the runoff election.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Two candidates, Gainesville voters prepare for runoff election

By Meghan McGlone and Jiselle Lee | Nov. 22, 2021

Voters who supported the other three candidates — Scherwin Henry, Patrick Ingle and Gabe Kaimowitz — are now tasked with making another choice. Both candidates have adapted their campaign styles to attract more voters.

The Standard Parking Garage is seen on Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

More parking may be coming to Midtown

By Meghan McGlone | Nov. 22, 2021

The Gainesville City Commission voted Thursday to allow The Standard, located at 1360 W University Ave, to open its residential parking lots to the public. The change comes amid an effort pioneered by Commissioner Adrian Hayes-Santos. The apartment complex can choose whether to allow the public to use the parking garage, which previously wasn’t a permitted option.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Cynthia Chestnut and Matt Howland progress to City Commission runoff

By Alligator Staff report | Nov. 16, 2021

Neither candidate received more than 50% of the vote, which resulted in a necessary runoff election on Jan. 25. Chestnut received 46% of the votes, with a 560 lead over Howland, who received 41%. More than 13% of the nearly 90,000 eligible Gainesville voters turned out in the election, according to the Supervisor of Elections Office.

Karl Anderson, Upper Room Ministries pastor, hands out free mugs at the end of the Souls to the Polls event at the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections Office on Sunday, Nov. 14, 2021.

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Black Voters Matter organize voter engagement event for Gainesville’s Special Election

By Erina Anwar | Nov. 16, 2021

The event targeted Black voters in Gainesville and featured many performances, including gospel singer Keyla Richardson as well as speeches from candidates, city commissioners and other community leaders.

Graphic of Gainesville City Hall and the County Administration Building

METRO | CITY COUNTY COMMISSION

Will Gainesville combat historic voter turnout lows in upcoming City Commission election?

By Meghan McGlone | Nov. 15, 2021

As of Sunday, almost 8,000 ballots have been cast according to the Supervisor of Elections Office — representing about 8.8% of total eligible voters in Gainesville. More than 6,000 of the ballots have been mailed in.

Metro | City and County Commission