THERE'S SOME CHANGES COMING

It was really interesting looking down at the parking lot of the Neil Combee Administration Building in Bartow last evening to see how packed it was at 7:30. It seems that both the Polk County Democrats AND Republicans were holding meetings to reorganize their executive committees and elect officers for the next four years. The Republicans had the Commission chambers on the ground floor, the Democrats had the employee lounge two levels up.

I don't know how the other side did, but the DEC election went off rather well. Here is the press release I penned after arriving home:

Polk County Democratic precinct representatives elected new officers for the local party during an organisational meeting held in the Neil Combee Administrational Building in Bartow, with a retired doctor from Lakeland being tapped as it's leader.

Dr. William (Bill) Kremer, a medical oncologist retired from the Watson Clinic and former medical director with the Good Shepherd Hospice is the new chairman of the local Democratic Party, replacing Winter Haven attorney L. Mark Kaylor. Dr. Kremer, who chaired the Issues and Community Education Committee during the past two years, will be in charge of all Democratic Executive Committee meetings as well as represent the local party to the media and at certain state Democratic functions.

The new Vice Chair will be Mary Nelson of Winter Haven. A retired teacher and administrator, she is currently President of the Democratic Women's Club and was an elected delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston.

Barbara Stampfel of Lakeland will serve as the new Secretary, and Tom Clemmons of Mulberry was reelected to a second term as Treasurer.

The new State Committeewoman will be Caroll Franklin of Winter Haven. Most recently the campaign manager for Jeffrey Siemer's unsuccessful primary campaign for the 12th District congressional seat, Ms. Franklin is a political activist and a retired head emergency room nurse. Her counterpart as State Committeeman is Rev. Alex Harper of Lakeland, pastor of First Baptist Institutional Church who previously served as Sergeant-at-Arms during the previous four years. And replacing Rev. Harper at his former position is the former Vice President, Ron Martin of Fort Meade, a warehouse employee at Bartow's Wal-Mart.