Oakland holding first election in 16 years

For the last 16 years, all candidates running for a seat on the Oakland Town Commission — or commissioners seeking re-election — faced no opposition and automatically elected to a four-year term.

In the town’s first municipal election since 2006, there are two qualifiers for Seat 1: incumbent Rick Polland and political newcomer Matthew Bunevich. Polland, a former financial advisor and division manager, joined the Town Commission in 2012 when he filled a seat vacated by former Commissioner Mona Phipps. Bunevich is an area leader for 7-Eleven, and this is his first bid for office.

The West Orange Times & Observer sent a questionnaire to both candidates, and these are their responses.

MATTHEW BUNEVICH

AGE: 36

FAMILY: Wife of three years, Megan; 6-month-old daughter, Monroe

YEARS IN OAKLAND: Two

CAREER: Area leader for 7-Eleven; helps franchisees grow their business while maintaining brand standards. Several stores are in and around Winter Garden.

EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science in hospitality management from the University of Central Florida

CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS: Currently, I have no other civic organizations on my plate, but that will change in the coming months. 

Why do you want to serve on the Oakland Town Commission? 

After moving to Oakland, I found that the community was growing but the town was not evolving with it. Some examples are, we can finally pay our water bill online, the town is not on reclaimed water, few community-engagement events to help blend the new developments with the established residents. So, I challenged myself to make a difference and run for Town Commission.   

Why do you feel that you are the best-qualified candidate for this office? 

Honestly, it is time for change in the leadership of Oakland. The town is growing, there needs to be some new leadership brought to the table to match. I may not have the tenure in the community, but I do have a fresh energetic perspective on how to engage the Town of Oakland. 

What do you feel are the most important issues now that need to be addressed? 

Oakland is in a triangle of three “namesake” areas (Clermont, Windermere and Winter Garden); but it has a charm that could be dismantled if not protected. I believe we have to engage in conversations and developments that will lead to sustained local business growth while keeping the Town of Oakland a great place to live from raising children to retiring. As mentioned above, we have to protect that charm while blending the changes required to being a modern town. 

What are your goals if elected? 

Similar to the previous answer, Oakland has to continue to evolve. This means getting to the modern level of standard living as a community, to not feel like we are just Winter Garden adjacent, but the beautiful Town of Oakland. This means more engagement from the residents in projects that will help drive awareness to the preserve and history museum, becoming a green town, and ensuring that the town continues to grow without losing the charm. 

What is your response to residents who say the town is growing too fast and they don’t want to lose the “Mayberry” charm?  

Change is inevitable, there is only so much land to develop, and Oakland has some valuable areas. But what is important to recognize is the influence the town leadership and residents can have on the partnerships taken with developers and businesses. If the residents and leadership focus on blending the growth with the charm we want to maintain, it can work, but it has to be crafted and managed.

What are your thoughts on multi-family housing in Oakland? 

Multi-family housing has benefits and detractors, but at the core it is a business (most of the time, i.e., large-scale apartment complexes) and should be treated as such. Oftentimes, it sounds great, and the early stages of the partnership are advantageous to both. However, as time wears on, it can become clear that the business finds itself more important than the community they partnered with. This can lead to changing in tenants and rental value to guarantee profit, thus, affecting the community and its land/ homeowners. It is important to understand that they are a business, and profit will remain their focus above all. It will take effort and leadership to safeguard the town from possible changes from these types of development.

What type of development on West Colonial Drive do you think would be most suitable for the town and why?

As I said, this land is valuable but can quickly turn to a drive-thru window buffet if allowed to. I believe it is important to ensure development of these areas is of use to the community through revenue streams and high-quality anchors. I would love a grocer to compete with Publix or an anchor that is future thinking. While restaurants and retail are expected and great, I do not want to be a wash-and-repeat from a few miles either way down the road. A high-quality anchor might also allow the town to encourage local businesses’ development with less competing national chains or brands. 

How do you see the demographics of the town changing? How do you see that affecting life in Oakland?  

The Town of Oakland is getting younger, and amenities are now something that will be key to the future. Whether it be the golf cart community in development, more community events to drive participation by residents and finding new ways to showcase Oakland as a town among the oaks. Did you know the Town of Oakland does not have a twitter account for community engagement? What about a community app for events and planning? These apps and forms of communication are now part of everyday life no matter the age. Why not develop them to drive that community feel?

RICK POLLAND

AGE: 65

FAMILY: Wife of 34 years, Tammy

YEARS IN OAKLAND: Bought land in 1996 and built their home in 1999-2000

CAREER: Recently retired. Background as a financial advisor and a division manager and license holder from a local mechanical company.

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in accounting

CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS: On the board of the Oakland Nature Preserve and Friends of Lake Apopka.

Why do you want to serve on the Oakland Town Commission?

Serving on the commission is a labor of love for all of us, as the compensation is only $50/month. We serve because we care about Oakland and the quality of life we all work to protect. I have served on the commission for nine years, and we have come a long way in the past few years. My passion for serving is solving problems for our residents, ensuring our taxes are not wasted and that our small-town charm is protected. That’s why I want to continue serving.

Why do you feel that you are the best-qualified candidate for this office?

Prior to being elected, I volunteered seven years serving on Oakland’s Board of Zoning Appeals and Adjustments and one year on the Parks and Recreation Committee. Professionally, I have retired with a background as a financial advisor and a division manager with a local mechanical company with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. My strong financial background has been a great aid in cutting waste and passing fiscally responsible budgets.

Another area which I’m passionate about is our environment and natural resources. That’s why I represent the Town of Oakland on the Oakland Nature Preserve Board and serve on the Board of Friends of Lake Apopka.

During my nine-year tenure on the commission, some of my proudest accomplishments include four years lowering and holding the line on property tax rates; new and improved parks and recreation areas; spearheading the town’s “dark sky lighting” initiative; requiring native and Florida-friendly landscaping on all new homes and buildings; and increasing greenspace acreage to the Oakland Nature Preserve

What do you feel are the most important issues now that need to be addressed?

Managing the inevitable growth coming to Oakland and keeping the small-town charm that has attracted us all to Oakland. Irrigating with an alternative water source so we can reduce the amount of potable water being used on lawns. We have everything in place, including the land for the pump station to use stormwater and canal water off of Lake Apopka; we are currently working on funding.

What are your goals if elected?

Going forward I will continue focusing on lower property tax rates while providing residents with outstanding service and support; protecting Oakland’s charm and small-town identity in the face of growth; and ensuring an open, accessible and transparent Town Hall.

What is your response to residents who say the town is growing too fast and they don’t want to lose the “Mayberry” charm?

This is the reason so many of us have chosen to move to or stay in Oakland. We are such a unique community. I plan to do all I can to maintain that. We must be smart now about the decisions that could affect the future of this special place. We don’t need to look like Clermont or Winter Garden. We have specific guidelines that developers along the highway must adhere to. We are different and want to continue to make Oaklanders proud to live here. I have voted for a six-month moratorium on multi-family housing.

What are your thoughts on multi-family housing in Oakland? 

I have voted to stop or slow them down. I recently voted for the six-month moratorium on all multi-family housing. The most recent multi-family projects being proposed in Oakland have either been turned down or the developers withdrew their application. So now it’s time for a public discussion to determine how to move forward without wasting the town’s and the developers’ time and money processing applications.

What type of development on West Colonial Drive do you think would be most suitable for the town and why?

I personally would like to see some unique retail and restaurants that compliment Oakland’s charm. It would be a gathering place for our residents and a draw to our nearby neighbors in Winter Garden or Clermont.

How do you see the demographics of the town changing? How do you see that affecting life in Oakland?

I see a new generation already in Oakland. Many of our existing residents come from families that have been in Oakland for generations. We are a very tight knit community, and I’d love to see the integration of the old and new Oakland. Oakland has a rich heritage. The gems of our community are the Healthy West Orange Arts and Heritage Center at Oakland as well as the Oakland Nature Preserve. I see our town’s identity as one of well-being, respect for our natural surroundings and a love of our roots. This is what brings us together!

DEMOGRAPHICS

POPULATION 2020 U.S. CENSUS: 3,516

POPULATION 2021 ESTIMATE: 3,895, a 10.8% increase

MEDIAN AGE IN OAKLAND: 35.8

MEDIAN AGE IN FLORIDA: 42.4

18 YEARS AND OLDER: 76.9%

65 YEARS AND OLDER: 12.4%

LANGUAGE SPOKEN IN THE HOME - ENGLISH: 84.8%

LANGUAGE SPOKEN IN THE HOME - SPANISH: 10.2%

LANGUAGE SPOKEN IN THE HOME – OTHER: 5%

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME: $110,118

BACHELOR’S DEGREE OR HIGHER: 36.2%

EMPLOYMENT RATE: 70%

TOTAL HOUSING UNITS: 1,339

TOTAL HOUSEHOLDS: 963

OCCUPIED UNITS PAYING $1,500 to $ 1,999 IN RENT: 56.4%

AVERAGE FAMILY SIZE: 3.33 persons

WITHOUT HEALTH CARE COVERAGE: 10%

MARITAL STATUS – MARRIED: 59.9%

MARITAL STATUS – WIDOWED: 3.1%

MARITAL STATUS – DIVORCED: 8.6%

MARITAL STATUS – NEVER MARRIED: 28%