Oakland plans for 2024 election

The Oakland Town Commission passed a resolution at its Oct. 24 meeting that sets the qualifying dates and establishes the qualification methods for the town’s 2024 municipal election.

The town has a three-week candidate qualifying period for the election, set for March 19, 2024, and there are two ways to qualify: with signature cards or a fee payment.

The petition method of qualifying requires the candidate to obtain 100 petitions from registered voters in the town of Oakland in lieu of paying a fee. This two-week period will begin at 8 a.m. Nov. 16 and end at 5 p.m. Dec. 1. Petitions are verified by the Supervisor of Elections office at the expense of the candidate.

The four-day qualification process — in which candidates pay a $100 qualifying fee along with a $5.99 state assessment fee — begins at 8 a.m. Dec. 4 and ends at 3 p.m. Dec. 7.

The March election will have three seats on the ballot: those of the mayor and seats 2 and 3, currently held by Kathy Stark, Mike Satterfield and Sal Ramos, respectively.

During the consent agenda portion of the meeting, the commission appointed the Canvassing Board for the election. Because the election coincides with the Presidential Preference Primary and Orange County is involved, the county’s Canvassing Board will handle the task for the municipal election.

The town’s Canvassing Board would only have to meet to canvass a run-off election in the town if needed. Appointed were commissioners Joseph McMullen and Rick Polland as the two primary members and Town Manager Andy Stewart as the alternate.

UPGRADED POLICE TECHNOLOGY

Oakland Police Chief Darron Esan informed the commission of recent purchases for the police department. He said when he was interviewed for the position one year ago, his goal would be to provide the best training and equipment available.

He and his staff conducted a great deal of research on the best firearms and patrol car computers before making the purchase.

“The firearms the officers were carrying were, to me, we were walking the line of liability,” Esan said. “We were able to do a buy-back; … officers can keep them for a shadowbox or whatever.”

The firearms cost $12,000.

“With your support, the computers, the cars and the firearms were the first big steps, and we got it all done in less than a year,” he said. “My goal is every 60 days they go into training – for firearms and everything. We will have the best police officers in Central Florida.”

New uniforms have been purchased, but they haven’t been rolled out.

IN OTHER NEWS

• Town Manager Andy Stewart announced Town Clerk Elise Hui has been promoted to assistant town manager/town clerk.

• Hui showed a video of Oakland Avenue Charter School teachers singing a song to commemorate the school’s 20-year anniversary.

• Oakland Town Commissioners approved the consent agenda, which authorized Stewart to sign a Department of Environmental Protection grant agreement that provides $2 million in state funding for the town’s alternative water project. The consent agenda also included acceptance of the OACS audit and a renewal of the town attorney services contract with Vose Law Firm.

• Mayor Kathy Stark welcomed Boy Scout Troop 145 to the meeting. Members were attendance to earn several scouting badges.

• The commission proclaimed Nov. 4 through 11 Week of the Family and Nov. 11 Veterans Day in the town of Oakland.