Buckingham voters meet with Lee County commissioner candidates

Reporter: Haley Zarcone
Published: Updated:

On Thursday night, Buckingham residents met with candidates hoping to get their votes for the Lee County commission.

Some questions got personal, either about what the candidate does for a living or why the incumbent misses meetings for the Board of County Commissioners.

Both candidates said they were taking a stand on standing water.

“[I’m] not even elected and [received a letter] that said we’re being overrun with water that’s standing on our property for days,” said Amanda Cochran, District 5 County Commissioner candidate. “I do have answers for those property rights and what it means to be ignored and that that doesn’t have to be that way.”

“If we build a small, mini Lakes Park. We take a 200-acre lake in there, the nine-mile canal runs through it,” said Mike Greenwell, District 5 County Commissioner Candidate. “We put a code structure on each side of it. When big rains are coming, we can let the water ease down and lower the river, lower the lake, put it in there instead of letting it come down here and flood these places.”

Water was just one of the many issues sparking conversations and reactions from audience members.

Both candidates also said they’re willing to go to the state capital to lobby for not just their district but all of Southwest Florida.

“That’s an unequivocal yes,” said Cochran.

“Let me answer it this way: yes, I would be glad to,” said Greenwell.

But is that – along with their answers to the other questions tonight – enough to secure a vote?

We’ll find out on Aug. 6 when voters decide.

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