The four Republican candidates for Commissioner for Lee County District 2 will be on Pine Island on Friday, May 28, for the Lee County Patriots Candidates’ Night to be held at 6:30 p.m. at Fishers of Men Lutheran Church, 10360 Stringfellow Road just south of the four-way stop. The candidates will speak about their experience and qualifications.for serving on the Commission and take questions from the audience.

While Lee County’s barrier islands and city of Cape Coral do not fall within District 2, the vacant commission seat for District 1, left vacant by the death of Bob Janes, has yet to be filled by Gov. Charlie Crist. Janes was a Sanibel resident and knowledgeable about the unique needs of District 1.

The five members of the county commission formulate policy that affects the entire county. It is important for all citizens to learn of the qualifications and stand on the issues of all candidates for this important position. Those in District 1, in particular, will want to see how knowledgeable the candidates are on their important issues.

In 2010, three challengers are seeking to unseat incumbent Commissioner Brian Bigelow.

Bigalow is a fifth-generation Lee Countian, born in Fort Myers in 1963. He graduated from Fort Myers High School and went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida in Construction Management. Bigalow spent the first decade of professional life in the construction industry. In the mid 1990s, he became a town planner and enjoyed working in both the private and public sectors. Like several ancestors before him, Bigalow became a public servant after being elected District 2 County Commissioner in 2006. Bigalow is seeking a second term as county commissioner.

Sonny Haas is a native Floridian. Haas’s service to the citizens of Lee County began as a firefighter for 26 years in North Ft Myers. He was elected to be a fire commissioner for Lehigh Acres Fire Control in 2002. In 2007, he unsuccessfully ran for County Commissioner, District Five, garnering almost 50,000 votes. In May of 2009, Haas declared his candidacy for County Commissioner, District 2. A life-long Conservative Republican, he is a current member of the NRA and the Cape Coral Republican Club as well as a Board Member on the Suncoast Neighborhood Task Force.

As a lifelong resident of Fort Myers, Cecil Pendergrass appreciates the importance of preserving and protecting the Florida ecosystem while concurrently promoting growth to stimulate the local economy. Pendergrass is a conservative who adamantly believes governmental agencies must be held accountable for their actions in order to keep our Country strong and is willing to fight to have his voice heard for the people he serves. He also believes that our tax dollars should be allocated toward essential core services and projects.

Dick Ripp moved to Fort Myers in 1974 at the age of 23, has a BA Degree from the University of Wisconsin and is working on his Masters Degree in Public Administration. Over the years, companies he has owned and managed have employed thousands of Lee County residents, many of whom have gone on to become successful business owners, managers and leaders in Lee County as well. Ripp has been elected to three terms on School Boards, including the Lee County School Board from 1990 to 1994. Ripp is a lifelong Christian Constitutional Conservative.

For more information or to reserve seats for Candidates’ Night, please telephone Kathy Jones at 239-283-2074, email info@leecountypatriots.com or visit the Lee County Patriots website www.leecountypatriots.com.