With election season around the corner, get to know the candidates for the City of Plant City Commission and the Hillsborough County Commission.
Four Plant City residents are running for available seats in the Hillsborough County Commission and the City of Plant City Commission.
City Commissioner Billy Keel has chosen not to run for re-election. His term ends in June. Keel, who has served for four years, is pursuing endeavors in the real estate business instead. Business owner Nate Kilton, Simmons Career Center educator Hasani Jackson and local pastor Ricky Coronado are in the running for his available seat.
Elections for the available Hillsborough County Commission seats will take place in November. Current District 6 Commissioner Kevin Beckner’s term ends this year, allowing Beckner to run for clerk of the Circuit Court and opening the available seat to a number of candidates. In Plant City, former mayor John Dicks has thrown his hat into the race.
CITY COMMISSION: HASANI JACKSON
Hasani Jackson, a native of Plant City, is vying for the available City Commission seat.
Jackson oversees the Edgenuity Lab at Simmons Career Center, where he is entering his ninth year at the school. Jackson holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of South Florida, but has a long history in the education field. In 2004, he began at Jennings Middle School as an assistant teacher, working hand in hand with the school’s resource officer for crime prevention classes. Jackson later worked at Robinson Elementary before coming to Simmons Career Center in 2006.
Jackson also has graduated from the police academy and has done volunteer work with the Tampa and Plant City police departments. His father is retired from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Department.
If elected to the City Commission seat, Jackson hopes to create a better city for area kids.
“We need to figure out a way for kids to get more active outside,” Jackson said. “We need something to keep kids out of trouble and have more resources set up for them.” In addition to his work at Simmons Career Center, Jackson also is the co-owner of NextLevel Sports Academe, where he helps kids with etiquette, athletic competitions and college applications.
“I hear their concerns,” Jackson said. “I see things around town that I believe I can make a difference in. I bring passion, I bring a caring sense of nature. I work with young people every day. I know their needs.”
Jackson also wants to be more visible to kids. If elected, he plans on visiting local schools and creating a plan of action. He would like to see more maintenance improvements in the city as well, including more sidewalks, better street lighting, bike paths and more summer programs for kids. In the future, he hopes to see Plant City grow.
“I would like to see more technological advances in the city,” Jackson said. “I would like to see more creative things to recognize that Plant City is an idealistic place to live and be.”
“I hear their concerns. I see things around town that I believe I can make a difference in. I bring passion, I bring a caring sense of nature. I work with young people every day. I know their needs.”
Jackson is currently pursuing his master’s degree in educational leadership and has considered going for his doctoral degree. He has four children: Destiny, Hasani Jr., Avery and Amari. He and his wife, Amii, reside in Plant City.
CITY COMMISSION: RICKY CORONADO
Miami native Ricky Coronado grew up as a migrant worker. Seven years ago, he devoted his life to Christ and eventually became the pastor of La Red Ministries, a nondenominational church located Alsobrook Street in Plant City.
In December, Plant City Black Heritage Celebration Inc. announced that La Red Ministries would be receiving the organization’s Cornerstone Award for 2016.
Since moving to Plant City and settling in Walden Lake in February 2014, Coronado has grown his church to about 90 members. Now, he’s looking to be a voice for the community from both behind the pulpit and in City Hall.
“I want to become a part of something greater,” Coronado said. “I want to add a little hot sauce to the commissioner seat, in a righteous way. The city’s been managed well. They’ve done a good job.”
If elected, Coronado said he wants to make the Commission seat more tangible to the community. Through his work as a pastor, he is involved with Marshall Middle School’s Gentleman’s Quest Club and the Everyday Blessings foster home based out of Thonotosassa. This past holiday season, Coronado and his team brought gifts to the children staying at the foster home.
“I want to become a part of something greater. I want to add a little hot sauce to the commissioner seat, in a righteous way. The city’s been managed well. They’ve done a good job.”
He’s also the 2016 President Elect for the Plant City Kiwanis Club and involved with Fifth Sunday Fellowship, a group that connects local churches with small congregations in Plant City.
“I want to bring something to the table,” Coronado said. “A real, true community is unity and working as a body. I believe it’s very capable of doing (that).”
Coronado added that he would be able to bring a unique viewpoint to the table, both as a former migrant worker and a member of the Hispanic community. He hopes to be a role model to younger members of the community, especially those who have grown up in similar circumstances.
“Times have changed,” Coronado said. “Nobody ever imagined even trying for something like this because of lack of guidance. God expects the best. That’s something I strive for. Let’s do something different with direction in 2016.”
Coronado and his wife, Vanessa, have four children: Sydney, Joseph, Isaiah and Vida. Coronado is currently pursuing his master’s degree in biblical theology.
HILLSBOROUGH CO. COMMISSION: JOHN DICKS
Plant City residents will be familiar with at least one name on the Hillsborough County Commission ballot.
Democrat John Dicks is running for District 6 county commissioner and holds a long history of service in Plant City. Dicks is a former three-term Plant City mayor and served as a city commissioner for nine years.
A native of Plant City, Dicks offers three unique perspectives to the County Commission seat: the viewpoints of a lawyer, a farmer and a former mayor. His grandfather, E.W. Simmons, also was a former Hillsborough County commissioner.
“If there is a need and you have the ability to serve … then you should do the best to do that,” Dicks said.
Dicks grew up working in his family’s paint and hardware store and later earned his bachelor’s degree in public relations from the University of Florida. Then, he went on to earn his juris doctorate degree from Florida State University.
Inspiration for his legal career came after working as a legislative aid for James Redman. Today, Dicks is of counsel with Trinkle Redman Law Firm.
“If there is a need and you have
the ability to serve … then you
should do the best to do that.”
“We were very, very close,” Dicks said. “He took me under his wing. I had a lot of exposure to other lawyers.”
If elected to the Hillsborough County Commission, Dicks hopes to encourage younger generations to remain rooted in Hillsborough County through improvements and initiatives in all municipalities. Specifically, Dicks wants to encourage local business owners to grow and bring new businesses to Hillsborough County.
“The county is poised to do great things, or we can remain stagnant,” Dicks said. “Certainly we’re seeing growth coming. I’ll provide leadership in capacities that are not there.”
Dicks has served on the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, the Hillsborough County Council of Governments, the Hillsborough County Tourist Development Council and with both Tampa Bay & Company and the Florida League of Cities. He was appointed in 1994 to the board of trustees for Hillsborough Community College and served for over 20 years on the board of trustees for South Florida Baptist Hospital. Through his volunteer work, Dicks was presented with the President of the United States’ Volunteer Service Award in 2013.
Dicks and his wife, Sharon, have two grown sons, John Dicks II, a Tampa-based attorney, and Jarod, who is serving in the United States Marine Corps.
ALSO ON THE BALLOT
Nate Kilton was the first person to announce his candidacy for City Commissioner Billy Keel’s seat Jan. 11.
Kilton is a businessman in the Plant City community and owns Sedita Kilton Life & Wealth Management LLC and Sedita Kilton & Company, Certified Public Accountants, PL. Kilton is a certified financial planner, a certified public accountant and a co-owner of the Plant City Times & Observer.
He is involved in multiple organizations throughout Plant City, including the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, GracePoint Church and the Economic Development Corp.
To learn more about Nate Kilton, check out “Keel won’t seek re-election; Kilton plans to run” at PlantCityObserver.com.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
AT A GLANCE
Hasani Jackson
Occupation: teacher, Simmons Career Center
Platform: To create a better city for kids; infrastructure improvements
Ricky Coronado
Occupation: pastor, La Red Ministries
Platform: Make Commission seat more tangible; serve as role model
John Dicks
Occupation: Of counsel with Trinkle Redman law firm
Platform: Encourage local businesses to grow and attract new businesses
