Candidate: Laurie Galle

I am Laurie P. Galle and I am running for County Commissioner District Four to bring a fresh perspective to the Manatee County Commission in 2018. For the past 18 months I have attended almost all of the County Commission Meetings, Planning Commission Meetings, Land Use Meetings and Board Work session, in order to expand my knowledge on the finer points of how our county works. With my experience working in the banking and construction industry and volunteering in the public sector, I will bring a different vision to the commission, one that will work in concert with others towards a common goal of bringing the prosperity for all District Four residents and the betterment of Manatee County. In 1984, I came to Manatee County from my childhood home in Largo with the expansion of Savings of America as a Branch operations officer. For the last 30 years, my husband Roger and I have owned and operated a commercial painting company in Manatee County, where we specialized in new construction restaurants like Cracker Barrel, Applebee\'s and Outback. In this business, we employed local men and women and used local suppliers. As a mother of 2 children who went through the Manatee School System, I want to see opportunities for young people to grow in our community, buy homes and open businesses, and eventually retire here. I want my 3 grandchildren to be safe when they play in our local parks and go to our beaches. In the coming years Manatee County will face many issues, and only by working together can we successfully meet these challenges and find positive solutions. One of several ways I have ensured that I have the knowledge base required to be a well-informed commissioner are the many Manatee County work sessions I have attended as follows: -Water Issues in Manatee County Presented by Mark Simpon Water Division Manager -Opioid Crisis Presenter Cheri Coryea Director Neighborhood Services and Joshua Barnett Health Care Services Manager -Transportation in Manatee County Presenter Sia Mollanazar Deputy Director -Beach Re-nourishment Project Presenter Charles Hunsicker Director Parks & Natural Resources -All Things Housing Presenter Geri Lopez Director -Community Para-medicine Program James Crutchfield Program Chief -Medical Marijuana John Barnett Director Building and Development -Elder Care Services Cheri Coryea Director Neighborhood Services -West Coast Inland Navigation District Charlie Hunsicker Director Parks and Natural Resources -Fair Housing Requirements Denise Thomas Housing and Community Development Coordinator Accolades: - 1991 Bradenton Herald and Manatee Chamber of Commerce Award for New Entrepreneur of the Year. - 2016 Former Sheriff Brad Steube bestowed my certificate for completion for the 11 week Citizens Law Enforcement Academy. Over the years I have served on community service boards as an active member for: -Hope Family Services -Rubonia Coummunity Center -Palma Sola Botanical Park -The Plumeria Society of America, and the Gulfcoast Plumeria Society -Member of the Manatee County Junior League -Industry related boards: -The American Subcontractors Association -National Association of Women in Construction -National Painting and Decorating Contractors of America Currently, I serve on the Collation on Homelessness in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, the Manatee Community Action Agency and the Arts and Crafts Committee at the Manatee County Fair. Hopefully, you can tell that I\'m embedded in the future of Manatee County. Roger and I also know \"All work and no play...,\" so in our spare time, we enjoy time with our 3 grandchildren, working on service projects for Mountain Mission School in Grundy, VA, and for the last 25 years we have enjoyed working with and sharing our love of tropical flora and fauna.