Primary pits Durso, Lockhart for Henley’s seat on Seminole board
Longtime Seminole County Commissioner Carlton Henley’s announcement last year that he wouldn’t seek another term sparked one of the most closely watched political contests in the county’s recent history — a battle between two well-known Republicans: former Longwood Mayor Joe Durso and current School Board Chairman Amy Lockhart.
Because the winner of the Aug. 28 GOP primary will face only a write-in candidate in the November election, either Durso or Lockhart almost certainly will win the seat this month.
But the race can also be called a contest between two current commissioners — Lee Constantine and Brenda Carey — who have often cast opposing votes on development issues in recent years.
When Constantine was a state senator, Durso served as his chief of staff from 2002 through 2004. Lockhart worked as an aide for Carey from 2004 to 2011.
Commissioners earn $80,282 annually, serve four-year terms and are elected and serve countywide but must live within a district. District 4 sits roughly in the center of Seminole County and stretches between Sanford and the Orange County line. It includes portions of Lake Mary, Longwood and Casselberry.
Who they are
Joe Durso, 38, served as a Longwood city commissioner and mayor from 2008 to 2017. He is vice president of public affairs for Community Based Care of Central Florida, a nonprofit organization responsible for coordinating care for victims of child abuse and neglect.
Amy Lockhart, 43, has served on the Seminole County School Board since 2012 and is the current chairman. She will step down from the board this year. She was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott as a member of the Seminole State College District Board of Trustees in 2014 and this year.
Where they stand
Managing the county’s fastpaced growth is one the key issues in his campaign, Durso said.
“It’s the biggest challenge that we face,” he said. “It’s a double-edged sword. To continue our economic success, we need the growth. But on the other side, it’s a quality of life issue. [Growth] puts pressure on the roads. It puts pressure on the water supply. It puts pressure on public safety.”
Seminole can expect hundreds of thousands of new residents in the coming decades, Durso said.
“We have to be prepared for what that means for us,” he said. “The redevelopment should happen within the urban cores where we already have the services. … To grow responsibly should be our goal.”
Durso added protecting the environment and water supply as other key issues.
Lockhart also said growth is a top issue but added that her top priority is public safety, including supporting the Sheriff’s Office, firefighters and emergency management.
“That to me is very important,” she said. “After Hurricane Irma, we realized that we have an infrastructure problem, and that our lift stations are failing.”
Lockhart said she is concerned about the county’s deputy sheriffs and firefighters seeking better-paying jobs with other municipalities.
“People deserve to be paid a competitive package, and we need to offer a competitive package,” she said. “By golly, we’re going to make sure that they and all county employees are valued and create an environment where they want to come to work and be part of the team.”
Durso and Lockhart said they strongly support preserving Seminole’s rural boundary line and oppose the controversial large-scale River Cross development being proposed for that area by former state Rep. Chris Dorworth.
In 2004, Seminole voters approved a ballot measure that established a strict rural boundary mostly east of the Econlockhatchee River, Oviedo and Lake Jesup — roughly a third of Seminole’s east side. Densities within that rural area are limited to one home per 3 acres and one home per 10 acres. However, a majority of three commissioners could vote to move the rural boundary line.
“I will oppose any movement of the boundary line,” Durso said. “The people voted on it and they had an expectation that it would stay that way. The people made it pretty clear. … We can’t afford any major development in that area. We can’t afford the infrastructure. We would have to run sewer and water lines, build new roads, build a new sheriff substation and a new fire station.”
Lockhart also opposes moving the rural line.
“For me, it’s set,” she said. “I’m sure that there will be pressures on that boundary in the coming years. … At this point, I don’t see any situation where I would be willing to move it. The citizens of the county are the ones who put it in place and it should be up to them.”
Both candidates said they aren’t beholden to any current commissioners and made the decision to run on their own.
“I’m my own man,” said Durso, who has received Constantine’s endorsement. “And I will be challenging him [Constantine] on things that I disagree with him on.”
Lockhart said not all of her positions “are in alignment” with Carey’s stands.
“Carlton [Henley] is the one who encouraged me to run,” she said of Henley, who said he was forced to resign Wednesday because of health issues. “And Brenda [Carey] has not endorsed me. But she has been helpful.”
How they differ
Durso said his background as a mayor and working with Community Based Care over the past 14 years has provided him with a range of experience in the public and private sectors to serve on the County Commission.
“I’m kind of a nerd that really likes to dig into facts and figures,” he said. “I’m not a populist. I really try to understand situations before making a decision.”
Lockhart said her experience working for the county, serving on the School Board and as a trustee for Seminole State College makes her a better candidate.
“I served this entire county,” she said. “I have raised a family here in Seminole County. There are struggles that you encounter [when you have children]. That affects the way you look at situations.”