Three candidates have said they plan to run for mayor this year in the town’s nonpartisan election, and with just less than a month left before the filing deadline, more candidates are possible.
Mayor Tom Rankin, whose term is up, said he will seek a third term. Vice Mayor Tara Walter, who is completing her first term on the council, said she will run for mayor. Downtown businessman Gem Cox said he will also be circulating a petition to run for mayor.
Three council seats are also on the ballot. The terms are up this year for the seats currently held by Walter, Bill Hawkins and Karen Wall. The primary election will be Aug. 30 and the general election will be Nov. 8.
Cox said he’s running for mayor after a series of frustrating encounters with town government.
“The town really needs to do something about what’s going on on Main Street. Main Street has been left to die,” Cox said. “… The town of Florence doesn’t spend a nickel on Main Street. We’ve got busted-up trash cans, busted-up benches, a busted-up road, a fire main that doesn’t work, buildings that are abandoned. And their answer right now is to try and apply current building and fire codes to buildings that are 100-plus years old, and those codes don’t apply to these buildings.
