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Banker Files to Run for St. Pete Council

Barclay Harless | St. Petersburg Council | Election

The St. Petersburg city election is Nov. 7.

ST. PETERSBURG – Civic leader and community banker Barclay Harless has filed to run for District 2 of the St. Petersburg City Council.

The seat, currently held by Jim Kennedy, encompasses northern St. Pete and the Gandy area.

“I believe that real leaders listen more than they speak. I vow to always listen to the families and small business owners of St. Petersburg. I know that together, we will meet the challenges that face our community and bring a fresh perspective to City Hall,” Harless said.

He added, “In recent years, our city has experienced a renaissance. Local businesses are thriving, violent crime is down, and our waterfront is bustling with activity. However, despite all of this progress, a number of serious issues linger on. Our sewage system is in dire need of repair, the fate of Tropicana Field remains unclear, and violence still plagues some of our neighborhoods. These challenges may seem daunting, but they are man made, so we have the power to solve them. We will not find solutions in finger-pointing or empty political rhetoric. Rather, our problems require bold, decisive action to get things done.”

Harless said he plans to focus on the Pier, Tropicana, wastewater, small business growth and engage residents in his district for their voice on their concerns for the city.

A fifth-generation Floridian, Harless has been involved in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

After graduating from the University of South Florida in 2010 with a bachelor’s in history, he went to work in the Midtown area of St. Petersburg for then-state Rep. Darryl Rouson (now a state senator) during the height of the economic recession.

Harless has served on the board of R’Club Childcare and the Louise Graham Center for Regeneration for three and half years. Harless has been the state policy chair for the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce and has served on grant boards for the Suncoast United Way. He was appointed to the Pinellas Charter Review Commission in 2015 and sponsored a county amendment that stipulated citizen-drawn redistricting for the county commission.

For information about Harless, go to voteharless.com.

Barclay Harless | St. Petersburg Council | Election | Candidate | TB Reporter

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