Jim Konish
When Jim Konish was a UF freshman living in Hume Hall, the U.S. Congress passed an amendment to lower the voting age from 21 to 18.
“I voted when I was 18,” he said. “I was so disappointed in the people that got elected I did not vote for 21 years.”
When Konish was 42, he had his first child. He said his point of view changed when he became a father, and he got involved again.
“For the last 20 years, I have been active in city government,” he said.
Now, Konish hopes to win District 4’s council seat in the upcoming municipal election. Konish continued to live in Gainesville after graduating from UF’s undergraduate program and law school. The 61-year-old works as a legal publisher and landlord.
“I think I am uniquely qualified,” Konish said. “There are no attorneys on the commission.”
Konish thinks the City Commission could especially use his legal expertise when it comes to the controversial biomass contract that he feels has haunted Gainesville for the past five years.
“Because our infrastructure is being neglected, we need to look at all failed political pet projects,” he said, citing GRU’s biomass contract as one.
For about two years, Konish has worked on drafting laws for the Florida Legislature regarding GRU governance.
Debbie Martinez worked with Konish on the Concerned Citizen Coalition.
“He continues to speak up for the $3.1 billion biomass contract,” the registered retired nurse said. “Mr. Jim Konish is highly qualified, highly informed.”
Martinez feels the low-income population of Gainesville is worst off because of the contract. She said Alachua has more than twice the poverty rate for the state.
“People like me can afford to get ripped off,” she said. “(Konish) defends the lower-income people.”
Konish believes that voters should consider candidates they know won’t vote as part of a bloc.
“Not only am I not beholden to them, I have tried as hard as possible to shine a light on them,” he said.
Martinez said she hoped the election would reflect where the candidates stand on issues rather than partisan views.
“There is no purpose for partisanship in municipal elections,” she said.
- Meryl Kornfield
Adrian Hayes-Santos
Adrian Hayes-Santos is the youngest candidate running in the Gainesville City Commission District 4 elections.
Hayes-Santos, 31, said age won’t hold him back.
“I’ve been serving in city government since I was 18,” he said. “I served on the City Beautification Board and hosted an Arbor Day for the city. I’ve always been involved, so it’s not like I’m jumping out going, ‘Here I am.’”
Hayes-Santos said he grew up in Alachua County, where he earned degrees from both Santa Fe College and UF.
“I’ve always had a passion for Gainesville — for who we are as a city and where we’re going,” he said.
He is now working director for UF’s Master of Science in Entrepreneurship program.
After a failed campaign in 2015, the candidate said he is using lessons from the experience to secure a seat in District 4 this year.
One week before this year’s election, Jim Konish filed a complaint against Hayes-Santos alleging that he has not lived in District 4 long enough to run.
“There is absolutely no truth in this at all,” Hayes-Santos said. “It’s a last-minute attempt at playing dirty politics.”
He said last year’s loss brought him even closer to Gainesville.
“I loved this city before, but when you get to know all these people, there really is an amazing community,” he said.
Hayes-Santos hopes to “make Gainesville a better place to live, work and play” by protecting neighborhoods, promoting an economically vibrant downtown and preserving the city’s natural environment.
Equal Internet access is also vital, he said. If left unresolved, the problem could become a generational problem in the decades to come.
“Access to knowledge is a huge equalizer,” he said.
Bryan Eastman, the campaign’s senior adviser, said Hayes-Santos has a genuine connection with the community.
“Adrian is crazy about Gainesville,” he said. “He’s never considered leaving as long as I’ve known him.”
In the end, Hayes-Santos said he wants to help Gainesville preserve its uniqueness.
“We really have a great city, and I want everyone to be a part of that,” he said.
- Molly Donovan
