Editor’s Note: This is the third segment of the Face in the Race series.
A 10-foot Christmas tree stands in the corner of Monica Leadon Cooper’s living room.
Although the holiday season ended nearly two months ago, she’s been too busy planning her mayoral campaign to take it down.
The 55-year-old musician and local nutrition business owner said she’s ready to lead the town she has lived in for more than 40 years.
“I think we need some new leadership to address the issues important to our city,” she said.
Fiscal conservatism and environmental responsibility are central components of her campaign, and if elected, Cooper said she will scrutinize the city budget and eliminate wasteful spending.
She pointed to Mom’s Kitchen, which she said the city purchased for $160,000.
The building remains unused.
She also pointed to Koppers Inc.’s cleanup efforts and the residents surrounding the site who have felt the repercussions of contaminated soil and drinking water.
This issue is personal for Cooper because she lives within two miles of the industrial site.
“I will not settle for anything less than residential standards,” she said.
But she also knows a voice isn’t always enough in the political arena.
“You can have an opinion, but it’s better to have a vote,” she said, picking up the gavel she received after her seven-year tenure on the Gainesville Development Review Board.
“This is what you need to run a meeting,” she joked.
As the March 16 election approaches, Cooper urged apathetic students to familiarize themselves with the issues.
“[Students] can make a huge difference in four years,” she said.
Cooper also plays guitar in the country-rock Leadon Family Band and released her first CD, “Summer Rain,” last September.
For the musician who hopes to be the next mayor of Gainesville, there is one thing she thinks her opponents will have a hard time topping.
“I’ve been a Gator since 1964,” she said, alluding to her time in Gainesville. “No one can beat that.”
