Editorial
Lakeland’s Commissioner Sam Simmons will face Guy LaLonde at the polls Tuesday to see who wins the people’s vote for the next Northwest District commissioner.
Simmons, 66, an entrepreneur and owner of a housing and financial consulting firm, was appointed to the commission in October 2022. Simmons took the remainder of former Commissioner Philip Walker’s term after Walker resigned in an unsuccessful bid for Florida House District 50.
Simmons has multiple Federal Tax liens and suits against him.
Also, former candidate Kay Klymko has given Simmons a $500 donation and an in-kind donation of $125, why?
Simmons’s wife is not living with him, why?
Guy LaLonde, 56, an owner of Lakeland Moonwalk and Under One Tent Events.
Guy Lalonde Jr. brings valuable experience to the table. He is currently the President and CEO of Lakeland Moonwalk of Polk County Inc. and Under One Tent Events Inc. Before that, Guy served in an array of managerial roles for Publix Supermarkets Inc., Sweetbay Supermarkets Inc., and Winn-Dixie Supermarkets Inc. Additionally, Guy proudly served in the US Navy Reserve and the US Navy, earning the rank of BM3 and receiving an honorable discharge.
Guy Lalonde Jr. possesses a wide range of skills and knowledge that make him well-suited for public service. His expertise includes budgeting & cost reduction strategies, customer satisfaction enhancement, employee management, team building, and training.
Guy’s professional background enables him to connect with people from all walks of life. He has a keen ability to recognize and solve problems, coupled with effective communication and active listening skills. Guy is a confident public speaker and possesses cross-cultural competency, enabling him to understand and address the diverse needs of our community.
Guy Lalonde Jr. is deeply committed to giving back to his community and has actively participated in various volunteer initiatives and organizations. Currently, he is serving on Polk County Housing Finance Authority, KidsPack, and Central FL Speech & Hearing. He has served as a board member for Downtown Lakeland Partnership and is involved with BRIDGE Local, Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, NAACP, Rotary Club, The Republican Club of Lakeland, and the Women’s Republican Club. Guy has also contributed his time and efforts to Relay for Life, United Way of Polk County, Special Olympics of Polk County, Campfire Sunshine Council, Alliance for Independence, and Take Heart.
Guy Lalonde Jr. is a highly educated individual who values continuous learning. He home-studied courses at Cornell University in consumer demographics, customer relations, meat management, operations, and food store sanitation. He also holds a high school diploma from Lake Gibson High School.
On Election Day, LaLonde took nearly 48%, or 4,467 votes, followed by Simmons with nearly 31%, or 2,875 votes.
LaLonde’s was endorsed by Lakeland Professional Firefighters, Lakeland Police Department’s Fraternal Order of Police, and the Realtors PAC.
Simmons received one endorsement from a prior candidate.
Simmons will not return calls or emails for comment, why? Does he represent the people of the Northwest District?