Just Retired Lake County Public Services Director files papers to run against Incumbent Lake County Board member Jimmy Conner

Tavares, FL                    Jan. 11, 2016

Wendy Breeden, left, files election paperwork with Joyce Martin at the Lake County Elections Office.

A new Candidate, Wendy Breeden, announced she is running against incumbent Jimmy Conner for Lake County, FL Board of County Commissioners.

 

The picture shows Breeden (left), at the Lake County Supt. of Elections Office, with Joyce Martin after filing her candidacy paperwork today, Ja. 11, 2016.

 

Breeden is a Lake County, FL resident and just retired Lake County Administrative Director who filed papers today to run against incumbent Lake County Board member Jimmy Conner. I have known her several years from my coverage of Lake County watchdog issues and her work with County libraries, parks & recreation and public lands programs.

 

Breeden just retired from being Public Resources Director of Lake County. I talked to Wendy today and took pictures of her filing her paperwork at the Lake County Supt. of Elections Office. Lake County political insiders will be interested to know that the owner of Romac Lumber, Dan Robuck, is her brother. Robuck is known as a major supporter and funder of other local candidates.

 

Breeden at a recent County Parks event.

Breeden said she wants to give back to Lake County, and that is one reason she is running. She has yet to set up campaign websites or Facebook pages.

 

Many taxpayers are angry at Jimmy Conner for voting with Welton Cadwell and Sean Parks to increase property taxes in 2014 by 14%.    Additionally, the same three (who I call the Tax Increase Cartel or TIC) lost some credibility when they failed in December to support County Board memberTim Sullivan for Vice Chair.  Instead, the Cartel voted for one Welton Cadwell, who has held Chair positions before, instead of supporting Sullivan who was due for his turn at moving up.

 

Update: 6pm: HERE is the Orlando Sentinel article on Breeden's filing to oppose Conner - it was published 4 hours after THIS post.

 

Although others may yet file, Breeden is well regarded and a "public servant" and manager. We will have more info on Breeden later, but here is what a County press release says about her when she was promoted in 2009 from Head of the Lake County Library Services department to Director of Public Resources:

 

Lake library director promoted to Public Resources Director

 

RELEASE DATE: August 26, 2009

TAVARES — Lake County Manager Cindy Hall officially announced Tuesday, Aug. 25, that Lake County Library Services Director Wendy Breeden was promoted to be the director of the newly created Lake County Department of Public Resources.

 

BREEDEN

“Wendy brings a wealth of experience to this new position including growth of a library system that ranks [Lake County] favorably in the State, ability to achieve consensus and cooperation among diverse stakeholders, and a dedication to provide the best services possible to Lake County and its residents and visitors,” Hall wrote in a memorandum to the Lake County Board of County Commissioners.

 

Earlier this month, the Board of County Commissioners approved the County Manager’s reorganizational plan, which includes the creation of the Department of Public Resources. The new Department included the divisions of Library Services, Tourism & Business Relations, Parks & Trails and Agricultural Education. The Department also includes the programs of Public Lands Management and VolunteerLAKE.

 

“The creation of the Department of Public Resources helps brings the County’s leisure services into one department allowing for increased synergy between these divisions,” Breeden said.

 

In the past several years, Breeden has led the construction of two new libraries in Lake County: Citrus Ridge Library in the Four Corners area of Lake County and a joint-use Cooper Memorial Library between Lake County Government, Lake-Sumter Community College and University of Central Florida in Clermont. In addition, she successfully negotiated operating contracts with nine municipalities and two counties as well as reciprocal borrowing agreements with six surrounding counties. In 2006, she was awarded the “Florida Leader of the Year Award” from the Florida Library Association. She is the current President of the Florida Library Association.

 

Breeden has served as Librarian for U.S. Naval Support Activity in Naples, Italy, and as Library Director for the Winter Park Public Library. She was Library Coordinator in 1987 for the Lake County Board of County Commissioners working to develop the federated library system. She earned a master’s degree in Library Science from Florida State University.