Local community banker Barclay Harless officially announced his candidacy for the St. Petersburg City Council District 2 seat on Monday. The seat is currently held by Jim Kennedy, who is term-limited out this fall.
“I believe that real leaders listen more than they speak,” Harless announced in a statement. “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 first revealed his plan to run for the seat last month in an interview with SPB.
In his statement on Monday, the 31-year-old USFSP grad said the ‘Burg had been experiencing a renaissance in recent years, saying that local businesses are thriving and violent crime is down. But, he added, “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,” continued Harless.
Harless works assistant bank officer at Bank of the Ozarks. He previously worked as a legislative aide to then state representative Darryl Rouson, before going on to work on Alex Sink’s unsuccessful bid for Congress in Florida’s 13th District in 2014.
You can learn more about Harless at his website, voteharless.com
