Laurie Lehmann

The Cape Coral City Council dais will have a new look in the wake of the 2024 General Election.

Among the five seats up for grabs — with three total incumbents running and two council members termed out — Districts 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 will all have new representatives.

There are some are familiar faces, though.

Each of the new council members is eager to get to work, and The Breeze followed up with them following its election night coverage.

All five were asked the same three questions, as they provided insight into what they plan to accomplish moving forward.

Derrick Donnell

District 2

Laurie Lehmann was voted the new Cape Coral City Council District 2 representative, defeating incumbent Dan Sheppard by a 10,000-vote-plus margin. Lehmann received 48,787 votes (56.51%). Sheppard earned 37,540 votes (43.49%).

Q: What’s next for you, and how do you plan to hit the ground running?

A: “I plan on hitting the ground running and I know I have a lot to learn. I plan on doing a lot of learning, a lot of studying. I’m not taking the stipend. I want to have it rescinded. And I’m going to work on that.”

Q:What issues are you going to address first?

Jennifer Nelson

A: “The stipend. Jaycee Park. I want to see the city finish projects before we start more. For example, the Yacht Club has been demolished and leveled, so let’s get the Yacht Club done before we go any further. We need to finish projects before we start other ones.”

Q:How do you plan on being available to residents and their concerns?

A: “Residents know they can always get a hold of me via my personal phone number. And I will have a council phone so they can reach me that way. I’m always accessible. One of the things I’m going to do is have monthly town hall meetings for District 2, either at Sands Park or Camelot Park, and I have already set a date for the first one; Dec. 7. I’m not sure yet on which park on the time, but that will be quickly forthcoming. If citizens are having an issue or there’s a problem, they can let me know.”

District 3

Derrick Donnell was the leading vote-getter in District 3 and will once again serve on City Council where he previously served from November 2007 to November 2015. He earned 44,801 votes (53.34%), defeating Deborah Lee McCormack who earned 39,194 votes (46.66%).

Joseph Kilraine

Q: What’s next for you, and how do you plan to hit the ground running?

A: “My next step is to meet with the city manager and get caught up on the ‘State of the City.'”

Q: What issues are you going to address first?

A: “The first issue is to determine how to end the stipend. We then need to establish a process by which we can reinstate the volunteer committees.”

Q: How do you plan on being available to residents and their concerns?

Rachel Kaduk

A: “I am hoping to establish certain dates and times for town halls or virtual question-and-answer sessions.”

District 4

Former District 4 council member Jennifer Nelson, who served from 2017 to 2022, will once again represent the district as she was the top vote-getter in the race, with 43,548 votes (51.08%). She narrowly defeated incumbent Richard Carr, who was appointed to the seat after Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended former council member Patty Cummings in November 2023. Carr finished with 41,709 votes (48.92%).

Q: What’s next for you, and how do you plan to hit the ground running?

A: “I have meetings set up with the city attorney and city manager to get up to speed on a few items and current priorities for the remainder of our parks and other projects.”

Q: What issues are you going to address first?

A: “The stipend will be the first thing addressed by having it placed on an agenda item to rescind. Then, have council increases discussed and voted on by council to be placed on the ballot for vote by our residents.”

Q: How do you plan on being available to residents and their concerns?

A: “Via phone, email, in person meetings and social media.”

District 5

In District 5, the top vote-getter and new council member is Joseph Kilraine, with 44,551 votes (52.98%). Kilraine defeated Charlie Pease, who earned 39,434 votes (47.02%).

Q: What’s next for you, and how do you plan to hit the ground running?

A: “On day one, the process begins to rebuild trust, drive resident interaction and respect, forcing transparency in all matters, knowledgeable probing inquiry adding clarity for accountability, pursuing financial sustainability, and eliminating waste and unneeded endeavors.”

Q: What issues are you going to address first?

A: “Drive resolutions for ending the stipend, returning residents to key committees, calling for interactive town-hall meetings, monthly council reporting on key measures akin to businesses, year-to-date, variances, full-year projections, corrective actions. To provide project updates such as the North Cape potable water aquifer, North Recycle plant project, North UEP project by area, Parks and Rec including the GO Bond, Yacht Club, Jaycee Park. To exercise unwavering principled leadership. Cleansing the consent agenda of hidden elements. Promoting full disclosure and ‘straight talk’ common-sense leadership uniting ‘we the people’ for a great Cape future.”

Q: How do you plan on being available to residents and their concerns?

A: “I plan on inviting anyone to contact me via phone, email, etcetera, and will carve out face-to-face meeting times. Additionally, I hope to hold two-way interactive forums frequently.”

District 7

In District 7, the top vote-getter and new District 7 council member is Rachel Kaduk who earned 43,155 votes (53.34%). Kaduk defeated Michael Harper, who received 37,751 votes (46.66%).

Q: What’s next for you, and how do you plan to hit the ground running?

A: “I ran with a focus on infrastructure. Sitting in traffic on Del Prado this morning really keeps me passionate about our need for an innovative initiative for our infrastructure. I plan to work with our Southwest Florida delegation to fight for the appropriations needed for a direct access point to I-75. I am pleased to see that this was an item on the agenda for a COW meeting back in September. I have so much to learn, and I am really going to be listening to our constituents. Right now, I must read, read, read, and learn, learn, learn.”

Q: What issues are you going to address first?

A: “I think first and foremost we will be addressing the stipend. Our residents do not agree with how this came about with no public discussion. I believe in a transparent government. We need to look at what volunteer committees we want to reinstate or new committees we would like to form. For example, do we want a committee for the use of the old golf course and what that will look like? We really need to focus on the Yacht Club. We moved lightning fast with Jaycee Park. Let’s keep that same momentum for our wonderful Yacht Club.”

Q: How do you plan on being available to residents and their concerns?

A: “I would like to host periodic Town Halls, which are likely to be held quarterly. I will be sure to use social media, the newspaper, and other forms of communication to get this information out to the residents to attend when the dates and locations are confirmed. I love meeting people and will happily carve off time to meet with residents as much as I can. We need to restore trust with our citizens and Council, and I hope to respond as soon as possible to everyone. I am deeply humbled that the residents chose me to represent them on Council.”