Tom Shadrach Candidate Profile in Fort Myers-Cape Coral News Press

Candidate Profile: Fort Myers News Press

Tom Shadrach

RUNNING FOR: Mayor of Cape Coral
POLITICAL PARTY: N/A
AGE: 63
OCCUPATION: Retired Boeing defense manager, current owner of Rachman Industries based in Cape Coral
RESIDENCE: Four years in Cape Coral
EDUCATION: Master’s degree in finance from John Cook School of Business.
FAMILY: He is married with several children and seven grandchildren.
PREVIOUS OFFICE(S) HELD: None
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Cape Coral budget committee member

Q: What do you bring to the mayor role?

A: I have a lot of business background with the Boeing Company, 37 years as a program manager with complex aerospace and government contracting. I know how to get a lot of bureaucracy accomplished and get through the red tape. And with that business background, I want accountability for getting these projects that never seem to get done. So keeping our taxes low, and getting projects completed, for the benefit of the residents. When I got here, it was just not getting done and that’s what I bring. I’m on the Budget Review Committee, and I just see a lot of misspending and things not getting accomplished. And so that’s my main focus.

Q: In the aftermath of hurricane Ian, what is the city’s biggest need?

A: They need a plan to get everything in the city back up and running. We got 50 parks that I’m sure are damaged, and need clean-up crews. A big one that needs focus is the Yacht Club because it’s severely damaged. I’m not saying that’s going to be fixed overnight, but what’s the plan? Are they going to start? Right now, there are a lot of rumors floating around. The city could put that to bed by explaining what’s the plan. What are our thoughts? Is it gonna be shut down indefinitely ’til we enhance it? It might not ever open for five years, that’s one rumor. The other one is let’s get it going right now and repair everything for the morale of the city. Would it be great to have that pier done in a couple of months and back open and the other amenities that are down between the tennis courts and things like that? But if they got too many other things to get the emergency stuff still done, that’s fine, but what’s the plan? Are we gonna start it now? January? Are we gonna defer it a year before we talk about it? I just want to see plans for everything that needs to be done to fix the city and any residents that need help from what the city needs that’s a priority from an emergency planning standpoint, but what’s the plan to get all city property back to 100%?

Q: How should commercial development in the city be implemented?

A: For commercial development, I approve of three of four things the city manager has done. The city manager has implemented a growing communication team. We need to talk more positively about the attributes of our city. The second one is improving our economic development team and growing that, being able to get businesses and talk to them and go communicate with them. The third one was creating the Cape Competes board, which will hopefully try to reduce our regulations. We have a reputation for being bad with business here in Cape Coral. That team needs to figure that out and come up with solutions to prevent that. The fourth one, which I don’t believe in when we’re growing, is getting tax abatements for new businesses to come here. That’s on the referendum this time. I don’t agree with that when you’re a growing city. That should be something a dying city does, or someone that’s shrinking will offer money. If I was a business, that’s the last thing I think of. You’re gonna give me money to come here? I don’t know, maybe not. So that’s the four principles. I agree with three, and the last one I don’t believe that we should have tax increases for the residents to have a business here.

Q: What measures must be taken to ensure clean water quality?

A: Educating our residents about the fertilizer issue in the summertime that causes pollution. Keeping our mangroves not destroyed because that’s a purifier along with oyster beds. Getting septic tanks, and getting our streets with city water. If they’re maintained, they do a fine job. But if they don’t, which they won’t, that causes pollution. So getting everybody on city water faster will help. And just having good conscientiousness about the environment will be helpful to education.

Q: What’s a personal goal that you want to accomplish if elected?

A: Just get things done. It’s time for action. I want to be a leader that doesn’t believe in excuses. I hear I’m just one of eight votes by the constant, and I hate hearing that. Oh, the city manager is responsible. I can’t control that. It’s his operation. If you’re the leader, as I have always been in my life, I’m responsible for everything. And anything I don’t get done or doesn’t do what I think is best for our residents is a failure for me. So I have no excuses, but I hear a lot of excuses. And I hear a lot of people getting relief because of the pandemic or now the hurricane, are we ever going to get things done? I want action. DeSantis, our governor, said one of the greatest lines, which I believe and support: “We got to stop thinking serially, we got to do things in parallel.” You can’t just wait to get this done before you move on to the next project. Get all these projects moving, get them planned, hit end dates, and hold people accountable. That’s my goal.

Luis Zambrano is a Watchdog/Cape Coral reporter for The News-Press and the Naples Daily News. You can reach Luis at Lzambrano@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Lz2official. View Comments

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