Mayor

Klymko: We need to address affordable living with consideration of related factors such as wages, rental fees, costs of food, transportation, utilities, and health care. We will never have enough affordable housing without addressing these factors at the same time. It is estimated that 33% of our population are asset limited income constrained but employed. These are the people that any one tip of the boat can result in homelessness. We also have about 17% of residents in poverty. We must develop our next comprehensive plan with goals to address affordable living. We have a village of agencies and programs working in these areas with my particular interest in supporting the senior hub, the PAL fieldhouse for youth services, having coordinated conversations about the unhoused, and supporting value received by residents for city taxes paid by flood victims and residents in the Southwest for fire services.

Kramer: Some of Lakeland’s main barriers from being a more livable city have to do with the fact that our growth is outpacing our infrastructure. Our roadways, first responders, and schools have all felt the pressure of rapid population growth while an increase in housing costs have made it harder for working families to afford to stay here. Too many of our parks, public spaces, and services haven’t kept up with the needs of a growing community. The truth is, Lakeland deserves better. My goal is to focus on initiatives that will invest in infrastructure and transit, promote economic development, expand affordable housing options, and strengthen community services in an economic and environmentally sustainable manner. That means investing in safer roads and smarter transit, revitalizing our downtown and neighborhoods, and protecting the lakes, parks, and green spaces that make our city unique. It means promoting local businesses and making sure everyone feels safe and supported.

Roberts McCarley: Lakeland is my home and the community in which I raised my family. I believe this is the best city in Florida and want to be on the frontline of how we handle growth in our rapidly changing landscape. I want to ensure that our community is safe. And, I want Lakeland to continue to be a place where companies big and small, can build a foundation and thrive. Since elected in 2019, I have worked to bring transparency to city government and to break down archaic systems that hinder how we serve residents and businesses. I also believe we should continue to have common sense leadership that is not polarizing, but finds the best solutions to the issues we face now and those we may face in the future. We have a livable city that has great opportunity to become even better. My initiatives will continue to focus on public safety, efficient/funded infrastructure assets & budget transparency that the community can count on.

Valrie: In Lakeland, several issues call for attention and thoughtful solutions: community improvements in neighborhoods like Lake Wire including a sidewalk around the lake, accountability and trust in policing, adequate public safety infrastructure such as fire stations, and helping immigrants making a contribution to pursue citizenship. Each of these areas touches the quality of life of residents and the future growth of the city. Addressing them requires both vision and practical steps. This is bringing people together to build a better Lakeland.

Klymko: We have experienced unprecedented growth with further forecasted growth noted in Lakeland’s Comprehensive 10-year plan guiding growth of the city and metropolitan statistical area to 2030. The current plan on the short-term is to curb urban sprawl and focus on infill building on vacant plats of land less than ½ acre in the city. From a financial perspective, it is efficient use of utilities. But the future is knocking at our door begging plans for long-term 50 – 100 years out. Satellite views of topography from Tampa to Orlando provide a clear presentation that the only feasible development is south and east of Bartow. Developing our next comprehensive plan starts now to consider bridging to this long-term component outlining strategies to get us from here to there. We owe it to our current and future residents to ensure there is adequately built and maintained infrastructure with appropriate impact fees to support safety and well-being for our children and grandchildren.

Kramer: One of the biggest challenges facing Lakeland is our aging infrastructure and limited capacity. With our rapid population growth, roads, drainage systems, and even fire and rescue services are under increasing strain. We can’t afford to wait until problems become emergencies. Our approach must be proactive, not reactive. In the short term, I propose conducting a full audit of critical infrastructure, roads, sewers, and stormwater systems, so we can create a plan that aligns utility expansion with areas of growth. We are fully capable of upgrading outdated pipes and improving drainage in flood-prone neighborhoods, repairing streets, and expanding transportation options that prioritize safety for both drivers and pedestrians. In the long term, our focus must be on building infrastructure that can sustain future growth while moving toward energy-efficient, sustainable solutions, so every dollar we invest today lasts longer, costs less over time, and serves Lakeland well into the future.

Roberts McCarley: Lakeland has seen siginificant growth since 2020 and although this seems to be slowing, we still have to work to alleiviate stress and strengthen our current infrastructure systems. We have to consider how to move people, goods and services better without necessarily building new roads. We need connectivity for people to use other modes of transportation by enhancing routes that will include safe pathways for automobiles, transit, and pedestrians. Additionally, infrastructure assets that move our water and wastewater need to be upgraded in more established areas of the city, while we also add to the inventory as new projects come on line. New additions must be designed and built for the long term future of the city, including higher capacity planning so that those assets will be in service for the long term. Serving as a city commissioner for the last 6 years, balancing all of these needs with economic development has been a top priority for me.

Valrie: Growth should not just mean sprawl. Encourage mixed-use developments, infill housing, and redevelopment of underutilized areas (like Lake Wire) so that growth strengthens existing neighborhoods instead of stretching resources thin.

Attracting large employers can bring jobs, but nurturing local entrepreneurs and small businesses ensures long-term stability and keeps wealth circulating in the community.

Klymko: Our commission needs to involve our residents in real conversations that have follow through. Some of our residents are frustrated that they are paying city taxes without receiving value in services. Two areas come to mind and that is we need a transparent plan provided to the residents of Lake Bonney who are still trying to recover from the damage during Hurricane Milton. They are without a known plan in place to resolve future flooding. A second area is in the southwest district for fire service. Thousands of owners are paying city taxes and yet are not receiving acceptable fire service. In 2022, the City approved an agreement that Polk County would send a fire engine to fires in the vicinity of Pipkin Road. This is because the city fire trucks are 15+ minutes out. Besides the fact that Polk County is not an ISO 1 department like Lakeland’s stellar rating, that particular county station is one of the busiest, so it’s a roll of the dice if they are even at the station when called.

Kramer: The key to restoring trust in city government is transparency and accountability. Our community deserves to clearly see how decisions are made, how tax dollars are spent, and how those choices affect everyday life. Right now, too many residents, especially young people and those who feel overlooked, believe their voices don’t carry weight at City Hall. I’m committed to changing that. We must move away from closed-door decision making and policies that only serve a narrow group of interests. Instead, I will work to make city meetings easier to access, share regular and transparent updates on projects, and create meaningful opportunities for residents to be part of the process. What’s missing today is stronger representation for our younger generation and for neighborhoods that have been left out of the conversation. My goal is to ensure every Lakelander has a genuine seat at the table. By including more voices and perspectives, we can rebuild trust.

Roberts McCarley: Public trust in all anchor institutions has been waning for the last few decades. Lakeland & Polk County in general, have maintained a higher level of trust in these institutions than the rest of the country. I believe the residents of Lakeland are more engaged in their community than other cities by and large. Our community is connected to one another not only through employment & businesses, but through their churches, schools, civic organizations & neighbors. These relationships maintain trust, especially locally where people can connect directly with their city staff and elected officials. The City of Lakeland has more opportunities today to be engaged with city business through online streaming, newsletters, emails, community meetings and accessibility to city hall. Over the last 6 years one of my priorities to increase public trust through the budget process. I have worked each year to make the budget more transparent with an improved strategic planning process.

Valrie: When people see their feedback translated into real outcomes, confidence in leadership rises. Likewise, demonstrating fairness in how resources are distributed across neighborhoods strengthens the perception that the city serves all its residents, not just a select few.

In short, trust is cultivated not only by what the city does, but by how it engages—openly, consistently, and with a genuine commitment to the common good.

Klymko: We must begin with having honest and transparent conversations with our residents. Residents need to be taken on as partners in the problem. Our neighborhood Associations, some active, and some not, are a starting place. These conversations need to start now as climate change becomes more extreme and financial support more limited. Residents quickly become disenchanted, when commissioners come to them and meet, and then leave residents to research and strategize a plan to resolve a problem without the help of the city resources their taxes have paid for. Our commissioners must attend neighborhood association meetings, providing a visible statement that the associations are a viable communication means to work on preventing and resolving problems. I have seen Guy LaLonde regularly attend neighborhood meetings and events and as a result has become a trusted liaison known for working the problem with the people, an exemplar all commissioners would do well to follow.

Kramer: Hurricane Milton showed us just how vulnerable Lakeland is to extreme weather. There are still families suffering from it’s effects over a year later. Flooding, severe storms, and dangerous heat aren’t distant possibilities, they’re challenges we must be ready for. My focus is on building resilience so our families, neighborhoods, and businesses are better protected when the next disaster comes. That means improving stormwater systems and drainage in areas that flood, reinforcing infrastructure so roads and utilities hold up during major storms, and making sure our fire and rescue teams have the tools and support to respond effectively. By acting now with smart, sustainable investments, we can reduce future damage, save taxpayer money, and create a stronger, safer Lakeland prepared for whatever lies ahead.

Roberts McCarley: The hardening of infrastructure assests including water, waste/storm water, and electric are at the forefront of my service to the City of Lakeland. Working as the Legislative Chair last session, I was able to tweak our request process for state support and garnered an appropriation for our western trunk line. This aided our staff’s work in attracting grant funding to assist with completing projects. Each day, costs for materials is increasing while funding is decreasing. It is my priority to work toward finding more creative solutions to fund projects that will not only be able to mitigate storm and flood impacts, but support our team in proactively anticipating future projects that can avoid issues. We also must work across public agencies to collaborate in service to our contituients. I have had extensive experience in collaborations in my work as a commissioner and prior to being elected to office. Working in partnership with county & state agencies is imperative to our success.

Valrie: – Listen to the citizens
– Upgrade stormwater systems and drainage as needed.
– Increase funding for rescue personnel during peak storm seasons.
– Plant trees, restore wetlands, and expand infrastructure to absorb floodwaters.

Klymko: The mayor’s role has been identified as procedural and ceremonial. The people expect this person to care at all times about all residents. I would like to serve as that person because I spread optimism, connect people, and am joyful in body and spirit in the most difficult of times. I converse with people easily and can sit next to a CEO of a major corporation or an unhoused individual with ease and connect. I think of myself as a three-time influencer who has had the privilege of consecutively running in three commission elections. My lifelong experiences serving as a leader in community and employment roles in public health, hospitals, primary care, and institutions of higher learning have led me to this moment. My interest is to influence a pendulum swing to prioritize engaging and investing in people; one that our residents are ready for.

Kramer: At 24, I offer a perspective that’s been missing from Lakeland’s leadership. One that amplifies the voices of young people, working families, and residents who haven’t always felt heard at City Hall. My experience working in the service industry has taught me how to truly listen, solve problems on the spot, and build connections with people from all backgrounds. Those are exactly the qualities city government needs to create solutions that work for everyone. My background in biology also gives me a science-driven, forward-thinking lens for tackling issues like infrastructure, growth, and environmental resilience. I bring the energy and vision of the next generation of leaders. People who are committed to making Lakeland more inclusive, sustainable, and full of opportunity for all who call it home.

Roberts McCarley: Serving Lakeland as a city commissioner for more than six years and being civically engaged for many years prior, I believe that Lakeland is the best community in Florida. We have the opportunity to maintain our unique identity of being a city who cares. My experiences in public and community service offer a perspective and openess to consider “how might we” accomplish goals. This posture and curiosity creates opportunities for ideas and innovations from all across the city. I believe my passion to encourage young people to be civically engaged through the Randy Roberts Foundation and my work on commission affirms my experience is used in service to others and this community prior to and beyond elected service. Also, my expertise in working with our state and federal delegation enhances opportunities in ensuring Lakeland is able to garner the support and resources of both state and federal governments.

Valrie: – Walk the neighborhoods – not just from city hall, but in parks, schools, and small businesses to connect with everyday life.
– Lead with empathy – make decisions considering how policies affect real people, not just numbers.
– Invest in people – mentor young leaders and empowers citizens to shape their city.
– Pray often for our city.