Dena and Keith Blauschild congratulated newly elected city commissioner Joshua Simmons. Photos by Sharon Aron Baron.
By: Sharon Aron Baron
For the first time in its 55 year history, Coral Springs voters have elected its first black city commissioner.
“We made history tonight, y’all,” Joshua Simmons told supporters on Tuesday night after winning against incumbent Lou Cimaglia by 5,568 votes in a campaign he’s been working on for over a year. Back in 2017, the Coral Springs High School teacher announced he would be running for seat four.
He thanked the supporters who gathered at American Craft Kitchen & Taproom to celebrate, but first wanted to have a moment of silence for the late Mayor Skip Campbell.
Supporters congratulate Simmons at a party on Tuesday night.
“I’m happy that we won, but it does come with a bit of sadness because he was one of the first people I sat down with when I decided I was interested in running for office.”
Simmons said Campbell gave him tips and advice, even helping to place him at his current position where he teaches at Coral Springs High School.
Simmons also thanked his mother, who was currently out to sea while she was serving in the Navy.
He said it’s easier being a candidate than an elected official and so the work will begin for him tomorrow. His goal is to make Coral Springs become a more vibrant and beautiful city, and one of the things he will try to do is improve infrastructure, repair their relationship with the small business community and the chamber of commerce, and make sure the city is working efficiently.
“For too long in Coral Springs, we have had this ‘kick the can down the road’ mentality. Well, that is over when Commissioner Simmons is sitting on the dais.”
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