CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The City Council heard from five applicants Thursday night interested in filling the Ward 11 council seat left empty by Ashlee Evan’s resignation.
Council members asked applicants questions about their priorities should they be selected to fill the unexpired term for Ward 11, which is up for election in November. The candidates gave a wide array of answers, but most agreed that infrastructure and roads were a top concern for the city.
The council will vote on a new member at a special session in council chambers on Tuesday, March 8, at 4:30 p.m. Here are the applicants to fill the Ward 11 seat, and some information from their interviews.
James Adcock is production manager at Kena Industries, a business started by his father, and is also a certified baseball umpire. He is a regular volunteer at Loaves and Fishes and Manna Cafe.
Adcock told council members, “Law and order are the number one issues in a community.” He also said he was concerned about the redistricting process.
Ron Lanfear is an Army veteran and a retired educator with Workforce Essentials, where he helped develop their Career Center and taught interview and resume classes. Lanfear said he has also been an avid volunteer with the American Red Cross, Loaves and Fishes and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Lanfear said equity and representation are a major concern for him.
“When there’s a lack of respect for groups of people that are not treated fairly, I think that law and order has to be part of that, but that has to be applied fairly and equitably to all people,” Lanfear told council members.
Joe Shakeenab ran for the Ward 12 seat in 2020. Under the new districts, he is now in Ward 11. Shakeenab is a veteran, having served as an Army Ranger and Green Beret. He is an Austin Peay State University alumnus with degrees in public management and strategic leadership. Shakeenab is president of APSU’s National Alumni Association as well as the Military Alumni Chapter. He serves as a mentor for multiple nonprofits, including the Recovering Our Sons program at Lincoln Homes.
“If I’m elected to serve for the rest of this term, I’ll be committed to working on behalf of the city. I’ll give a 100% effort in making Clarksville a better place for all,” Shakeenab told council members. “I will promote diversity, equity and inclusion, and I will not have any conflicts of interest.”
Lane Mang is an APSU student who is just beginning his political career. Mang is an intern for Rep. Mark Green and hopes to provide a voice on the council for Clarksville’s younger population.
“Running for office is an option that is not often presented to young people,” Mang said. “We often have no representation in local governments, and our needs and wants often go unheard. Of course, I want to focus on the needs of all the people of Clarksville, but I want to be a strong voice for our community’s younger generation.”
Ricky Reda owns and operates multiple businesses in Clarksville, including Reda Auto Sales and Reda Homebuilders. Reda told council members that his expertise in local real estate could be invaluable as Ward 11’s representative. He said one of his top concerns is roads and that it is important for Clarksville’s infrastructure to stay ahead of growth.
“I know finance, I know roads and I know infrastructure,” Reda said. “I think (traffic) is critical. I think we need to jump on the train of not just getting things in the work but complete.”