Candidates are set for Century election

On Tuesday, March 28, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., the an election will be held at Century Town Hall to fill council seats 3 and 4. Seat 3 Interim Councilwoman Shelisa McCall Abraham is running against candidate Evelyn Webber and seat 4 Interim Councilwoman Alicia Johnson will run against candidate Eddie Hammonds.

Hammond

Former Century town employee Eddie Hammond decided to run for seat 4 after he expressed interest in being an interim council member but was not appointed.

"I feel like the town of Century is in a mess," said Hammond. "I feel like the leadership in Century is not where it needs to be. I don't know that I can make a difference but I'm willing to try."

Hammond said he was was under the impression that he was going to be appointed to one of the open seats to be an interim council member, but when he spoke up in a meeting and disagreed with what someone on the council said, he was no longer supported. So Hammond decided to run for the seat.

"The infrastructure of the town is falling apart," said Hammonds "We've got Freedom Road Bridge that's been closed for more than three years. We've got two other bridges in bad shape that will be closed if something is not done. There is no reason for that bridge to be closed for three years."

Hammond said the he is especially upset about the closed bridge on Freedom Road. He said there is a cheaper way to repair the bridge based on a repair of a bridge 25 or so years away.

"I know it's expensive the way they're trying to do it, but there is a cheaper way to do it," said Hammond. "I worked for the town for 33 years, and there is a bridge right around the corner from the Freedom Road Bridge that's the same kind of bridge. We fixed that bridge 20 or 25 years ago and we fixed it ourselves, putting in culverts. The same thing can be done at Freedom Road Bridge."

Hammondssaid the bridge they repaired now needs work again as well as Freedom Road. He believes there are cheaper ways to repair these bridges to make them useable. He hopes his experience will help him be an effective council member.

"My 33 years working (as gas superintendent and general town employee) for the town gives me the ins and outs of the town, and having parents who were involved in the past, I think I know a little bit I can help out," said Hammond. "All I want to do is do it for the betterment of the people of the town. I'm willing to try. I feel like my time that I worked there will help me make Century better."

Johnson

Seat 4 Interim Councilwoman Johnson, who has worked as water superintendent in the past for Century, Jay, Moore Creek Mt. Carmel, currently works in water treatment consulting.

Johnson said she has been in the utility industry for many years, which helped her gain a lot of knowledge about utility management and infrastructure, which she feels will help her serve the town.

"I want to to tell Century residents that by throwing my hat in the ring, I'll put that knowledge to work to serve them," said Johnson.

Johnson, who is all too familiar with the problems Century has had with its water and wastewater issues in the past several years, said she thinks the town's infrastructure is a top priority. She knows the recent increase in utility prices will feel like a pinch to the town's citizens, but municipalities pay for services and cannot maintain them without keeping up with increasing costs.

"Unfortunately, we have been undercharging for many years," said Johnson. "But in order to have a town run smoothly and have enough employees to clean the streets and ditches, fix the water leaks, work on infrastructure and address other issues, it will have a cost. If we are paying more for services than we are getting paid for, we are fighting a losing battle."

Johnson said she thinks most of the utility issues that have plagued the town in the past have been addressed and moving forward, there will be a lot of good changes because if that.

She said the biggest challenge will be changing the general public opinion about the town of Century.

"It seems the general public has a poor opinion of not only the citizens of Century, but the administration and employees of the town," said Johnson. "I feel that is unfair."

Johnson cites negative media attention and the time it has taken to fix a lot of those problems as culprits. Johnson wants to see Century grow, not only in numbers, but in prosperity and in the town's general health and well-being.

"I want to see pride return to our community," said Johnson. "I want to see people have jobs to go to. When people are employed, they are able to spend money, which creates the cycle of new jobs. Local businesses are supported and industry tends to follow industry, which creates a need for more jobs. I hope to see a boon in the town's financial situation, and in the pride in the community."

Johnson mentioned the positive impact she thinks a new computer program called 'YouthFirst Century' that the Urban Development Center set to launch March 27 will have on the future of the town's youth.

"Our kids need to see that we can be anything we want to be," said Johnson.

Webber

New Century resident and non-profit owner Evelyn Webber threw in her hat in the ring to run against Interim Councilwoman Abrahams to try to bring resources to the town of Century. Webber said she has been with non-profits since 2010 and when she came to Pensacola, she noticed that the north end of Escambia County (Fla.) was lacking in a lot of resources she has seen in larger cities, such as Pensacola, and she wanted to bring a resolution to that shortage.

"While I was working with my non-profit in Pensacola, people would come down from Century and tell me 'we need help up there, there are no resources'," said Webber. "Our organization is a resource center, so we try to find out what the people need and we go find the resources and bring it back in a way that they can understand."

Webber said she is excited to run for an office, which she has never done. She was impressed with the process and the people who helped her get qualified.

"You learn by doing something and then you go back and share that information with your citizens and residents and peers, and then they learn how to better themselves," said Webber.

Webber said she has been scouting Century for a year, meeting people and making connections. She said she wanted to live in Century, bring her non-profit to the town, be engaged and feel the heartbeat of the town. She said she followed through with what she said she was going to do and got a part-time job working as a cook at the nursing home, where she has met many workers who have been there for decades.

"I got to plug into the workers who have been at that same job for 18 or 20 years," said Webber. "And I get to hear their heartbeat and that's what it's all about."

Webber said her vision is to bring a transition house to Century and referred to the after-school hangout the main character and his friends would frequent after school on the TV show 'Happy Days' as a place for kids to come to where there is no Wifi, to bring that simple way of life and socialization for the young people.

"Century, put your seatbelt on," said Webber. "Because I am on fire. I can take a small thing and make it big. I am so excited."

Webber said she doesn't see families or even children outside like years past at a two different local apartment complexes in Century. She said she has connected with carious local organizations, including a church and although she is in her 50s and a grandmother, she wants to empower residents to let them know they don't have to wait for people to do something you can do for yourself.

"You cannot change what you tolerate," said Webber. "That's my campaign quote."

Webber is interested in establishing a way to help residents with paying their higher gas bills, but she wants them to have some skin in the game, citing her non-profit will educate them at the same time.

Webber said she knows people don't like change, but change must come to make life better for Century.

"What is your purpose?" said Webber. "Are you here to really assist each other and help or do you want status quo or do you want to keep things like they are, which is not going to happen. Century is growing. We're about to get bigger than this. They've got to be a part of the growth and people don't like change."

Webber said changing council members can help, citing that fresh and new ideas can bring about solutions and change. She said everything she is doing is here to let people know she is coming to Century for the better for everyone.

"I'm looking for people who have my kind of energy," said Webber. "Even if I am not elected, I will still be around. You may look up and see me in four years. It's not about the win, it's about the message I'm sending. The change starts with us."

Interim Councilwoman Abrahams was not available following multiple attempts to contact her.