Meet Lance Green and Joe Mialki

Port Orange is set to see a major shakeup of its city council, with a mayoral race and two city council races that will welcome new council members.

One of those elections is for the District 4 seat, currently held by Scott Stiltner, who is running for mayor of Port Orange.

Lance Green and Joe Mialki will compete for the position on August 20.

Election coverage: Who is running for Volusia County Council, Flagler County Council, school boards and local city councils?

The News-Journal provided candidates with questionnaires on various issues. Responses have been edited for space, minor corrections and punctuation.

The candidates

Lance Green

Name: Green Lance.

Age: 59.

Occupation: Construction Manager.

Political experience: Port Orange Planning Board for over 17 years; Port Orange Golf Advisory Board for seven years.

The three main priorities:

1. Continue to improve public safety and staffing of our police service: creation and retention.

2. Continue to ensure we have adequate drainage and mitigate future flooding.

3. Coordinate with state and county government to maintain road signage.

Why are you running?

I am running to plan for the next 25 years. My family’s history in this city dates back to 1912 and I want to share this wealth of knowledge to serve my community. I will use my experience, my work in public service, my knowledge as a builder and my family’s history to maintain our quality of life.

What life accomplishment exemplifies the type of public office holder you will be?

I have been involved in a family business and then business ownership for my entire adult life. I have also been an involved member of the community, from coaching baseball to serving on volunteer boards.

What do you value about your community and want to protect? What will you seek to change?

I want to preserve the small-town spirit of Port Orange and our parks and recreational spaces so that we can continue to welcome all of our residents. I am not looking to change anything because I believe we are an exemplary city that many look to for inspiration to create their own. Our challenge will be to maintain the integrity and lifestyle that attracts people to live here every day.

Joe Mialki

Name: Joe Mialki.

Age: 40.

Occupation: Owner of a restaurant consulting business and general manager of Giuseppe’s Pizza in Port Orange.

Political experience: None.

The three main priorities:

1. Infrastructure: Proactive, not reactive, maintenance of our roads, water retention and runoff, community spaces and sidewalks.

2. Public Safety: Working hand in hand with our men and women in law enforcement and fire departments to protect our citizens and our city.

3. Growth: Developing and growing our city responsibly. A balanced plan for commercial, residential and multi-family residential growth to support a healthy tax bracket.

Why are you running?

I am running to be the voice of every citizen in the City of Port Orange. To work to protect their safety and rights as residents. To provide our youth with a clean, well-maintained, responsibly developed city in which they will be proud to say they were born and raised.

What life accomplishment exemplifies the type of public office holder you will be?

For the past 20 years, I have been the driving force behind our 43-year-old family business, which has grown from six tables to the institution it is today – all thanks to our tireless dedication to our local veterans, youth athletes, first responders, local schools, local performing arts, and many other charitable organizations. I lead our business with a focus on giving back to the community I love, respect, and call home, and I plan to bring that same passion to my seat on City Council.

What do you value about your community and want to protect?

I want to protect the health of our city. The idea and emphasis on “community” must never be lost. We are a community first, we love our neighbor, our hometown. I will always advocate for responsible development and growth, so that we never lose our way.

What will you seek to change?

A much more proactive, rather than reactive, approach to maintaining our city, with a particular focus on drainage, water retention, public safety and traffic congestion.