Lakeland Commissioner Chad McLeod announced he will not seek re-election as he prepares to step into a new role in the community. McLeod, 44, said he’s made the decision not to seek a third term in office. His time as a city commissioner will come to an end in December 2027. “My intention from the beginning when I first came into office in 2019 was to serve two terms then step aside so someone else could come in with a fresh perspective,” he said.
McLeod was first elected to city office in 2019. He won 40% of the vote a four-way race for at-large seat previously occupied by Justin Troller. McLeod then beat Carole Philipson in a runoff.
In November 2023, McLeod was re-elected to a second four-year term with 57.4% of the vote against two competitors.
McLeod said he did contemplate whether he wanted to serve longer. He said a discussion last year about his campaign signs when cleaning out the garage with his wife brought personal clarity.
“Serving in this seat is one of the greatest privileges that I’ve ever had,” he told the commission. “There were moments I thought maybe I want to serve longer because of the people I serve with, because I love the work we do.”
McLeod takes new role at LEDC
McLeod said he will take on a new publicly facing role as the vice president of communications at Lakeland Economic Development Council this month.
The commissioner said before accepting the job he legally checked with City Attorney Palmer Davis that this role does not conflict with his seat on the commission, and on the rare instance there may be a conflict of interest, he will recuse himself.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland commissioner announces he won’t run for another term
Reporting by Sara-Megan Walsh, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Sara-Megan Walsh, Lakeland Ledger | USA TODAY Network
