James Schneider, Dave Stokes

The race for Cape Coral City Council District 5, which was not on the Primary ballot, features two candidates, James Schneider and Dave Stokes:*

* Candidate name: James Schneider

* Seat sought/district: District 5

* Age: 54 in October

* Education/degrees:

University of Pennsylvania English/Public Administration

* Occupation and place of employment: Real estate broker, RE/MAX Trend Cape Coral

* Time in the district in which you are running/years of residency: 4 years

* Business experience applicable to the office you are seeking:

Currently works for RE/MAX Trend in Cape Coral. During his years as a broker in Annapolis, Maryland, Schneider opened and operated Distinguished Properties, which was a luxury boutique firm. Managed over 200 employees, had managed for several firms during his career; such as Merrill Lynch, Prudential, and RE/MAX. The fiscal budgets which he oversaw ran from $350,000 to under $600,000 per year. In his personal practice, sold in excess of $680 million worth of residential properties with individual sales as high as $14 million. He served as the chairperson or co-chair of over 30 plus business association committees such as education, forms/contract, hospital benefit to professional standards. Served the county association as a hearing officer for the code of ethics for nine years.

Also a national award winning suspense author with four books written. He has been an acrylic artist who showed and sold his paintings in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Annapolis, Maryland, and Key West, Florida.

* Political Experience/offices held:

Currently serving as one of the eight planning and zoning commissioners for the city of Cape Coral. Previously served in the same capacity in Maryland.

* Civic/Community involvement:

Chaired fundraising campaigns and events for the local hospice organization, and founded a charity food bank which fed over 450 weekly.

Served as the chairperson or co-chair of over 30 plus business association committees such as education, forms/contract, hospital benefit to professional standards.

* Family: Husband, Glenn, and their two dogs, Fred and Barney. He is an uncle 28 times and a great uncle 31 times.

* Military Experience: None

* Website where voters can find more information on your candidacy:

www.votejamesschneider.com/

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Candidate name: Dave Stokes

* Seat sought/district: City of Cape Coral City Council District 5

* Age: 47

* Education/degrees:

Palm Beach Gardens High School

St. Augustine Technical Center: Florida State Firefighter Certification

Polk State College: Florida State Paramedic Certification

Florida State Fire College: Hazardous Materials Technician, Fire Officer, Public Information Officer, Driver Engineer

Frederick Community College: Multiple FEMA Classes in Emergency Management

* Occupation and place of employment:

Firefighter/Paramedic, Charlotte County Fire and EMS

* Time in the district in which you are running/years of residency: Cape Coral Resident since 2002

* Business experience applicable to the office you are seeking:

Campaign Manager for Paige Kreegel for Congress Supervising a $1 Million Budget and 10 Employees; Retail Manager 4 people supervised Footlocker Corporation; Previously owned two of my own businesses, Dave Stokes Lawn Care and Florida Patriot Consulting, which were profitable and now closed.

* Political Experience/offices held:

Elected to the City of Cape Coral Golf Course Advisory Board and Appointed to the City of Cape Coral Parks Master Plan Stakeholders Committee

* Civic/Community involvement:

Volunteer Football Coach for Cape Coral Junior Football Association

Elected to the City of Cape Coral Golf Course Advisory Board and Appointed to the City of Cape Coral Parks Master Plan Stakeholders Committee

Member of First Christian Church of Cape Coral

Initiated and Managed a Cancer Benefit for two Lee County Firefighters diagnosed with Cancer.

* Family:

Married to my wife Lisa; together we have 4 grown children, with 3 in College and 1 Married with 1 Granddaughter

* Military Experience:

Civilian Firefighter for US Air Force at Avon Park Air Force Range/Not a Veteran of the Armed Forces

* Website where voters can find more information on your candidacy:

www.davestokesforcapecoral.com/

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* Editor’s Note: All biographical information provided by the candidates.

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Important Dates:

– GENERAL, Nov. 7, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

* Voter Registration Book Closes, Oct. 10

* Early Voting (general election), Oct. 30-31 and Nov. 1-4

– Lee County Elections Cape Coral Branch Office, 1031 S.E. 9th Place Unit 3

– Cape Coral Library, 921 S.W. 39th Terrace

– Voter registration:

Applications are available online at www.leeelections.com, at all Lee County libraries, and other locations including Cape Coral City Hall at 1015 Cultural Park Blvd., Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce at 2051 Cape Coral Parkway, Department of Motor Vehicles offices, and all Lee County Supervisor of Elections offices including the one in the Cape at 1031 S.E. 9th Place Unit 3 A full list is available at www.leeelections.com.