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Earnest Williams is serving out an appointment to the City Council. He has filed to run for a full term.
By LEONORA LaPETER
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 12, 2001
ST. PETERSBURG -- Earnest Williams is as close as he's ever been this time to elected office.
He actually sits in the District 6 City Council seat that he hopes to win in March, having been appointed by City Council last fall to fill a temporary vacancy.
Now he'll try to keep it.
Williams has now filed papers indicating he intends to seek the City Council seat Frank Peterman held for three years before moving on the state Legislature.
Williams, owner of a State Farm Insurance agency who is known for his service on numerous community groups, will compete against Dwight "Chimurenga" Waller and Abdul Karim Ali.
This race will be Williams' fourth attempt at public office. He ran for the District 6 City Council seat in 1993; he also tried to win the House District 55 seat in 1994, losing it to Rudy Bradley; he lost District 55 to Peterman by about 3,000 votes in the September Democratic primary.
"I do have experience running," he said, "but I think people want to see me represent them."
Williams, 54, who sings in his church choir and likes to go fishing in his spare time, has lived in St. Petersburg for 29 years, coming here from Marianna. He worked for the city of St. Petersburg for 11 years as a criminal justice planner and assistant parks director, among other jobs. Sixteen years ago, he was recruited to become an insurance agent and run his own State Farm insurance agency.
Since that time, he has taken an active role in the community, participating in school, city and other community groups.
The Lakewood Estates resident is chairman of the Regional Workforce Development Board and a member of the Pinellas School Readiness Coalition and the School Biracial Committee. He has served on the city's Nuisance Abatement Board, the School Controlled Choice Task Force, the Community Alliance and the Neighborhood Housing Services board.
"I've been involved in a lot of different things, and you try to bring that experience to the table and you try to bring business experience to the table," Williams said.
Williams, who is married and has two grown children, said he would look to his constituents to determine what he will address if elected. But so far, he sees himself focusing on economic development, employment and adequate transportation for residents who live between downtown and Lake Maggiore.
"I care about people," he said.