In the race for Sumter County School Board, candidate David Williams has set up himself far ahead of opponent Linda Winchester in perhaps the most important category – money.
Williams has taken in $13,225 in contributions to Winchester’s $50. Williams has taken in more money this year than any other Sumter County candidate on the ballot.
Williams is well known in The Villages as the PGA-certified professional at Cane Garden Country Club.
His campaign for school board has attracted donations from some of the biggest names in The Villages:
• Golf Management Solutions, $1,000
• Dale Borrowman, IT executive in The Villages, $1,000
• Stephen Drake, director of purchasing for The Villages and chairman of the Village Center Community Development District, $1,000.
• Cane Garden Restaurant $1,000
• Brad Brown, insurance executive, $1,000
• Chad Strausbaugh, restaurant manager, $1,000
• Fred and Leslie Gibbons, directors of Compass Human Resources for The Villages, each gave $250
• The Villages Insurance, $200.
• Chad Prilliman, restaurant manager, $200
• Robert Houston, assistant manager at Palmer Legends, $250
• Randy McDaniel, director of education at The Villages Charter School, $100
• Ken Ezell, golf course architect, $100
• Robert Shaffer, golf facilities manager at Palmer Legends, $100
• Sam Wartinbee, District Property Management, $100
• Robert Shaffer, instructor at Villages Golf Academy, $100
• Mark Verkey, golf pro at Palmer Legends, $75.
In addition, T&D Concrete/Pool and Spa Construction/Screen Enclosures have donated $3,000 to Williams’ campaign through its various businesses.
Williams also donated $100 to his own campaign.
In contrast, Winchester, a longtime Sumter School Board member, has $50 in her campaign coffers. She wrote a check to her campaign in January. She has served on the school board since 1994.
Williams and Winchester will be competing for the District 3 seat.
She lives in Wildwood and he lives in Oxford.
