We meet two elected officials in Oviedo, Florida – Dominic Persampiere and Steve Henken. Each will continue for another 2-year term in their governing office for that city. Each stood unopposed and uncontested when candidate qualifying ended on September 2nd perhaps because no residents perceived the need for new city leadership or had the necessary will or track record to compete against them. Feature length - 23:54

Along with the other 3 elected council members, whose terms won’t expire until November 2012, Persampiere and Henken will continue to lead and serve on a 5-member city council which governs a municipality with a population of 34,000 residents – making Oviedo the third largest among Seminole County Florida’s 7-cities.

Both men have lengthy experience serving the city – Persampiere with 12-continious years holding various elected city offices – mayor, deputy mayor and council member, and Henken with 7- consecutive years as council member and currently as deputy mayor. In prior years, each have served in non-elected appointed capacities, too – Henken on the charter review committee, the board of adjustment and the firefighter pension board, and Persampiere on the land planning board.

The mayor is paid an annual salary of $12,978 dollars, and council members are paid $10,815 dollars per year. Like the city staff, the city’s elected leaders have received no pay raise since 2008.

Over the course of their years of municipal leadership experience, Oviedo has morphed from a tranquil 2 traffic light burb to a bustling community recently recognized by several credible national sources as being among the nation’s top places to live and raise a family.

Though not without its economic challenges and not without facing setbacks and missed opportunities which some observers say continually elude the city’s stature as a make it happen community…Oviedo and these two men have much to look forward too.

Facing a potential bump in the road with the just announced resignation of the city manager and with several substantial economic development opportunities resting restlessly in their laps, we visited with both men to recognize their victories, probe their take on the city’s current status and look at what’s coming up for the city in their next two years in office.

By telephone CMF producer-reporter, Stephen McKenney Steck, spoke with 49-year old Steve Henken and face to face with 47-year old Dominic Persampiere at the monthly farmer’s market. Still photographs of each as well as links to Steck’s extended interview with both are provided below.

Each were asked the same basic questions as they responded to issues regarding the city manager replacement, their “qualified” support for the county school board budget woes, the city’s successes and future plans, and the plusses and minuses of an uncontested election.

Additional Feature Information

Dominic Persampiere Mayor, city of Oviedo web | bio

Steve Henken Council ember/seat-1 & deputy mayor, city of Oviedo web | bio

Links to other podcasts produced by CMF Public Media featuring Dominic Persampiere

• Twin Cities – Economic Development (5/23/11)
• Historic Downtown Oviedo (3/10/11)
• Oviedo On The Park (3/10/11)
• Oviedo’s Hospital Future (2/14/11)
• 2010 State of the Cities (2/2/11)
• Mayor Persampiere – Part 1 (9/9/10)
• Mayor Persampiere – Part 1 (9/30/10)

Links to other podcasts produced by CMF Public Media featuring Steve Henken

• Nitty Gritty – Behind the Oviedo Survey (7/8/11)
• Bouquets and Brickbats – A Survey of Oviedo Residents (7/8/11)
• Voting Smart in Oviedo (10/29/09 – General election)
• Voting Smart in Oviedo (10/28/09 – Primary election)

Links to other podcasts produced by CMF Public Media featuring issues related to the election campaigns

• Commentary: Non-competitive Elections (9/30/10)
• Voting Smart – Local Issues (6/17/10)

Pictures

Extended Interview

	Dominic Persampiere, mayor, city of Oviedo and Stephen McKenney Steck Extended interview (31:01)
	Steve Henken, council member/seat-1 & deputy mayor, city of Oviedo and Stephen McKenney Steck Extended interview (36:21)