A Villager who is vying as a write-in candidate for a seat on the Sumter County Commission has been reappointed by that body to a seat on a prestigious economic board.
Pete Wahl was reappointed this week to serve on the Industrial Development Authority.
Earlier this month, Wahl raised eyebrows when he quietly filed to run as a write-in candidate in the District 3 commission race, in which incumbent Commissioner Don Burgess is facing an aggressive challenge from Craig Estep in the Aug. 18 primary. Wahl’s entry into the race eliminated 45,000 Sumter County Democratic and No Party Affiliation voters from participating in the balloting in that contest.
Wahl listed Burgess – the man he is running against – as a reference in his application for reappointment to the seat on the Industrial Development Authority. Wahl also listed as references Commissioner Al Butler and The Villages Vice President of Community Relations Gary Lester.
The Industrial Development Authority provides incentives to businesses by acting as a conduit for tax free low-interest rate bond financing.
Others sitting on the Industrial Development Authority are Gerry Lachnicht, who serves on the Sumter Landing Community Development District Board and is with Sabal Trust in The Villages; Villager Don Hand; and Villager John Calandro, who is heavily involved in Republican politics in The Villages and serves as chairman of the Community Development District 6 Board of Supervisors.