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CEDAR KEY COMMISSION APPLICANTS
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
 
In the past several weeks, the Cedar Key News staff has talked with many Cedar Key residents and listened to their questions regarding the candidates and the upcoming city commission election.
These questions, and others, were posed to the two candidates running for the Cedar Key City Commission in May 2, 2017. From their answers, staff has learned the following information.
 
 
NICKIE RUCKER
 
WANTS TO REPRSENT ALL
  • In responses to various questions about the clamming industry and conflicts with non-clamming residents of Cedar Key, Rucker restates her commitment “to represent all of the people of Cedar Key.” 
  • She believes she knows many of them personally as her family comes from here and has clamming, fishing backgrounds.  She reiterated giving “a voice to everybody.”
HAS NECESSARY SKILL SET
  • She believes that while in the realty business in Mid-Florida, she learned many skills that would help her in the commissioner job. 
  • She explained that the reinventing her firm, which required her to listening to people, clearly hearing their concerns, “working with them to change the operation but remain humble and become what the people needed.”  She believes those skills will serve her well on the Cedar Key Commission.
FAVORS ANNEXATION
  • Rucker explained that she favors the city’s recent annexation efforts because those living on the Cedar Key side of the Number Four Bridge enjoy the same services as the city’s tax-paying residents enjoy. 
  • She believes that action is fair, “equitable.” 
CHANGES TO CEDAR KEY
  • Nickie Rucker believes that she should be a commissioner because she: wants “to be a bigger part” of the city; wants to “influence Cedar Key to change, but not much.”
  • She believes that in “giving back to my community is part of who I am.”
  
CHRIS TOPPING
 
QUESTION OF RESIDENCY
The question most asked regarding Chris Topping was: How can he run for city office if he doesn’t live in the city?
  • When asked where he resides, Topping responded that he has “many houses.” (the residency address provided by Topping to the Levy County Supervisor of Elections is C&M Seafood Inc, 11990 St. Rd. 24)
  • When asked, “Have you been living in the city for the past six months, as required by the Laws of Cedar Key?” Topping responded, “What do you mean by living?”
  • To clarify the question of living, Topping was asked, “Do you sleep there (at the city address) most of the time?” Topping’s response was, “I don’t know about most of the time.”
  • Topping refused to answer any questions regarding his family also living with him at this address.
SEES NO CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Other questions asked were regarding clamming and the potential conflict of voting on issues that involved the clamming industry while sitting on the city commission.
  • Asked if he, as commissioner, should be allowed to vote on an item that comes before the commission if it was an issue that he might derive some monetary benefit? Topping expressed seeing nothing wrong with that; he believes that is legal. 
  • Topping states: “I'm here to protect Aquaculture, which in my opinion is the tie that binds all other industries in Cedar Key. I like seeing a commission that puts Aquaculture at the top of its priority list.” 

 

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