'07 grad elected to the Haines City Commission

Adam Burgess, a 2007 FAMU graduate, won a runoff election yesterday to claim a seat on the Haines City ( FL ) Commission. Burgess, who is 24 years old and holds a degree in architectural studies, won election with 59 percent of the vote to defeat another political newcomer, Tim Lawhorn, president of Lawhorn's Signature Seasoning, and the incumbent Joe Hamilton.

Burgess, will have to keep his day job at Turner Construction, where he is an Engineer/architectural intern, because the Haines City Commission "gig" only pays $500 a month.

Neither Burgess nor Lawhorn received more than 50 percent of the vote, which forced yesterday's runoff.

Burgess, who serves on the city's library advisory board and board of adjustment, said he decided to run for a seat on the commission to effect change during a critical planning time for the city.

He said he was not surprised by the runoff, but was disappointed in the low voter turnout. Only 12 percent of the city's 7,865 registered voters went to the polls last week.

"I regret more people didn't get out and vote," Burgess said. "I think people are so turned off they don't want to come out and vote. I would like to see the residents come out and say with a firm voice 'We will no longer stand for what is going on and we are ready to make that change.' "

The city's five commissioners serve four-year terms.