Cool Announces County Commission Bid

SEBRING - Carl Cool ended more than six months of speculation about whether he would run for the Highlands County Commission seat held by incumbent Republican Barbara Stewart.

On Tuesday, Cool, the former chief executive officer of county government for 17 years, announced that he will run for county commissioner.

Both Cool and Stewart live in the Avon Park county commission district.

They will have their electoral contest decided on Aug. 26, when voters pick between them in the Republican primary election. The winner then would go against a Democrat and possibly independent candidates in the November general election.

Cool said he relied on close friends and prayers to make his decision to run for political office for the first time in his life.

"The decision to run for this office has come after a lot of prayer and positive advice from people I trust and admire here in Highlands County," Cool said in his five-paragraph press release that announced his candidacy.

Cool typed out the press release while he was sitting next to his wife, Maureen, in the Sebring RE/MAX Realty Plus office, where Maureen works as a Realtor. Cool also is a Realtor working in the same office.

Tuesday was Cool's first day on the job selling real estate. He passed his real estate exam last week.
"I've got him working already," Maureen Cool said, referring to the fact that her husband started working again as a Realtor just 10 days after his retirement, which became official at 12:01 a.m. June 1.

Stewart said she had no comment about Cool's announcement that he would challenge her bid for re-election to a second four-year term.

"I am running for the county commissioner job," Stewart said. "I am not running against anyone."
When told of her statement late Tuesday morning, Cool said, "That is the same with me. I am running for the office, I am not running against anyone."

On Monday, Cool filed a document with the Highlands County Supervisor of Elections office that identifies his campaign treasurer. Cool said that is the first step toward filing as a candidate for any county elected office. The actual filing as a candidate can only be done between June 16 and June 20.

Lisa Sherman Harris, a certified public accountant and a long-time friend of Cool's, is Cool's campaign treasurer. She is a partner in Williams-Sherman, an incorporated certified public accounting firm in Lake Placid.

Cool said he will run on his record of public service during his 33 years of employment by Highlands County. He began as an assistant engineer in the county engineer's office, later became the county engineer and then was given the top job in county government as the administrator.

"I believe I have had a positive part in the improvements of county government over the last 33 years," Cool said. "I look forward to being a part of the continued improvements of our communities."
If Cool is elected to the county commission, he could become the county's first "triple dipper."

Some county employees retire and collect their investment-income retirement, get a new job and earn that paycheck, and have two sources of income. People who do that are often referred to as "double dippers."

Cool will always have his retirement money, which was contributed to his retirement fund by the county. He also could earn more money working as a Realtor while he also adds about $45,000 per year from the job of county commissioner.

County commissioner in Highlands County is a part-time job and most commissioners work a second, full-time job. Guy Maxcy, for instance, who is running for re-election to a fifth consecutive four-year term, works full time running his insurance agency.