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William “B.J.” Laurie, far left, has filed to run for the Crescent City Commission Group 2 seat that was vacated last week after Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order stating former Commissioner C.J. “Doc” Bailey was not qualified to be an elected official.
A former Crescent City commissioner and 2022 commission candidate is throwing his hat in the ring again.
William “B.J.” Laurie filed his intent Tuesday to run for the Crescent City Commission Group 2 seat, Putnam County Supervisor of Elections records show.
“I love Crescent City and really feel like it is a good time to use my knowledge and skills to give something back to the community that has given me so much,” Laurie said in a statement Wednesday.
Laurie is running to replace former Commissioner C.J. “Doc” Bailey, who was removed from office Aug. 7 after Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order stating Bailey was ineligible to hold office.
The special election is scheduled for Oct. 3, and as of Wednesday evening, Laurie is the only candidate vying to fill the vacancy.
“Christopher ‘Doc’ Bailey was convicted of a federal felony in 1995 and … Bailey’s civil rights have not been restored,” DeSantis’ order states.
Bailey, who was elected in November, argued to the contrary earlier this month, saying DeSantis didn’t have all of the facts because his rights had been restored.
However, Supervisor of Elections Charles Overturf III said Wednesday he had not received any information from the governor’s office that would rescind the executive order.
Ahead of the special election, Laurie must qualify for office between noon Aug. 21 and noon Aug. 23.
The city charter states any candidate running for office must submit 25 petitions or pay 5% of the salary they’d receive as a city commissioner. Qualifying must be done at the Elections Office, 2509 Crill Ave., Suite 900, in Palatka.
Crescent City residents still have the opportunity to file their intent to run for the Group 2 seat, but if no one qualifies to run against Laurie by Aug. 23, he will automatically win the race to be the next commissioner, Overturf said.
“Right now, B.J. is the only one that started,” Overturf said about the candidate pool.
Laurie, who served as a city commissioner from 2003 to 2006, ran against Bailey for the Group 2 spot in the 2022 general election but lost by 11 votes, election records show.
Laurie presently serves on the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission and is the vice chairman of the city’s Historic Preservation Board.
He said his goals are to continue updating the city’s infrastructure and keep pushing forward Crescent City’s land development code.
“I have always believed transparency should be the city’s No. 1 goal and will always be working to improve the ways citizens can learn about what is going on in the city government,” he stated.
The former commissioner also hopes to bring harmony back to the city and commission. Making that happen will require teamwork, Laurie said.
“I can’t do that alone, but I know that I respect the work that the commission does and the commissioners and mayor themselves as people,” Laurie stated.
In other Crescent City election news, residents who want to run for the mayoral and Group 3 commission seat must also qualify between noon Aug. 21 and noon Aug. 23 at the Elections Office, Overturf said.
Although Mayor Michele Myers and Commissioner Cynthia Burton currently serve in those positions, the spots could also be up for grabs if a circuit judge sides with the group trying to recall the two Crescent City officials.
On Tuesday, Judge Kenneth Janesk II heard arguments from lawyers representing both elected officials as well as Recall Crescent City Florida, the group pushing for the recall.
Janesk must decide if the arguments he heard Tuesday are valid. If the validity is upheld, Myers, Burton and whoever else wants their spots on the City Commission will have to compete in the Oct. 3 special election.
As of Wednesday evening, Janesk has not ruled in either case.