Oldsmar voters will choose among three candidates Aug. 18 in a special election for City Council Seat 3 — a job that lasts just seven months.
Amber Stevens, Jessica Villafana and Fraser Young are running to serve out the remainder of former Vice Mayor Andrew Knapp’s term, which expires in March 2027. Cyndi Olmstead was appointed by the council to hold the seat until the August vote.
The campaign turned contentious at the council’s July 21 meeting, when Young told the board during public comment that Mayor Katie Gannon called his personal phone Dec. 11 and asked him to step aside in favor of Stevens, before Stevens had entered the race. Young said he has a record of the call and asked Gannon to address the claim during council comments. She did not respond during the meeting.
Young also said his campaign is financed by Oldsmar residents rather than former city officials or business owners.
Stevens spoke during the same public comment period but did not address Young’s account. She instead described her door-to-door campaigning and thanked Villafana for being “completely respectful and kind throughout this campaign.”
The three met in June at a candidate forum co-hosted by the League of Women Voters of North Pinellas County and the local chamber of commerce, where they fielded questions on economic growth, infrastructure, environmental protection and the prospect of tighter budgets.
Asked what they could accomplish in seven months, Villafana said she would focus on pending city projects and municipal finances, adding that “every vote matters” regardless of term length. Stevens pointed to her service on local advisory boards: “You need to be quick learning. You need to be fast,” she said, and the council must “give the city manager direction so that there is a path set.” Young cited looming financial decisions, including potential state revenue changes that could affect city services.
Chief among those is a proposed state constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot that would increase the homestead exemption. Asked how Oldsmar should handle the resulting budget shortfall, the candidates split.
Young warned that reduced property tax revenue could threaten the city library and recreation center. “Things like the library cost over a million dollars,” he said, calling the library “most at risk” and adding, “those are also the same things that I want to keep alive.”
Stevens and Villafana said the city cannot act until voters decide. Fire rescue, parks and libraries could all be affected, Stevens said, but “we have to wait to see what happens and then assess then what to do.” Villafana called for “full transparency about what services are on the line” so residents understand the council’s final decisions.
Commercial growth and its strain on infrastructure also drew sharp contrasts. Villafana said the council must be “consistent in our approach to new businesses, that we’re not treating one business better or worse than another business.” Stevens argued for growth guided by data. “You can’t stop growth. Growth is going to keep going, but you can do smart growth and have guidance,” she said.
Young urged caution, citing vacant commercial space already on the market and recent utility failures. “Growth is important, just not too much too fast,” he said, noting a major water main break. “We still haven’t heard from the city what caused it.”
All three called stormwater management a priority after recent hurricane seasons. Asked whether developers should fully fund stormwater mitigation for their projects, Young said the cost should fall on newcomers: “If we’re building more housing ... that shouldn’t be coming from folks that live here right now.” Stevens would require a funding plan upfront while pursuing outside grants. “First I would ask the developers for a plan to make sure that they can fund it first,” she said. Villafana said shifting the entire cost to developers may be impractical: “I think the city would have to absorb some of that.”
On environmental standards, the candidates noted that 40% of Oldsmar is dedicated to parks and preserves. Stevens and Villafana said they would maintain existing protections. Young stressed home rule: “Oldsmar needs to stay its own city so we can govern our environment and our green space.”
How to vote
Early voting period: Continues through Sunday, Aug. 16.
Ballot drop off: Through Saturday, Aug. 15, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Oldsmar Public Library.
Election Day: Tuesday, Aug. 18. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For information on your polling place/precinct, visit www.votepinellas.gov/198/Find-Precinct-Polling-Place