Oldsmar residents chose Amber Stephens to join the City Council in a special election Aug. 18.
Stephens will serve out the remainder of former Vice Mayor Andrew Knapp’s term, which expires in March. Cyndi Olmstead was appointed by the council to hold the seat until the August vote.
Stephens received 1,056 votes (42%) to defeat Fraser Young, who received 38%, and Jessica Villafana.
“Today, I am overwhelmed with joy, gratitude, and love today,” Stephens wrote in a Facebook post. “Thank you, Oldsmar. Thank you to every person who went to the polls in this election and took the time to voice your opinion. Whether you voted for me or someone else, you participated in our democracy, and that matters.”
Stephens is married with three children and has lived in Oldsmar since 2018.
According to her campaign website, Stephens has advocated to strengthen resiliency to reduce flooding, enhance community facilities and amenities, and make sure the city practices fiscal responsibility to keep taxes low.
Despite the short stint on the council, Stephens said during a June forum that she thinks she can quickly make a difference, citing 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.”
Regarding commercial growth and its strain on infrastructure, Stephens 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.