After witnessing the changes Tallahassee has endured, Emily Fritz has decided it was time for her to act and help reshape it into the great city she once knew.
This led to the 64-year-old retiree running for the Leon County Commission District 3 seat.
Fritz grew up in Alabama and went to the University of Alabama. She moved to Tallahassee in 1985, and she fell in love with the city.
Fritz has worked in private sector positions for 30 years and for the state for 10 years. Due to her involvement in the community through these jobs and witnessing the changes that have taken place in Tallahassee, she feels more than qualified for the position.
“I’m retired, I’m not looking for a career because I’ve had my career, so when I’m on the county commission, all I have to think about is what’s best for the people in my district,” said Fritz.
Fritz describes herself as a problem solver, and one problem she plans on solving is public safety. Due to many instances where there was a late response from the police, she decided this was an issue she needed to fix.
“The first action I plan on doing is getting with the county administrator and telling him how serious I am about fixing the dispatch agency,” Fritz said.
This is not Fritz’s first try running for a county commission seat. In 2012, she ran for the county commission at-large seat and finished fourth.
Running for the District 3 seat is closer to home for Fritz.
“That campaign had a broader group of voters, so when I went door to door, I went all over the county. This time it is a more confined district. One of the reasons why this race appeals to me is because I get to talk to people who actually are my neighbors because they all live close by,” added Fritz.
Fritz has gained the support of many in her district. One of her supporters is 59-year-old Colleen Castille. Castille is a real estate agent and the finance chairwoman of Fritz’s campaign. She says Fritz has values that she admires.
“I’ve known Emily for nearly 20 years and she’s an extremely ethical person. She can’t really be bought which I think is a good thing, and she loves this community.”
Fritz does not consider herself a politician. She said she wants to see her community thrive.
“I am a concerned citizen who wants Leon County to be better,” she said.