Naples Planning Advisory Board member Scott Schultz is running for Naples City Council.
In an announcement on Thursday, Schultz said he will prioritize planning and growth management, including crafting the Naples 2045 plan that looks at the next two decades of growth.
“We need to hear from residents when they’re actually in Naples — in January, February, and March — even if it upends the consultants’ carefully crafted agenda,” Schultz said. “Naples belongs to its people. If residents can’t be here to participate, then whose thumb is on the scale in this project?”
He is running for one of three spots on the City Council. Currently, Schultz is one of nine candidates running in the Feb. 3 election. He faces Dan Barone, Ted Blankenship, Raymond Christman, Daija Renee Hinojosa, John Krol, John Langley, Sally Petersen and Penny Taylor. Christman is an incumbent.
Another sitting Council member, Beth Petrunoff, who is completing her term, has endorsed Schultz.
“I met Scott through the Coastal Storm Risk Management Committee, where I found him to be an honest, transparent, and collaborative leader,” Petrunoff said.
“He always kept residents first and worked to build consensus. Scott is fearless and he uses that courage to stand up for what’s right and put residents first. I want someone on Council who will be fearless in fighting for residents like me and my family. I believe Scott will do just that, and do it with integrity and a fiscally responsible approach.”
In addition to his current role on the Planning Advisory Board, Schultz chairs the Collier County Coastal Storm Risk Management Ad Hoc Advisory Committee.
He has lived in Naples for 21 years. He was previously a professional tennis player for 25 years and owned an investment management firm. He lives with his wife Kirsi in Naples Cay. His campaign notes that if he wins a seat, he will be the only Council member living in the northern tier of Naples — including the Gulf Shore, Park Shore, Naples Cay, and Seagate communities.
