Winter Haven City Commission Swears In Two Commissioners, Elects New Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem
by James Coulter
One was a political newcomer continuing a family legacy; the other, the fifth African-American to serve on the Commission.Both were sworn in as city commissioners.
At their regular meeting on Mon., Jan. 13, the Winter Haven City Commission swore in Chad Davis and Clifton E. Dollison to Seats 4 and 5, respectively.
Davis, whose father served on the commission in 1976, now follows in his footsteps five decades later. He credited mentors Senator Kelly Stargel and Polk County Schools Superintendent Fred Hyde for guiding his path.
“I am truly very honored to be serving Winter Haven at capacity as a commissioner,” Davis said. “Now I do so humbly and to the best of my ability with God’s grace and for His glory.”
Clifton E. Dollison serves as the fifth African-American elected to the Winter Haven City Commission. Of those five commissioners, Dollison served as the pastor for three of them at First Missionary Baptist Church (FMBC), where he ministered for 31 years.
“There are people who are on the margins and the voiceless who are not given the opportunity to be heard, and so we are champions for justice, and we came..to speak truth to power to address issues that are systemic and problems about our country,” he said. “And so I am grateful for the privilege the city has given me to serve a full term.”
The Commission also recognized outgoing Mayor Nathaniel J. Birdsong Jr., Mayor Pro Tem Brian Yates, and Commissioner Bradley T. Dantzler with plaques presented by City Attorney Frederick J. Murphy Jr.
Birdsong, who has served seven years on the Commission and two as mayor, thanked the city for the opportunity and praised Dantzler’s contributions, particularly to the Chain of Lakes and Tennis complexes.
“You being on this commission and some of the things that you have done, we will forever remember,” he said.
Dantzler, the third-longest-serving commissioner in Winter Haven history, reflected on the city’s growth from a small town to Polk County’s second-largest city. He encouraged the Commission to continue working together to make the city even greater.
“Keep doing a good job and keep pulling the rope,” he said. “We can pull mountains. If we all pull the same way, we can move mountains.”
That evening, both Brian Yates and Tracey Mercer were elected and sworn in as the new Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem, respectively.
Yates highlighted the city’s recent progress, especially in athletic facilities, and said he intends to build on that momentum: “We have made tremendous progress…and we need to build on recent developments.”
Mercer, a 25-year resident, emphasized her commitment to infrastructure improvements, support for local businesses, and open communication to ensure Winter Haven remains “a city we are all proud of.”
