Ken Welch
Mayor of St. Petersburg
Assumed office
January 6, 2022
Preceded byRick Kriseman
Member of the Pinellas County Commission
from the 7th district
In office
2002–2022
Personal details
Born (1964-08-15) August 15, 1964
St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of South Florida (BA)
Florida A&M University (MBA)
WebsiteCampaign website

Kenneth T. Welch (born August 15, 1964) is an American politician serving as mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida. A member of the Democratic Party, Welch served on the county commission of Pinellas County, Florida. Welch is the city's first African-American mayor.

Early life and education

Welch was born August 15, 1964, in St. Petersburg, Florida. His father, David, is a former member of the St. Petersburg city council and founded an accounting company, where Ken worked.[1][2] Welch, a third-generation St. Petersburg resident, grew up in the Gas Plant District, which was repurposed to build Tropicana Field.[3]

Welch attended Melrose and Bay Point Elementary, Bay Point Middle School, and Lakewood Senior High School. He later attended University of South Florida where he studied accounting and received his bachelor's degree. He received his Master of Business Administration from Florida A&M University.[4]

Career

After college, Welch returned to St. Petersburg as an accountant for Florida Power Corporation.[5] He also served as Technology Manager for his father's small accounting firm. After years of community service, Ken became the first Commissioner elected to represent County Commission District 7 in St. Petersburg, only the second African American commissioner in the history of Pinellas County. He served on the county commission for 20 years.[6] The Tampa Bay Times criticized him in 2018 for lobbying on behalf of his wife after she was fired from a publicly funded faith-based reading program.[7] Questions were raised over expenditures she made on behalf of the organization.[8]

Mayoralty

Welch ran for mayor of St. Petersburg in the 2021 election.[9][10] He defeated Robert Blackmon in the general election on November 2,[11] and was sworn in to the role on January 6, 2022.[12] He announced the cancellation of a previous request for proposals (RFP) for the Tropicana Field site where the Tampa Bay Rays play. Welch said a new RFP would include a stadium for the Rays and affordable housing.[13]

Welch increased the amount of down payment assistance the city offered individuals that are first-time home buyers from $40,000 to $60,000.[14][15]

Citing what he considered to be an insufficient amount affordable housing in the project's plans, Welch canceled approval of a redevelopment of city-owned land which had been approved prior to his mayoralty. The cancelled project would have included residential development, a hotel, and a treatment clinic operated by the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute.[15][16]

Welch established a $500 monthly stipend for lower-paid municipal employees whose positions hold residency requirements. Approximately 250 employees were eligible at the time this was implemented.[15][17]

Welch advocated that the city to study the impact of Albert Whitted Airport. Decommissioning the airport for recreation or development use has been proposed multiple times, dating back to 1935.[18] The notion of reassessing the airport proved controversial among those who support retaining the airport.[15][19]

Personal life

Welch and his wife, Donna, have two daughters.[20]

References

  1. ↑ DeCamp, David (December 6, 2010). "Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch says he won't run for St. Petersburg mayor". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Ken Welch wins primary in quest for fourth County Commission term". Tampa Bay Times. August 14, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
  3. ↑ Rodriguez, Diedra (September 13, 2022). "From Gas Plant resident to St. Pete mayor, Ken Welch's life comes full circle". Fox13news.com. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Board of County Commissioners". Pinellas County Florida. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  5. ↑ "University of South Florida St. Petersburg - Alumni Community Partners".
  6. ↑ Solomon, Josh (January 15, 2021). "County Commissioner Ken Welch announces St. Petersburg mayoral bid". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  7. ↑ Puente, Mark (November 2, 2018). "Pinellas Commissioner Ken Welch lobbied public officials about a job for his wife". Tampa Bay Times.
  8. ↑ Puente, Mark (December 7, 2018). "Spending gets flagged for reading program run by wife of Pinellas County commissioner". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  9. ↑ Butler, Jaymi (January 15, 2021). "Ken Welch announces candidacy for mayor of St. Pete". Catalyst. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Election results: Ken Welch declares victory over Robert Blackmon in St. Petersburg mayor race". WFLA. November 2, 2021.
  11. ↑ Wright, Colleen (November 2, 2021). "Ken Welch wins as St. Pete's first Black mayor". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  12. ↑ Hollenbeck, Sarah (January 6, 2022). "Ken Welch sworn in as the first African American mayor in St. Pete". WFTS. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  13. ↑ Prator, Jack (June 29, 2022). "Welch says he is starting over with plans to redevelop the Tropicana Field site". WUSF Public Media. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  14. ↑ Figueroa, Daniel IV (February 8, 2022). "Ken Welch announces loan forgiveness, higher limits in St. Petersburg housing assistance programs". Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Schorsch, Peter (March 3, 2023). "No. 2 on the list of Tampa Bay's Most Powerful Politicians: Ken Welch". Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  16. ↑ Wright, Colleen (August 12, 2022). "St. Petersburg mayor rejects Moffitt cancer project over affordable housing". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  17. ↑ Parker, Mark (June 10, 2022). "St. Pete moves forward with employee rental assistance". St Pete Catalyst. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  18. ↑ Jason Henbest and Chad Lallemand, "The Albert Whitted Airport Controversy: A Case Study", Florida State University, Summer 2004. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  19. ↑ Olsen, Jillian (February 18, 2022). "St. Pete mayor calls for study to evaluate Albert Whitted Airport's economic, community impact". WTSP. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  20. ↑ Perry, Mitch (January 15, 2021). "Ken Welch Throws His Hat in the Ring for St. Pete Mayor". Baynews9.com. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
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