James Bennett's Bio
Terms of Office:
Elected in 2001, re-elected for first term in 2003, term expires January 2, 2008.
Committee Assignments:
Budget, Finance and Taxation Committee. Public Safety, Services & Infrastructure Committee. Special Committee on Wheeled Recreation. Tampa Bay Estuary Program. USF Campus Advisory Board. City Beautiful Commission. Pinellas County Homeless Leadership Network. Social Action Funding Committee. Florida League of Cities Intergovernmental Relations Committee. Consolidated Plan Committee, WorkNet Pinellas.
Professional:
Owner of Bennett's Lawn Order, operating for more than 25 years in St. Petersburg. Previously worked in construction and taught middle and high school math and science. Two years of teaching with the U.S. Peace Corps in Kenya, East Africa.
Community:
Former chair, City Beautiful Commission (1982 to 1995). Volunteer, troop committee chair and cub master with Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts of America (1995 to 1999). Coach, Southside Youth Soccer League since 1993. Member, Greater Pinellas Point Neighborhood Association.
Education and Awards:
B.S. and M.A.T. in biology education from Stetson University in Deland, Florida.
Personal:
Born in Sodus, New York. Florida resident for over 30 years, and a resident of District 5 for 25 years. Married to wife Aimee, with three children. Member and Senior Warden of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church. Mission team leader and school board chairman for St. Francis School in Haiti (2003 to present).