Meet the candidates for Okeechobee City Council

Posted 10/12/22

There are five men running for three seats on the Okeechobee City Council.

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Meet the candidates for Okeechobee City Council

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OKEECHOBEE — It’s time to meet the candidates. There are five men running for three seats on the Okeechobee City Council. To vote on this issue, you must be a resident of the city. You can vote for three of the five, and the three with the most votes will win.

Jon Folbrecht
Jon Folbrecht

Jon Folbrecht grew up in Fort Pierce, moved to Okeechobee when he was 16 and joined the Army at age 17. His mother, who still lives in Okeechobee, suggested he join the military.

After his discharge, he got into law enforcement, starting with corrections and then joined the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. He was there for about 12 years. Now, he has three jobs. He works full-time for CEA Building Group as the chief operating officer. He works part-time for the Jupiter Inlet Colony Police Department and is an adjunct instructor for IRSC (Indian River State College) teaching at the police academy.

Folbrecht and his wife Kasey have three children. Their daughter Nichole is 20. Oldest son Jonathon is 17 and is the battalion commander of the JROTC at the high school. The third child, Jachin is 10, in his first year of middle school. Jonathon is looking at possibly joining the Space Force. Nichole works for a local daycare.

When he isn’t working, Folbrecht enjoys spending time with his wife and kids.

Bob Jarriel is running for his second term on the city council.
Bob Jarriel is running for his second term on the city council.

Bob Jarriel grew up in Loxahatchee and joined the National Guard during his senior year of high school. His unit was activated during the Berlin Crisis. After his discharge, he moved to West Palm Beach and attended Palm Beach Junior College, taking business-related courses such as accounting. Jarriel spent many years in the construction business and is a state-certified contractor.

In 1980, he started a construction company which he gave to four employees when he retired about six years ago. He explained he would not have been able to retire if it weren’t for them.

Jarriel and his wife, Rose, moved to Okeechobee in 2004. He explains they both love Okeechobee, and he has served as a city councilmember for the last four years.

Jarriel describes himself as a conservative Christian, a good listener and a team player. 

Chris Martin is running for city council.
Chris Martin is running for city council.

Chris Martin is originally from Palm Beach and moved to Okeechobee eight years ago, although, he said he has been visiting Okeechobee for about 20 years. He moved to Okeechobee to escape the rat race, he said. Though from the city, he feels he has a country boy mentality.

He met his wife Dawn in Okeechobee at a construction company. Dawn Upthegrove Martin was born and raised here. Martin graduated high school and began college but has not completed his degree yet. He was studying construction/business management and plans to go back soon.

He works for an engineering/development corporation and has spent most of his adult life in the construction industry working as a supervisor. Off the clock though, he prides himself in knowing how to do just about anything involving construction — plumbing, electrical, general handyman, whatever needs to be done.

Martin and his wife started a non-profit called REPAIR Initiative. The organization stands against child abuse, child trafficking and exploitation. They spend most of their spare time trying to raise awareness about the problem and teaching children it is safe to speak up.

David McAuley is a candidate for city council.
David McAuley is a candidate for city council.

David McAuley, a retired businessman, who worked for the same company for over 40 years, is also a candidate.  Originally from North Carolina, McAuley moved to Okeechobee about 25 years ago after meeting, falling in love and marrying the love of his life, Sandra Pearce.

McAuley worked for the same company for more than 41 years before finally retiring. Since his retirement, he has been working around the house doing some of the repairs and maintenance he never had time for when he was working full time. In his spare time, he plays golf and does some travelling with his wife. He does some consulting work as well. 

McAuley has one son, who lives in North Carolina and gets to see him when he makes his consulting trips up there. Sandra has three sons, and together, the couple has nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

McAuley believes, “If you want to be successful, you need to develop three skills — trust in God, respect your family and work hard.”

Dowling Watford is running for city council.
Dowling Watford is running for city council.

Dowling Watford was born and raised in Okeechobee and was a member of the last class to graduate from the old Okeechobee High School before the new school was built in 1968. He attended Florida Southern University and obtained a degree in business management. He came back to Okeechobee and spent 50 years working in his family’s business, Ford Motor Company.

Watford and his wife Cheri raised four children in Okeechobee. He has been a member of the city council for 40 years and now serves as mayor of Okeechobee.

He and his wife attend the First United Methodist Church, and Watford is a life-time member of the Kiwanis Club. In his spare time, Watford enjoys being a part of the Okeechobee battlefield Friends and each year, he participates in the reenactment of the Battle of Okeechobee.

Council terms are four years, and the council elects a mayor from among themselves.

The race is non-partisan, and only city residents can vote.

Vote by mail ballots can be obtained by contacting the County Supervisor of Elections, Melissa Arnold at 863-763-4014 or through the website voteokeechobee.gov.

Early voting begins on Oct. 29 and ends on Nov. 5. It takes place at the Supervisor of Elections office in the Historic Court House from 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. each day.

Election Day is Nov. 8. The city precinct is the First Baptist ROC facility located at 310 Southwest 5th Avenue.

election, city council

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