Two officials now helping to shape the city of Lakeland are vying to lead the suburb.
Incumbent Lakeland Mayor Josh Roman is being challenged by Connie McCarter, a member of the Lakeland Board of Commissioners, in the Nov. 3 Lakeland mayoral election.
Roman has served in the role since December 2022. Before being elected as mayor, Roman served as vice mayor on the Lakeland Board of Commissioners and currently serves on the Lakeland Industrial Development Board.
Roman wants to keep momentum in development
In addition to his civic duties, Roman has also been a long-time local small business owner. Roman has been the agency principal of Roman Financial Group, an Allstate agency, for the past 15 years in Memphis. Roman and
his family have resided in Lakeland since 2001.
“We have accomplished a lot over the last four years,” Roman said. “We’re starting to see projects that have been in the works for over 10 years get momentum. I believe it’s based on the environment that we created, and I want to keep that environment going.”
Several key infrastructure and community projects have started or moved into active development in Lakeland since Roman took office as mayor. Those include the ongoing $21 million, 45,000-square-foot Lakeland Community Center YMCA project at the former Econo Lodge site and the new $10 million Tennessee Highway Patrol District 4 Headquarters under construction behind Sonic on U.S. 64.
In addition, other developments in the works include the 100-acre Ashmont mixed-use development that includes and a new supposed unnamed grocery store, and a new $21 million, 121-room LivSmart Studios by Hilton Hotel coming to The Lake District mixed-use development.
McCarter follows in family footsteps by seeking mayor seat
The November election will be a contrast from the Lakeland mayor race four years ago when Roman ran unopposed for mayor. This time he will be facing McCarter, whose late father, James “Jim” Phillip Bomprezzi Sr, served as Lakeland mayor from 1997-2001. McCarter also has vast experience in civic work.
Like Roman, McCarter — who has resided in Lakeland for 35 years — has served in her role as a member of the Lakeland Board of Commissioners since being sworn in December 2022. McCarter was appointed by the Lakeland Board of Commissioners to serve as liaison between the board and the Lakeland Board of Education in December 2025. McCarter also serves as liaison on the new PULSE Comprehensive Plan Board, which is helping plan out the future look of Lakeland.
'A servant heart': Background as nurse at LeBonheur
She has previously served on the Lakeland Board of Appeals, Stormwater Board of Appeals and the Lakeland Comprehensive Development Plan Advisory Committee. Additionally, McCarter has practiced as a registered nurse in several roles for 47 years, including 34 years at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare.
“I do enjoy serving people, and I have a servant heart,” McCarter said. “I know God has given me that gift. and so I’m using it. I’m used to being in a leadership position, so that has helped me tremendously in my commissioner role and also in this role that I’m pursuing as mayor.
Candidates highlight the issues
Roman
'Something crazy': Plan to spur growth through incentives
According to Roman, if re-elected for a second term, he would continue pushing forward an initiative he feels should help engineer growth in Lakeland.
“I recommended and was supported by the board to do something crazy,” Roman said.
Roman explained how a portion of tax revenue collected would go back into paying for fire and sewer fees, providing a built-in incentive for developers.
“65% of new property tax revenue generated from commercial properties and 35% of new sales tax revenue created will go towards offsetting various fees, whether it be fire or sewer. I want to see that actually come to fruition. That is something that is innovative, which I don’t think anyone has done. I want to make sure that is actually carried out.”
Roman said the focus is doing something to combat inflation.
“It’s gotten to the point, 'What can we do to create revenues for our households?,” he said. “A person can only work so many hours, or cut back so much. ... We’re expecting a windfall of growth from a new grocery store, to new developments, and we’re also expecting a new hotel. So, our government feels like we are taking care of the citizens at a very high level.”
Prioritizing commercial areas
Roman expressed the need for the city to keep prioritizing its commercial areas. He said the idea is to be "purposeful and intentional about where we want our commercial businesses to go.”
He said protecting Highway 70 from commercial over-development is a priority.
“If you go down Highway 64 from pretty much Lakeland all the way to downtown, it’s commercial and there’s nothing we can do about that. It’s already happening. But we can do something about protecting our Canada Road to make sure that doesn’t happen through the middle of our town, and we can protect Highway 70. We’ve been very active in doing that."
New firehouse
Since being mayor, Roman said he’s most proud of Lakeland’s partnerships with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and the Shelby County Fire Department. TheShelby County Sheriff’s Office now has a presence in The Lake District, while Roman said there are plans to build a Firehouse No. 2 in the next two years in Lakeland.
“We have gone all in on supporting both of them to the fullest, and we believe 100% that our partnership with them is going to make Lakeland a safer place,” Roman said. “We want to continue to strengthen that partnership that is going to make Lakeland a safer community.”
Roman believes he is the right person to continue to push Lakeland forward.
“Everyone has talked about what they would like to see in the city of Lakeland, but my leadership is actually starting to deliver that,” Roman said. “If you like the momentum that’s happened in the last four years, it may feel like a lot, but it is true momentum. If that is what you want, I recommend the people voting for me the next four years because the other choice that you have represent trying to turn back the clock.”
McCarter
Call for transparency, responsible spending
According to McCarter, she became motivated to run for mayor because she believes there is a big issue in Lakeland regarding transparency, accountability and responsible spending.
McCarter, who said she has never voted for a tax increase since being on the board since 2022, has continued to reiterate that Lakeland’s projected debt in 2027 is $101 million.
“I have a problem with that,” McCarter said. “I want to get in there and see what I can do about stopping some of the unnecessary spending, and look at our priorities and focus on our priorities."
Public safety a priority
McCarter said those priorities include public safety. If elected as mayor, her goal is to get a national neighborhood watch program certified in all subdivisions in Lakeland just like she was able to get them in Plantation Hills, Stonebridge and Woodland Parks.
“Since September 1, I’ve been knocking on doors everyday, and I spend at least two hours a day on the street talking to people,” she said. “They all are wanting neighborhood watch in their neighborhoods, so that’s one of my goals as mayor to get that done.”
McCarter said she also plans to have town hall meetings at least quarterly during the year to hear residents concerns and answer their questions.
Safeguard taxpayers from rising fees
McCarter emphasized the need to safeguard taxpayer dollars, citing that sewer rates have risen due to growth and development in Lakeland.
“We’ve got to make sure that we don’t strain the backs of the taxpayers with this development,” McCarter said.
“Our current mayor has put so much into development here that our sewer fees had to even go up because we’ve had to extend our sewer just for the developments to happen. Now, our sewer rates have gone up 30% this year and they supposed to go up 30% for the next four years. A lot of people out here have a hard time paying those extra fees.”
Goal of completing The Lake District
If elected, another one of McCarter’s goals is to get The Lake District fully developed and completed.
A new 121-room LivSmart Studios by Hilton Hotelis planned to come to The Lake District. The Willows at The Lake District — a once abandoned townhomes project — has also been resuscitated and is on track for completion in 2027.
Also, Cushman & Wakefield | Commercial Advisors LLC is looking to fill several vacant commercial spaces at The Lake District.
“I’m going to focus on The Lake District because we’ve got to get that booming, and we’ve got to get some quality businesses in here,” McCarter said.
A tool that has helped fuel development in Lakeland has been the use of Tax Incremental Financing (TIFs). Lakeland has used the TIFs to help with mixed-use developments such as Lakeland Town Square, The Lake District and Ashmont. McCarter said she would like to look deeper to see if Lakeland is "overusing this tool."
She said under normal market conditions, developers would fund these costs themselves.
"While we have realized some money with the TIFS, we have also seen some failure as we saw with The Lake District," McCarter said.
"Growth must be responsible, sustainable, and driven by real demand, not artificially accelerated to cover financial mismanagement. Growth should serve residents, not used as a tool to paper over debt, justifyspending, or prop up political talking points.
"I feel like I've got to step up and give people a choice and see what I can do to make a difference for the people.”
Corey Davis is the Collierville and Germantown reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Corey.Davis@commercialappeal.com or 901-293-1610.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Nov. 3 elections: Incumbent Lakeland Mayor challenged by commissioner
