Plant City Insider

With one of Plant City’s longest-serving commissioners preparing to exit the dais, the 2026 municipal election is shaping up to be one of the most consequential in decades. Retired Tampa firefighter and community leader Tony B. Smith became the first candidate to officially announce his candidacy for Seat 3, the position currently held by Bill Dodson, who has confirmed he will not seek a ninth term after 20 years on the commission.

Across town, Seat 4 incumbent Mike Sparkman—first elected in 1989 and now serving his twelfth three-year term—has not yet announced his plans, leaving residents to speculate whether the 2026 ballot could mark the end of nearly 60 combined years of institutional knowledge on the five-member commission.

A lifelong resident who grew up attending Burney Elementary and Plant City High School, Smith’s story is quintessentially local. Smith would go on to earn a full scholarship to Clark Atlanta University, where he would go on to excel in football, track, and music.

After a successful career in retail management, Smith followed his calling into public service, joining the Tampa Fire Department in 2008 and later becoming an EMT educator with Hillsborough County Public Schools. In 2018, he founded M.A.T.E.S., a wellness initiative that pivoted during the COVID-19 pandemic to help ensure that families had access to healthy food. Earlier this year, he was appointed to the Plant City Board of Adjustment, giving him direct experience with the zoning and growth issues now dominating local conversation.

Smith’s “Better Together” platform centers on five priorities:

• Responsible growth that preserves Plant City’s small-town charm
• Major upgrades to roads, water, and sewer infrastructure
• Safe neighborhoods and continued support for first responders
• Transparent, responsive government
• Economic development that benefits longtime residents and newcomers alike

As the only announced candidate so far for Seat 3, Smith holds an early advantage in a race that will help shape Plant City’s direction for the next generation. Whether Commissioner Sparkman ultimately runs again for Seat 4 or joins Dodson in retirement, 2026 will mark the first time in 4 years that Plant City voters will elect at least one entirely new face to the commission—and possibly two.

The municipal election is scheduled for April 2026. Qualifying will open early next year.

Camryn Henry, who ran in a hotly contested race against incumbent Jason Jones, has not announced yet if she will be seeking election again to the Plant City Commission. During the 2025 election, many residents made their voices heard about issues concerning the city, especially those concerning the local firefighters, with some firefighters even going on the record to speak out against the city. It has yet to be seen what this election will bring, but it is sure to be one to watch out for.

For more information on Tony B. Smith’s campaign, visit www.ElectTonySmith.com or follow @electtonysmith on social media.