With only one incumbent running for reelection this year, the Florence Town Council will more than likely have several new faces.

Mayor Tara Walter is not running for reelection. Former Councilmember Michelle Cordes recently resigned to run for mayor. And Councilmembers Johnie Mendoza and Kristen Larsen have opted not to run again. That leaves Councilmember Arthur “Snake” Neal as the only incumbent defending his seat. Councilmembers Nicole Buccellato and Jose “Mo” Maldonado were elected in 2022.

Meet the Florence Town Council candidates who will be on the July 30 ballot.

Sherrie L. Bedford

Bedford has been regularly attending town council meetings virtually. She moved to Florence from Philadelphia in January 2020.

Bedford was a police officer, director of public safety and security for Girard College in Philadelphia, site manager for U.S. Security Services, and a school police officer for the school district of Philadelphia.

She stated that she continues to advocate for the betterment of the community. She sits on the foster care advisory board and applied for the court appointed special advocate for children. She currently is waiting for the volunteer training program for the Florence Police Department to begin.

“There are great programs here already for historical Florence, such as the parks and recreation, museums, the Dorothy Nolan Senior Center and Discovery Club after-school program,” she stated. “It would be nice to add more to our town for our children and our families.”

She is a mother of two children, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

James “Tony" Bencina

Bencina stated that he is excited to be a candidate for the Florence Town Council. After a more than 30-year professional career within the United States, Europe and the Middle East, he and his family decided upon Florence to retire.

His background entailed managing large-scale businesses with budgets from $20 million to $300 million for the United States Military’s Army and Air Force Exchange Services. The work included managing all business costs, building maintenance, developing long-range projects, procuring land, and building out military shopping centers, mixed retail, food, and other services for American servicemembers. He worked with the agencies planning and zoning departments, managed cross-functional teams of up to 1,200 employees, and regularly interfaced with senior military management.  

Tracy Florea

Tracy Florea is a member of the town’s Historic District Advisory Commission. A registered nurse, she currently is the coordinator of infectious disease and quality assurance at the Geo Group. In a few weeks she will be transferring facilities to become the assistant director of nursing.

“I am very dependable, and I care about our community and the direction it will go,” Florea stated in her application to join the Historic District Advisory Commission. “Both my husband and I and children all live and work in Florence. I would love to be a part in continuing to make Florence a great place to live.

Florea added that while she makes it a point to attend community events, she hasn’t “been a part of the political side” with the exception of helping outgoing Mayor Tara Walter hand out voter information literature.

She is also a volunteer for the Voice of Hope at her church.

Arthur “Snake” Neal

Born and raised in Florence, Neal graduated from Florence High School in 1996 and went to Eastern Arizona College on a football scholarship. When he returned to Florence, he began working with his older brother at the Pinal County Sheriff’s Department.

He retired after 20 years of service in 2017 and worked for the Florence Unified School District as campus security. He is now working court security at the Pinal County Courthouse.  His wife is a first-grade teacher at Florence K-8. Together they have 10 children. They had five together and three nephews they have raised for about 10 years, as well as two great nieces. Neal stated that his family’s lives are fully integrated into the Florence community, and they want to help make it the best.

Elected in 2020, Neal is a town liaison for the Charles Whitlow Rodeo Grounds Advisory Board, Florence Industrial Development Authority Inc. and the Pinal County Water Augmentation Authority.