Here are the 11 candidates in the running to fill Fayetteville's District 3 seat on City Council

Eleven Fayetteville residents have thrown their hats into the ring to become the next City Council member to represent District 3.

The candidates filled out an interest form for the position and met the qualifications, which included living in District 3 and being registered to vote. The deadline to apply for the position was Nov. 26.

District 3 was left without City Council representation after the abrupt resignation of councilwoman Tisha Waddell on Nov. 9.

City Council members say they plan to fill the position at a special meeting Monday, and the new member will begin Dec. 13. The individual will serve in the position until April when City Council elections will be held.

The candidates bring to the table different backgrounds, education and business experiences.

Below, listed alphebetically, are the names of each applicant and their qualifications:

More: Fayetteville City Council appoints new PWC commissioner, talk replacement for District 3

Guillermo J. Ayerbe

Ayerbe is a 2018 inductee into the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame. He is a current musician and teacher in the Fayetteville School of Music and holds the title of Concertmaster Emeritus for the local symphony. He also instructs violin lessons at Ayerbe Violin Studio in the city.

He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Creighton University and joined the United States Army in 1990, serving until 1995. Ayerbe has since resided in Fayetteville where he raised his family.

Ayerbe applied to the District 3 City Council position to work across racial and educational lines, according to his application. He is bilingual in Spanish and said he plans to run for the District 3 seat in the next election.

Mario Benavente

A lifelong Fayetteville resident, Benavente grew up in Cumberland County Schools. He earned two degrees from UNC Chapel Hill and is currently in his third year of law school at North Carolina Central University, set to graduate in May.

Benavente speaks both Spanish and Korean. He worked for eight years in the hospitality industry and as a board member for a non-profit. Benavente regularly volunteers with Justice For our Neighbors, a low-cost immigration clinic in Fayetteville, and works with the Community Awareness Alliance.

He has also worked with Mayor Mitch Colvin to address the needs and concerns of millennials in Fayetteville and said his interest in serving District 3 is rooted in “ushering in the next generation of civically engaged citizens.” Benavente was also featured in The Fayetteville Observer’s 40 under 40 class this year.

More: Myron B. Pitts: A Fayetteville City Council seat is open. Do you have what it takes?

Jesse Brunson

Before settling in Fayetteville in 2000, Brunson served on several boards in Raleigh, Durham, Laurinburg, Oxford and Orange County. As a retired United Methodist pastor, Brunson said he aims to help City Council with all issues District 3 faces.

Brunson was an adjunct professor at Shaw University and holds three degrees from Saint Andrews University, Duke University and Drew University. He retired from the United Methodist Church in 2017 where he led on the matters of leadership development, youth outreach and financial and budget planning.

He also served in the United States Army as a military policeman and is a Vietnam veteran.

Mike Dobs

Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Dobs is a current data systems and information management specialist with the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center at Fort Bragg. He is a retired Army command sergeant major with 30 years of service.

He holds an MBA, has certifications in project management. Dobs attended the Fayetteville Citizens Academy and Fayetteville Citizens Police Academy. He also previously ran for the District 3 City Council seat and organized a community group in the city.

Dobs served on the planning commission at the start of the pandemic. He said in his application that his goal is “Turning SMART ideas into SMARTER goals” by ensuring safety and security, making sure youth have a better life, providing for families, recognizing Fayetteville as a fair city and by investing time in each community.

Kathy Harrington Gibson

As a small business owner and former superintendent, Gibson has held many leadership positions in the state and around the county. She was the associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction, and the assistant superintendent for student support services for Cumberland County Schools.

Gibson was also a superintendent of schools for Northampton County and Weldon City Schools. She was also a principal in Richmond County Schools. She earned her PhD in Educational Leadership from the University of South Carolina.

Gibson wrote in her application that Fayetteville needs leaders at every level and said her experiences in various public service positions allowed her to work with current council members and citizens. Gibson said she is also knowledgeable about the state and federal budget procedures and has orchestrated budgets in excess of $3 million.

Antonio B. Jones

A broker for Jones Realty in Fayetteville, Jones was a former regional supervisor for the state Department of Health and Human Services’ Epidemiology Section. He oversaw 20 counties and worked with various government agencies and community stakeholders.

He was a class leader in 2015 of the Fayetteville Institute for Community Leadership. According to his application, Jones also serves on the executive committee for Cumberland County’s Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, Habitat for Humanity’s Faith and Community Committee and the state Real Estate Commission’s Diversity Committee.

Jones said in his application that he sees the most urgent needs of the city as afforable housing, youth delinquency rates and the growth and development of Fayetteville.

Kurin Keys

Keys is a graduate of Fayetteville State University. He has been a small business owner in the city for 22 years and is currently the marketing director of ICAN Clothing Company.

He was a board member for the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development. Keys said in his application that his family is rooted in Fayetteville and because of that, it is important for him to be vested in the community.

Keys said he wanted to apply for the position to bridge community gaps and bring people together. For him, the most urgent issue the city should address is economic growth in the pandemic.

Melesia Lane

Lane is a legal analyst, mediator and business consultant for Savant Legal Ease LLC in Fayetteville. She studied sociology at Wake Forest University and earned her law degree from N.C. Central University in 1995.

She said she has long desired to serve on the City Council and is now at a point where she can fully serve. Lane would bring nearly 30 years of life and professional experience to the board. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and has served multiple terms on the board of directors for March for Babies, Jabes Foundation and Help Make a Difference Foundation Inc.

Lane has helped organize fundraising events for those organizations and said she loves working with and for people. She said mental health is an urgent issue the city must address.

Cynthia Swinson Leeks

As a Fayetteville native and 1979 graduate of Terry Sanford High School, Leeks is a retired state employee and has been active in each of the communities her family has lived in. According to her application, she is a military wife of 33 years and took part in organizations focused on childcare, neighborhood safety and unity.

Leeks previously worked as a human resources partner for N.C. Worker’s Compensation and as an unemployment insurance manager in the state Office of Human Resources. She wrote in her application that she participated in several human resources trainings and workshops within state government including for state retirement and disability.

She currently serves as a Fayetteville City Ambassador for the Murchison Choice Initiative and as a secretary for her neighborhood community watch. Leeks said she applied for the position to bring her grassroots experience to the City Council to communicate with the people of the district.

Raymond J. Makar

Makar has been a Fayetteville resident for more than 30 years and a resident of Cottonade since 1992. He has a background in military and federal service in the area. He is a current identity intelligence program manager for the Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg.

He earned his doctorate of education from Liberty University and holds other degrees from there. Makar has served as community director for the Cottonade Association Community Watch Program and is a board member. He has experience with the legislature at the state and federal level and has administered a $2.5 million annual budget in his military career.

Makar said in his application that he is a “life-long learner” and is interested in contributing to the community by volunteering and assisting where he can.

John Zimmerman

Zimmerman is a business owner in Fayetteville and owns JAKZ Transport LLC. A Bronze Star Medal holder, he retired from the military in 2016 and settled in Fayetteville three years ago with his family, according to his application.

He has attended several local training programs including the Citizens Academy, Citizens Police Academy and Fayetteville Institute for Community Leadership.

He was also a recruiter for the Army and served as a paramedic for Rowan County Emergency Services in Salisbury.

He holds an MBA with a concentration in project management and is currently an instructor for the Community Emergency Response Team. Zimmerman said in his application that he plans to be a voice for the District 3 community and neighborhood by mediating between the city and citizens.

Investigative Reporter Kristen Johnson can be reached at kjohnson1@gannett.com.

Support local journalism with a subscription to The Fayetteville Observer. Click the "subscribe'' link at the top of this article.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Meet the candidates in the running to fill District 3 on city council