Meet the candidates

d. melissa price

for carefree mayor

I was born in Ohio and graduated from a business college in Indiana. My roots are midwestern and a Judeo-Christian upbringing guide my values of faith, hard work and honesty.

I came to Phoenix in my twenties. I worked for a small law firm and was sent to their California office to open a satellite office and manage operations.

Spent twenty plus years at Lockheed Martin working with executive leadership and leading major projects. I’m xperienced in budgets, P&L, schedules, milestones, measurements, collaborations and financial management.

I left Lockheed Martin ti partner with an aerospace executive to form D2M2, LLC, an aerospace consulting company, serving clients for sixteen years.

I owned and operated a boutique in Carefree for five years. I understand the opportunities and challenges our local businesses face year round.

I was elected to Carefree Town Council in 2011 and served as Vice Mayor until 2015. I have a proven record of accomplishments that lead to many town improvements.

I’m running for Mayor of Carfree to provide experienced leadership, responsible fiscal stewardship, and common-sense solutions that protect our quality of life and protect our future.

Ted taylor

For carefree town council

I moved to Carefree in 2020 because I was attracted by the peaceful nature of the town.

I served on active duty with Army Airborne and Special Forces Units after graduating from West Point.

I also have more than 20 years of experience operating my own real estate and retail businesses.

I currently work full time for The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) based out of the Phoenix HUD office.

I’m running for Town Council because I want to bring positive change to the town of Carefree.

George nelson

for carefree town council

Born with New York roots. Grew up in Wantagh Long Island and lived in New York City as an adult.  Spent years in Plantation, FL and most recently moved from Stuart, FL four years ago to Carefree.  My 678 phone number comes from living in Roswell, GA where we moved for my adopted son to go to high school. 

The most important thing about me is not my varied entrepreneural experiences.  It is how my appreciation and respect for America has grown as I have aged.  I like to approach things with common sense and leave the personalities out. 

Carefree is a special place, and like many, I have become concerned that instead of coming up with solutions our leaders have been delivering excuses.

I’m running for Town Council because, like most, I share the frustration of voting for candidates that forget and disregard the reasons they were elected.

peter gladkin

For carefree town council

Peter Gladkin, 47 years old spent the first half of his life on the East Coast in Massachusetts; and moved out to California when he was in high school. Graduating from University of California Santa Cruz with a BA in literature, he was a 4 time national tennis champion and three time All-American. Immediately after college he went into real estate finance securing an NMLS license and shortly thereafter became a real estate broker. Licensed in both California and Arizona Peter has been practicing real estate for 25 years. While living in CA and watching the landscape change and standard of living deteriorate, Peter moved to AZ in 2016 and ultimately settled in Carefree after falling in love with the Sonoran Desert, open space, dark skies, and wild life. Married, with three step children, three dogs three cats, and a horse; Peter is an outdoor enthusiast and sportsman that cares deeply about the environment. In his free time he chooses to be outside, playing tennis and golf, or fly fishing, biking, hiking, and hunting. Action oriented, Peter decided to run for office believing his town deserved better representation that reflected the values his fellow residents. An innovator by nature, he believes in objectively approaching problems, listening to all perspectives, and doing what’s right. He will certainly be a welcome voice on the council.