Welch was born August 15, 1964, in St. Petersburg, Florida. His father, David, is a former member of the St. Petersburg city council and founded an accounting company, where Ken worked.[1][2] Welch, a third-generation St. Petersburg resident, grew up in the Gas Plant District, which was repurposed to build Tropicana Field.[3]
After college, Welch returned to St. Petersburg as an accountant for Florida Power Corporation.[5] He also served as Technology Manager for his father's small accounting firm. After years of community service, Ken became the first Commissioner elected to represent County Commission District 7 in St. Petersburg, only the second African American commissioner in the history of Pinellas County. He served on the county commission for 20 years.[6] The Tampa Bay Times criticized him in 2018 for lobbying on behalf of his wife after she was fired from a publicly funded faith-based reading program.[7] Questions were raised over expenditures she made on behalf of the organization.[8]
Mayoralty
Welch ran for mayor of St. Petersburg in the 2021 election.[9][10] He defeated Robert Blackmon in the general election on November 2,[11] and was sworn in to the role on January 6, 2022.[12] He announced the cancellation of a previous request for proposals (RFP) for the Tropicana Field site where the Tampa Bay Rays play. Welch said a new RFP would include a stadium for the Rays and affordable housing.[13]
Welch increased the amount of down payment assistance the city offered individuals that are first-time home buyers from $40,000 to $60,000.[14][15]
Citing what he considered to be an insufficient amount affordable housing in the project's plans, Welch canceled approval of a redevelopment of city-owned land which had been approved prior to his mayoralty. The cancelled project would have included residential development, a hotel, and a treatment clinic operated by the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute.[15][16]
Welch established a $500 monthly stipend for lower-paid municipal employees whose positions hold residency requirements. Approximately 250 employees were eligible at the time this was implemented.[15][17]
Welch advocated that the city to study the impact of Albert Whitted Airport. Decommissioning the airport for recreation or development use has been proposed multiple times, dating back to 1935.[18] The notion of reassessing the airport proved controversial among those who support retaining the airport.[15][19]
Personal life
Welch and his wife, Donna, have two daughters.[20]