Sheldon A. Schwartz, who moved to St. Petersburg in 1996 after a long career with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, has become the 16th candidate for a seat on the Pinellas County School Board.

Schwartz, 69, also is vice chair of the Pinellas-Pasco branch of the Florida Silver-Haired Legislature. The group debates public policy issues of interest to seniors and votes on resolutions that are given to elected officials. In addition, he serves as a special code enforcement magistrate for the city of St. Petersburg. He formerly served as chairman and vice chairman of the city's Code Enforcement Board.

Schwartz joined the race for the District 7 seat, which covers St. Petersburg south of 54th Avenue North, plus Kenneth City, Gulfport and South Pasadena. So far, the other candidates in that race are School Board member Mary Brown, Jennifer S. Crockett and Minetha L. Morris. The filing deadline for the Sept. 5 election is July 21.

A longtime resident of Sacramento, Calif., Schwartz said he has stayed active since retiring in 1994, working as a volunteer, joining civic groups and holding jobs as a Pinellas substitute teacher and a worker at local home improvement stores.

"I figure you use it or lose it," he said.

When the District 7 seat came open, Schwartz said he concluded: "That's something I can make a difference with. . . . I just felt that with my background and experience I could add another dimension to the group."

Schwartz spent 22 years with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and its predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission. One of his tasks during a wide-ranging career was to launch a program that got state and federal governments working together to regulate radioactive materials.

Before joining the agency, he worked for an aerospace company in California, Schwartz said.

[Sheldon A. Schwartz], 69, also is vice chair of the Pinellas-Pasco branch of the Florida Silver-Haired Legislature. The group debates public policy issues of interest to seniors and votes on resolutions that are given to elected officials. In addition, he serves as a special code enforcement magistrate for the city of St. Petersburg. He formerly served as chairman and vice chairman of the city's Code Enforcement Board.