New Anna Maria mayor ‘excited’ to serve
By Rick Catlin
Islander Reporter
Challenger Dan Murphy swept out Mayor SueLynn, taking the mayor’s seat in the Nov. 4 election, defeating incumbent SueLynn, 481-339.
Murphy said he was “definitely excited” to win his first-ever campaign for political office.
He defeated incumbent SueLynn in the Nov. 4 election for mayor. The vote was 481-339.
Incumbent Anna Maria Commissioner Chuck Webb retained his seat by 12 votes over challenger David Bouchard, 424-412. Incumbent Nancy Yetter led voting for commissioner with 484 votes.
Scott Farrington of the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections office said Webb’s winning margin of 12 votes will stand without a recount.
Of the city’s 1,233 registered voters, 828 voted either by absentee ballot, early voting or at the Roser Memorial Community Church polling station Nov. 4 for a 68.8 percent turnout.
Anna Maria will hold its organization meeting and swearing in of Webb, Yetter and Murphy at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, at Anna Maria City Hall, 10005 Gulf Drive.
Murphy said he plans to meet individually with each city staff member.
“I want to meet them on a personal basis and hear what they have to say,” he said. “I’m lucky to have such a team of professionals for a staff.”
Murphy believes his message of working with all factions of the community appealed to voters.
“I have 36 years of experience as a manager,” the St. Petersburg native said. “I know how to work with people and get things done in the spirit of cooperation.”
Murphy campaigned door-to-door and listened to voter concerns. “I think that was a factor in getting elected,” he said.
Murphy has been attending commission meetings the past six months and has a “good idea of the issues” the city is dealing with.
“Solving issues won’t be easy and it never is in a democracy. We’ll get it done,” he promised.
Murphy said a major issue for his administration will be getting the city the ability to regulate vacation rentals to some degree.
“This is critical for our future,” he said. “I just want to ensure we don’t get over-developed with rentals.”
He also wants the city to enforce its current parking plan. If that means adding resources, he favors that approach.
Efforts to reach SueLynn for comment were unsuccessful.
Webb told commissioners at their Nov. 6 meeting she was “very sick,” and had been ill on Election Day.
She served as the city’s mayor from 2002-06, but did not seek a third term. She was elected to the city commission in 2011 and became mayor in 2012 when no one ran for the office.
The commission voted her as commission chair. Under the city charter, the commission chair serves as mayor in the absence of a mayor.
Murphy thanked SueLynn for her service and said he hoped she would continue to serve the city in some capacity.
Vosburgh gains
vote of confidence
By Laurie Hayes
Islander Reporter
Incumbent Jan Vosburgh soundly defeated Tjet Martin in the race for the Ward 4 seat on the Bradenton Beach City Commission.
Vosburgh took an early lead in the Nov. 4 election and never looked back, winning with more than 70 percent of the 490 votes cast at the Annie Silver Community Center polling location at 103 23rd St. N., Bradenton Beach.
“I’m very grateful to all of my supporters,” Vosburgh said. “Hopefully now we can begin to move Bradenton Beach forward.”
The race wasn’t without controversy.
Martin has been vocal in city affairs as Mayor Bill Shearon’s life-partner. Vosburgh is prominent in the ongoing plan to force Shearon to forfeit his seat.
Former Bradenton Beach Commissioner Bob Connors said, after voting, that the stances of both candidates on the forfeiture proceedings against Shearon at city hall were on his mind when he cast his vote.
Vosburgh has been vocal in her opinion that the mayor should be ousted, while Martin, Shearon’s life partner, believes he should remain in office.
“I have no strong feelings either way,” Connors admitted, “which made it very difficult to decide.”
While Connors declined to reveal his choice for commissioner, he was vocal in his support for Amendment 2, the initiative on medical marijuana.
“The fact that it might not pass is mind-boggling to me,” he said before the polls closed and results were known. The measure was defeated.
Voter Joanne Keir also expressed that the decision for commissioner was “a tough one.”
Noting that she had attended a recent city commission meeting in order to get more information, she said, “It’s hard to get a complete education about the people running. I went to the meeting to get a sense of what was going on and have talked to people to hear what they think.”
While the choice was not easy, Keir said that the act of voting was important to her. “It’s vital to feeling like I have some power over what happens in the city,” she said.
Mark Mixon was more forthcoming with his view, stating he had cast his vote for Martin.
“Mayor Shearon was put in office by us voters,” he said. “And he should remain there.
Mixon echoed Keir’s thoughts about the importance of voting. “Last year we were the last two voters,” he said. “But we made sure to get here.”
Living around the corner from the community center, he was among the last to vote this year as well.
While Vosburgh remains on the dais, Bradenton Beach has not seen the last of Martin. The day before the election, Martin told The Islander, “Win or lose, I’m not going away. Someone needs to hold the commission accountable.”
Like Vosburgh, Commissioner Ed Straight, who was unopposed in the race, will serve a third term on the commission. Because of a three-term limit imposed in the city charter, it will be their final terms.
There are 763 registered voters in Bradenton Beach. On Election Day, 322 votes were cast at the community center, while 155 residents voted by mail and 13 took advantage of early voting.
Holmes Beach ushers in new mayor
By Jennifer Glenfield
Islander Reporter
Voters in Holmes Beach have called up a political newcomer to fill the mayor’s seat for two years.
“I think that the first thing that’s important to say is thank you to all the citizens. There was a huge turnout for the community. I think that alone was a substantial victory. We’ve got a great opportunity going forward,” said newly elected Mayor Bob Johnson.
Johnson defeated nine-year Commissioner David Zaccagnino in the Nov. 4 election with 58.2 percent of the vote or 1,132 votes to 753 in the race for the open seat.
“I wish the best for Holmes Beach and good luck to the new mayor,” Zaccagnino said.
Zaccagnino, who was re-elected to a fifth term in 2013, forfeited his remaining year to run for mayor.
Voters also re-elected incumbent Commissioners Judy Titsworth and Marvin Grossman.
Titsworth earned a second two-year term on the commission with 1,206 votes or 31 percent — the top vote-getter. She ran a low-key campaign, saying she was running on her first-term accomplishments.
“I appreciate everybody’s support and look forward to another two years working together to restore balance,” said Titsworth.
Grossman earned a return to his seat with 1,036 votes or 26.63 percent. He campaigned for a second term on his 2012 platform, promising voters to continue the work he started two years ago.
“It’s great to be able to serve the city, my friends of Holmes Beach for the next two years. Hopefully we’ll be able to continue building a community we love and we’re proud of,” Grossman said.
Titsworth and Grossman openly supported Johnson for mayor.
Commission challenger Andy Sheridan earned 810 votes, 20.82 percent.
Voters were allowed to vote for two of the three commission candidates.
The election may be over, but there’s now a space on the commission to fill. Commissioners will appoint a citizen to fill the seat vacated by Zaccagnino.
Commissioners will discuss when and how to appoint the fifth commissioner at the organizational meeting following a swearing-in ceremony Nov. 25.
The appointed commissioner will serve one year and the seat will then be on the 2015 ballot.
Charter amendments
All proposed changes to the city’s charter on the ballot were passed by wide margins. Twelve of the 18 charter amendment questions offered no significant changes, only updates in language, structure and compliance with state laws.
The substantive changes of building height and dwelling density restrictions, an added position to the charter for a human resources department, a change to the referendum process, a change to filling the mayor’s position in the event of a vacancy and requiring a supermajority to change the charter were all approved by voters.
Poll workers at St. Bernard Catholic Church precinct said turnout was sporadic. Candidates mostly campaigned near Gloria Dei Lutheran Church precinct, where some candidates and their supporters awaited results.
Of the city’s 3,027 registered voters, 1,246 or 41.1 percent voted.
According to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections, 684 voters mailed in ballots, while 73 voted early. Of the total votes cast for commissioner — 2,576 — 529 or 20.54 percent were undervotes, meaning either the ballot wasn’t marked or the voter only marked one of two choices for commissioner.
In the mayor’s race, 41 undervotes were counted among the total 1,288 votes.