The incumbent flopped in the race to win another term on the Bradenton Beach dais.
While voters were split on the candidates for mayor, they flipped for newcomer Ralph Cole in his race against incumbent Ward 3 Commissioner Janie Robertson.
Cole defeated Robertson by 51 votes, 219-168. Meanwhile, Jacob Spooner walked into the Ward 1 commission seat without opposition.
“I think it’s good,” said Cole, who followed the election returns with his family at Maryann’s Castaways Tavern — owned by Police Chief Sam Speciale’s wife — in a strip center on Seventh Street North in Bradenton Beach.
“I’m just going to take it as it comes. I’m going to just make good, informed decisions.”
Cole said he was very confident about the outcome, based on the amount of advance support he received.
Robertson served three terms before limits forced her to sit out 2011-13. In 2013, she defeated Ric Gatehouse, who had been appointed to fill the Ward 3 seat when no one stepped up to run.
Cole has lived in Bradenton Beach since he was 17. He owns Coastal Watersports. His father, Gail, was Bradenton Beach mayor 1999-2001.
“There may be some problems that need to be solved,” he said in September. “But it’s a great place to live, to work.”
Cole said he does not know the mayor or other commissioners very well. He attended the Sept. 17 commission meeting and during moratorium discussions, he expressed concerns about the potential impact of a moratorium on property values. He suggested the city should be aware of possible collateral damages if the moratorium is enacted.
Incoming Mayor Bill Shearon supports a construction moratorium for Bradenton Beach and plans to put a discussion about a moratorium on the agenda for the first commission meeting he chairs. It will be the first time Cole and Shearon sit together on the dais. That meeting, probably Nov. 19, is likely to be well-attended by moratorium supporters.
Shearon and Robertson, political allies, monitored election results Nov. 3 from Shearon’s home. Robertson’s residents-first philosophy served her well in four previous elections. Not so, this time. She made no effort to advertise her positions.
“The ward now has a fresh perspective,” she said. “Obviously 51 voters preferred to back the commercial interests over that of the residents. I’ve always supported the residents first.”
Cole thanked Robertson for her years of service to the city.
The voter turnout was 51.58 percent, 391 of the city’s 758 registered voters. Some 147 voters in the mayoral race, 37.6 percent, cast votes at the polls. There were 242 ballots submitted by mail.
Past turnout in Bradenton Beach was 47.17 percent for the May 19 mayoral recall election. Some 358 votes were cast from a roll of 759 registered voters. Turnout was 64.22 percent for the Nov. 4, 2014, general election.