It’s time for another round of win, lose or draw in Bradenton Beach.
Echoing the 2015 mayoral election, which ended when Bradenton Beach Mayor Bill Shearon broke a tie vote at the polls by pulling an ace from a standard card deck, two candidates — Anne Leister and Marilyn Maro — will draw cards to determine who will be the new Ward 2 commissioner.
The Ward 2 seat has remained vacant since Vice Mayor Ed Straight finished his third term in November.
Straight had planned to run for a fourth term, but a majority of the Bradenton Beach electorate voted during the August primary election in favor of retaining the three-term limit.
A commission vote for the open seat, held during a special meeting Dec. 5, was deadlocked when Vice Mayor John Chappie and Mayor Bill Shearon again voted for Maro, and Commissioners Ralph Cole and Jake Spooner voted for Leister.
A deadlock — with the same split — also occurred at the Dec. 1 commission meeting.
At that meeting, commissioners were reviewing Maro’s application when Cole unexpectedly presented Leister’s application to city clerk Terri Sanclemente.
Leister was not in attendance and no one spoke on her behalf — not even Cole.
However, Maro was present and addressed the commission. Also, several people endorsed her, citing her frequent presence at city meetings and 18-year residency.
Since the Dec. 1 meeting, no one else came forward to apply for the seat.
Bill Vincent, previous candidate for the Ward 4 commission seat, emailed a “call to action” Dec. 2, he believed a conflict existed because Leister’s husband is Spooner’s employee.
In an email to The Islander Dec. 4, Leister confirmed her husband, Steven Leister, is employed as a warehouse manager for Spooner’s business, Island Bazaar, 3304 E. Bay Drive, Holmes Beach.
When the commission’s vote was again deadlocked Dec. 5, Shearon announced that according to the city charter, the seat would have to be filled with a drawing “by lot.”
Resident comments
The Dec. 5 meeting began with public comment from former Bradenton Beach Ward 4 Commissioner Jan Vosburgh, who said she endorses Maro.
“She cares about the citizens and that’s what commissioners are expected to do,” Vosburgh said.
Bradenton Beach Planning and Zoning Board member Patricia Shay was next to speak.
Shay pointed out Cole’s last-minute submission of the application and his claim to lack familiarity with the application process.
Chappie called a point of order, saying public comment is specific to agenda items, “not procedure.”
Shay ignored Chappie and asked, “How can it be ethical and responsible not to disclose that Leister’s husband works for Spooner?”
She then announced she was standing for Maro and raised a sign stating “I STAND FOR MARILYN.” At this point, the majority of the gallery raised similar signs in unison, demonstrating support for Maro.
Bradenton Beach P&Z member Frank Harrison next approached the dais and asked Cole and Spooner a series of questions regarding their involvement with the applicant and her husband.
Nancy Ockerman, Maro’s neighbor of 18 years, said she knows both candidates. They are “both equally qualified, lovely young ladies, but I am for Marilyn.”
Vincent next addressed the commission and said, “You have the opportunity to make these residents proud by doing the right thing.”
John Metz was the final P&Z member to make comments, and he directed his words to Spooner.
“Spooner ambushed the public and other commissioners at the last meeting,” Metz said. “You showed a lapse of ethics and I expected more of you.”
Metz said both women are “outstanding candidates,” but he thinks people would not trust Leister because her husband works for Spooner.
“The problem is Spooner has a direct influence over the Leisters’ household income,” Metz said. “The perception is always going to be that Spooner has two votes if she gets in.”
Leister’s appeal
Leister stepped up to comment and first apologized for disrupting the previous meeting with her last-minute application.
She responded to the concern voiced by Metz and others and said her family is primarily dependent on her income at Coventry Health Care, not her husband’s job for Spooner, and said she is aware lawsuits could ensue from her ties to Spooner.
Leister said she lives life by the “golden rule,” which is to treat others as one wishes to be treated.
She said she and her husband are raising their family in Bradenton Beach — including three of their four children — and have long-term plans to stay.
“I am truly an objective resident living, working and raising a family here and wanted to contribute and try to make a difference,” Leister said.
Maro addressed the commission at the Dec. 1 meeting and was not asked to speak Dec. 5.
Commissioners weigh in
Around the dais, Chappie said both candidates are qualified and he hopes they both stay involved, but he supports Maro for the seat.
“I know what her position is on party houses and I heartily agree,” Chappie said of his shared stance against the proliferation of vacation rentals.
Cole said he supports Leister.
“I was proud when I was asked to submit her application — she is a wonderful mother and works very hard,” Cole said.
Spooner agreed both candidates are well qualified, saying, “Being a commissioner comes down to critical thinking, being reasonable, creative and fair-minded.”
Spooner next claimed labor laws prevent him from being involved in a conflict of interest with Leister. He said, “It’s just not in my nature to act that way and, anyway, Steve Leister is the best employee I have and I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that.”
Spooner added that Leister also is against big vacation rentals.
Shearon was the last to speak, saying he concurs that both women are excellent candidates, but “Maro proved herself when she put ‘skin in the game” by applying in September and attending city meetings.
Shearon indicated Maro was up to speed on a number of issues facing the city.
Sanclemente said, according to the city charter, lots must be drawn to break the tie and, the city attorney advised her that the commission must wait until the next meeting to draw.
According to Sanclemente, a delay would “protect the city if there was any question,” and also because the meeting must be noticed to the public.
Sanclemente said she spoke with Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Michael Bennett before the Dec. 5 meeting. Bennett held a draw of cards to break the tie vote for mayor in November 2015.
Because Maro was the first applicant, she will draw first, followed by Leister, Sanclemente said. The candidate who shows the highest card wins. In the event of a tie, the candidates would repeat the draw.
The drawing and swearing in of the new commissioner will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, after press time for The Islander, at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.