Nothing is guaranteed in government, right?
So when Bradenton Beach Commissioner Ed Straight decided to roll the dice and make a bid for a fourth term in office — hoping the electorate would eliminate term limits in the primary election in September — Straight soon found himself limited to the three terms he had served.
And, minus a challenger, his seat remained vacant through the Nov. 8 election.
The four-member commission expected to review Marilyn Maro’s application Dec. 1 for the vacant Ward 2 seat, but instead learned from Commissioner Ralph Cole, who began his discussion by fumbling papers and questioning the appointment process, alluding to another applicant.
Cole said he didn’t know the process.
He didn’t say how he came by the application or offer a vote of confidence for his nominee, Anne Leister.
However, the discussion on filling the empty seat and the process — an application submitted to the city clerk — had been discussed a number of times.
The application from Leister was passed to city clerk Terri Sanclemente, who said, on the surface it appeared Leister, with a Ward 2 address, was qualified.
Leister did not attend the meeting.
Maro’s application had previously been submitted and reviewed by the clerk.
Waiting in the gallery, Maro was invited to address the commission to state her desire to serve in the Ward 2 seat.
She said she has been a resident of the city for 18 years.
“The residents are close to me and I wish to support them and everything in Bradenton Beach so it gets to be a beautiful city,” Maro said. “I want to be the commissioner for the people.”
Bradenton Beach resident and P&Z board member Frank Harrison gave his endorsement to Maro.
Harrison said he has seen Maro at many meetings, has spoken with her about her interest in the position and pointed out that she is not a business owner in Bradenton Beach, so she is looking out for residents. He said “she has no conflict of interest.”
Harrison also said it would be good to seat a woman on the commission. “There is enough testosterone on the dais already,” Harrison said.
Residents Bill Vincent and Priscilla Von Ahnen also spoke, saying they “enthusiastically endorse Maro” for the same reasons Harrison mentioned.
Cole nominated Leister and Mayor Bill Shearon nominated Maro.
The vote was deadlocked when Commissioner John Chappie and Shearon voted for Maro and Cole and Commissioner Jake Spooner voted for Leister.
The commission followed the failed votes by planning a special meeting Dec. 5, after The Islander went to press, to vote on filling the seat and to swear in the appointed candidate.
Commissioners agreed both applicants met the requirements for the position — they are Ward 2 residents and registered voters in the city for more than two years, which was confirmed the city clerk and the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections.
Shearon said that based on the city charter, the vote would have to be recast at the next city meeting.
City attorney Ricinda Perry recommended the application process be re-opened.
Shearon later expressed disappointment that Maro was not approved. “She even completed the Sunshine Law class,” he said.
On Dec. 2, Bill Vincent, a Pines Trailer Park resident and 2016 commission candidate, emailed a call to action, asking residents to contact their commissioners to request the appoint of Maro.
Vincent also noted that Leister was absent from the meeting where the appointment was expected and no one spoke on her behalf.
He further alleged in his email “call to action” that Leister’s husband is employed by Spooner — and Spooner was conspicuously silent about his ties to the candidate at the meeting.
“Cole and Spooner offered no reason or rationale for their rejection of Marilyn,” Vincent said. “Neither did they provide any reason whatsoever for their vote for Anne Leister, the surprise, last-minute applicant.”
In other matters Dec. 1, commissioners were unanimous in naming Chappie as vice mayor, the post held by Ed Straight, whose term ended in November.
Also, the commission nominated and voted on the chair and vice chair for the Bradenton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency.
The CRA oversees and approves the expenditure of budgeted money and grant funding for projects in the district, which is bordered by Cortez Road, Sarasota Bay, including the Bridge Street Pier, Fifth Street South and the Gulf of Mexico.
Shearon nominated himself for chair and Chappie for vice chair, but the nomination failed 3-1 with only Shearon voting for his slate.
Shearon said he thought the mayor and vice mayor would be the best choices to chair the CRA since they are familiar with “the policies and procedures, and powers and duties of the city.”
Chappie announced a “difference of opinion,” saying he thinks the administrative duties should be split between commission members to get different perspectives.
Chappie nominated Cole for CRA chair and Shearon for vice chair.
Shearon declined the nomination.
Spooner nominated Chappie for vice chair.
A vote was taken and Cole and Chappie were unanimously approved.