A new but familiar face is joining the West Manatee Fire Rescue district’s commission.
Bradenton resident Robert Bennett will take the place of Commissioner Randy Cooper, who decided not to run for reelection after 12 years on the commission. Bennett received 64.47% — 9,689 of 15,029 — of votes Nov. 3.
He began volunteering at the Anna Maria Fire District in 1985, when he was 15. He also worked as a part-time training officer at WMFR, a paramedic with the Sarasota County Fire Department and a field training officer of new paramedics.
He retired from the SCFD in 2019, after 31 years with the department.
Bennett was one of three candidates running for the open seat, including Bradenton residents Steven Pontious and Derrick Warner.
Pontious and Warner ended with similar results, receiving 2,681 votes and 2,659 votes, respectively. Neither reached 18% of the vote.
Bennett will join Commissioner Larry Jennis, who serves as vice chair and qualified to run for reelection without opposition.
The pair will be sworn in at 6 p.m. Nov. 17 at the district’s temporary administration offices at Palma Sola Presbyterian Church, 6510 Third Ave. W., Bradenton.
Out of 23,279 eligible voters, 15,029 cast ballots in the general election, with 3,808 voting on Election Day, 3,894 voted early and 7,327 voted by mail.