Life can take an unexpected turn.
Such a turn led Anna Maria Commissioner Joe Muscatello to announce June 10 at a city meeting he will not fulfill the remainder of his term, which ends in November, and he won’t seek reelection.
In addition to Muscatallo’s seat, seats held by Carol Carter and Jonathan Crane, all for two-year terms, are up in November, with candidate qualifying set for Aug. 16-27.
After a moment of stunned silence in the chambers, the other commissioners thanked Muscatello for his commitment to the island and wished him well.
Muscatello said the June 24 commission meeting would be his last, giving the remaining four commissioners time to decide what to do about his seat until the municipal election.
Muscatello was appointed Jan. 9, 2020, by four commissioners to fill the seat held for 16 years by Dale Woodland, who was disqualified before the 2019 election for an error in his campaign accounting.
Calling his departure a “sabbatical from the island,” Muscatello said he would take time to focus on himself and his family.
But this isn’t goodbye for Muscatello, who ended with, “This is still my island.”
— Amy V.T. Moriarty