It’s incumbent upon John Chappie to return to city hall.
Voters reelected him mayor of Bradenton Beach Nov. 2.
The longtime officeholder defeated challenger David Galuszka 242-106, winning with 69.45% of the vote.
Turnout was 48.9%, according to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website.
Throughout the polling hours, Chappie sat in a chair under an umbrella down the road from the retired Bradenton Beach volunteer fire hall, 201 Second St. N..
He was joined by his brother, Joe, who said, “He’s the only man I’d ever stand out on the street and hold a sign for.”
And it seems the mayor’s campaigning paid off.
“I’m humbled,” Chappie told The Islander. “I’m grateful to our residents for their support. This is my home. This is their home. We’ve got a lot of great things going on in the city and we’ve got a lot of great work planned for the community. I’m thankful to have their support.”
Chappie has a full agenda ahead in his new term — plans to underground the city’s utilities, confront party houses and support residential life in the tourist town.
Chappie has been a fixture in Bradenton Beach politics, beginning on the planning and zoning board and first elected to the city commission in 1997, serving until elected mayor in 2001. He termed out as mayor in 2007 and was elected a county commissioner in 2008.
In 2011, he declined to seek reelection to the county board and opted for another go on the Bradenton Beach commission. He termed out as commissioner and retook the mayor’s seat in 2017, defeating incumbent Mayor Bill Shearon and since serving as mayor.
Galuszka was not available for comment by phone Nov. 2 or Nov. 4.
The challenger ran on the belief that residents weren’t being heard.
His campaign stressed affordable housing for residents, parking access, addressing traffic and improved drainage.
The mayor in Bradenton Beach serves as vice chair of the community redevelopment agency and chair of the city commission.
It’s a “weak mayor” system, wherein the commission — including the mayor — vote on public matters while the mayor administers commission policy and directives.
Chappie is beginning his third and final term as mayor, based on the limits in the city charter.
He will be sworn in at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 15, at city hall, along with Commissioners Jan Vosburgh and Jake Spooner, who were reelected without opposition on the ballot.
Spooner has told The Islander a previous change in wards allowed him a fourth consecutive term and the city attorney has not replied to the Islander on the question of precedent.
On the Nov. 2 ballot, Amendment 1, a proposal to amend the city charter to remove the three-term limit for elected officials was rejected.