Voters in Bradenton Beach decided Nov. 8 to elect a longtime resident with a background in local politics.
For the Ward 4 seat on the city commission, 370 voters chose John Chappie and 230 voted for Bill Vincent.
Chappie will serve a two-year term, with the option of running for two more consecutive terms. He will receive a $400 monthly compensation.
“I loved being a county commissioner, but now I am back home,” Chappie said. He served two terms on the county commission.
Instead of running for re-election for a third term on the county commission, Chappie opted to pursue the seat representing Bradenton Beach Ward 4 — a seat he held 1997-2001 and again in 2008.
In addition to serving as a city commissioner, Chappie was a member of the planning and zoning board 1986-2001 and mayor 2001-07.
Chappie, 64, born in Dayton, Ohio, has been a resident of Bradenton Beach for more than 42 years.
He has served a variety of community organizations, including the Bridge Street Festival Committee 1996-98, as liaison to the Tingley
Memorial Library board of directors 2001-07, the Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island, AMI Bike Path Committee and the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, 2009-10 and 2015-16.
Chappie says the current dissolution of residential neighborhoods in the city concerns him.
“Our residential neighborhoods are diminishing and we need to fix it now,” he said.
Chappie said state legislative changes in 2011 that diminished or infringed on local government’s home rule took away Bradenton Beach’s authority to regulate vacation rentals.
As city commissioner, Chappie said he will work with the planning and zoning board and “get input from residents to regain control of the situation.”
Chappie said he supports the six-month building moratorium in the R-1 and R-2 districts that passed Nov. 8.
“The moratorium is key,” Chappie said Nov. 8. “This will give us the breather we need to figure out the next step and move on it.”
Even in defeat, Vincent is showing support for his city and vows to work with Chappie.
“John Chappie and I made promises to each other and whenever I can help him out, I will,” Vincent said.
“You would not have found a better candidate than Bill Vincent — he really had a great campaign,” Chappie said Nov. 8. “I have nothing but admiration for him and now I have a new friend.”
Of 755 registered voters in Bradenton Beach, 600 people voted in the election — a 79.47 percent turnout.
There were 82 early voters, 233 mail ballots and 285 cast ballots Nov. 8 at precinct No. 307, the Bradenton Beach Fire Hall, 201 Second St. N.
The swearing-in ceremony will be at 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21, at Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.
The seat being vacated by Ward 2 Commissioner Ed Straight, who termed out with the Nov. 8 election, will be appointed by the four-member commission at a later date. The seat must be filled by a qualified candidate from within the ward.