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Apathy runs deep in beach elections
By AMY WIMMER, Times Staff Writer Few people have stepped forward to run for public office on the beaches, leading three cities to cancel their elections. One town, Redington Beach, failed to attract enough candidates to fill its three open commission seats, so the Town Commission will likely appoint a commissioner in March. In Indian Rocks Beach, however, where all the commission candidates run against one another, and the top two vote-getters win the two available seats, two political newcomers have filed to run against two incumbents. The race includes incumbents R.B. Johnson and Thomas "Toby" O'Brien Jr., as well as Jayne van der Voordt and Jeremiah Carmody, who are making their first bid for elected office. No one filed to run against Mayor Bob DiNicola, so he is automatically elected to another term. Voters in Indian Rocks Beach also will decide on March 12 whether to extend their elected officials' terms of office from two to three years, and whether to sell a piece of city property. Van der Voordt, 37, of 303 10th Ave. is the community involvement assistant at Largo Middle School and a mother of four. She has lived in Indian Rocks Beach for six years. Carmody, also 37, of 401 16th Ave. is an account manager for Pioneer Standard Electronics, a distributor of electronic components and integrated circuits. He has lived in Indian Rocks Beach for four years. In the other beach municipalities: Incumbent Belleair Shore Town Council members Mary Alice Grizzle, Carl Hilton and Bob Schmidt all filed to retain their seats, but no one filed to run against them. The three incumbents will each serve another two-year term. The Belleair Shore election scheduled for March 12 is canceled. In Indian Shores, Town Council incumbents Jim Lawrence, Sandy Schuler and Bill Smith all filed to run for re-election, but no one filed to run against them. Lawrence and Schuler each will serve another three-year term. Smith, appointed by the council in 2001 to fill resigning council member Irene Anderson's seat until March 2002, will serve the rest of Anderson's original term. Smith's term will end in March 2004. The Indian Shores election scheduled for March 12 is canceled. In Madeira Beach, no one filed to run against Commissioners Doreen Moore and Jan Sturgis, both elected for the first time two years ago. The incumbents each will serve another two-year term, and the election scheduled for March 12 is canceled. In Redington Beach, incumbents Linda Wilson and John Fish both filed for re-election. Fish agreed to serve a one-year term; Wilson's term will be two years. Town Commissioner Judy Orzack, however, did not seek re-election, leaving the commission to fill her seat for a two-year term. Mayor Jerry Reitz could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but Town Clerk Jill Pearson said she expected the commission to make a decision in March. Redington Beach will still hold its election March 12, even though no candidates will appear on the ballot. Residents will be asked to raise commissioners' salaries from $50 a month to $200 a month and raise the mayor's salary from $100 a month to $400 a month. Redington Beach elected officials are the lowest paid on the beaches, except for Belleair Beach and Belleair Shore, where they are unpaid. The 75 percent salary increase would make elected officials' salaries equal to those in North Redington Beach. Anyone interested in running for office in Belleair Beach, Gulfport, North Redington Beach, Redington Shores, St. Pete Beach, South Pasadena or Treasure Island still has time to file. The qualifying period ends at noon Friday in South Pasadena; at 4:30 p.m. Monday in Belleair Beach; at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 24 in Gulfport; at noon Jan. 25 in Redington Shores; at noon Jan. 29 in Treasure Island. In North Redington Beach and St. Pete Beach, the candidate qualifying period has not yet started. In North Redington Beach, candidates can file between 8 a.m. Monday and 4 p.m. Feb. 1. In St. Pete Beach, candidates can file between Tuesday and noon Feb. 5.
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From the Times South Pinellas desks |
