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1 incumbent, referendums are voted out
By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA INDIAN ROCKS BEACH -- Voters on Tuesday turned out one incumbent and by huge margins said no in referendums proposing the sale of city-owned waterfront land and longer terms of office for commissioners. Toby O'Brien is out. Jeremiah Carmody, the second-leading vote-getter in the election, is in. The other incumbent, R.B. Johnson, led all candidates to earn a second term. Proceeds from the property sale would have paid to move the city's solid waste treatment plant to the mainland, freeing up the waterfront area for redevelopment. But almost percent 62 percent of voters indicated they prefer to keep the land. By more than a 4-to-1 margin, voters also rejected a charter amendment that would have increased commission terms from two to three years, beginning with the March 2003 election. Carmody, 37, a native of Chicago, is a four-year resident of Indian Rocks Beach and works as an account manager for Pioneer Standard Electronics. He previously worked in other sales positions in the electronics industry. He is a member of the Indian Rocks Beach Homeowners Association. Prior to the election, Carmody made a point of not criticizing the present Commission, although he said he might have made different decisions. He opposed longer commission terms as well as the sale of the Narrows property, arguing, "We need to hold onto every square inch (of land) and should investigate other revenues to move the facility." The land sale referendum may have undone O'Brien, who had urged voters to allow the commission to decide the best way to redevelop the Narrows area where he said a dock, marina or commercial use would better suit the city's long-term redevelopment plans. Johnson, 40, and his family have a long history here dating to the '30s. The 13-year resident is a self-employed real estate manager, and has been closely involved in community affairs, including Indian Rocks Beach Action 2000, Friends of the Indian Rocks Beach Library, and the historical society. He served as chairman of the city's beautification board before becoming a commissioner. One of the main issues facing the commission in the next two years involves whether or not to move the Narrows treatment facility and how the property will fit into the city's ongoing redevelopment and beautification program. During the '90s, the city began stronger code enforcement in the five-block area of Walsingham Road between Gulf Boulevard and the Intracoastal Waterway and began a streetscaping program that totaled about $500,000 last year. The city currently is redeveloping nearby Chic-a-Si Park for passive use and as the site for the Historical Museum now located near city hall. The next phase of streetscaping is planned for 2006.
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From the Times South Pinellas desks |
