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Janet Henderson, who resigned her position to run for the District 11 - only to discover she couldn't hold the office - now wants Tom Anderson's job.
By LEON M. TUCKER, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published October 2, 2002
DUNEDIN -- Despite saying a month ago that she would not solicit one of the two spots on the Dunedin City Commission, Vice Mayor Janet Henderson is in the mix.
She is among 15 residents and former city leaders hoping to be appointed to a temporary seat on the commission when they become vacant in November.
To qualify to run for state legislative seats this fall, Mayor Tom Anderson and Henderson officially resigned their commission jobs in July. Both submitted letters to the city clerk and are expected to step down by Election Day, Nov. 5, leaving their seats open.
Both were expected to run for the state House District 45 seat, but Henderson switched before qualifying began and entered the District 11 Senate race. In August, she dropped out of the race after discovering her new home is a few blocks outside the boundary line for the newly redrawn district.
It's up to remaining commissioners John Doglione, Bob Hackworth and Deborah Kynes to choose replacements for Anderson and Henderson. It's on the Oct. 17 agenda.
"I want somebody who is going to be able to step right into the process and be able to contribute as quickly as possible," Hackworth said. "I don't know exactly what the important considerations are going to be in some of the different candidates, but I'm looking for someone who is not doing this for their ego."
The city charter says "a vacancy in the City Commission shall be filled by majority vote of the remaining members of the City Commission, within 60 days of the vacancy and the person so appointed shall serve as Commissioner until the next regular election."
The terms will last until the city election in March.
"I have no preconceived notions," said Kynes, who said community service would be one of her deciding factors. "I'm very excited about the wealth of talent and interest in the pool of people that have submitted the requested materials. . . . I intend to study the material carefully and make the best decision I can."
Doglione could not be reached.
Hackworth expressed concern with the large number people who applied for the vacancies, saying he would have preferred that a decision be made from nominations by the remaining commissioners.
"I think we could have done a better job by individually seeking out some candidates we were interested in," he said. "I felt like when we made it a more wide-open process, it became more political."
Among those who applied are former City Manager Richard Gehring, former Mayor Manuel "Manny" Koutsourais and former Commissioner Tom Osborne.
Dunedin businessmen Gregory Brady also submitted an application for vacant commissioner seat and the mayor's spot.
"I've been involved in the goings-on around here and development for the past 10 years, and I believe it will be an opportunity for me to move to the next level," said Brady, who also owns Gregory's Salon and the Boxcar store -- both on Main Street. "This is an opportunity that does not come up often, and it's something I've been interested in for quite some time."
-- Leon M. Tucker can be reached at 445-4167 or tucker@sptimes.com.
These Dunedin residents submitted applications for the two seats on the City Commission that will become vacant by the Nov. 5 election.
Gregory Brady Mayor or commissioner
Julie Ward Bujalski Commissioner
Robert "Bob" Burdewick Mayor
Clark Carey Commissioner
Robert Dickey Commissioner
John Espey Mayor or commissioner
Richard Gehring Mayor or commissioner
Janet Henderson Mayor
Eric Houghton Mayor or commissioner
Manuel "Manny" Koutsourais Mayor or commissioner
Tom Osborne Mayor or commissioner
Michael Quill Commissioner
Nancy St. Arnold Commissioner
Joseph "Sonny" Thornton Mayor or commissioner
Patricia Wollman Commissioner