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Citizens groups try to shape elections
By AMY WIMMER and SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA The holidays past, it's election season on the beaches. Twelve communities in coastal Pinellas County will elect new representatives in March, and candidates are lining up for the positions. Last year, several incumbents earned another term without opposition. The town of Redington Beach was so desperate for candidates that it had to appoint someone after no one ran for the one open seat on the Town Commission. This year's election season may be more eventful, thanks to a new wave of voters groups that are stepping forward to counter the apathetic tone of last year's elections. New voters organizations in South Pasadena and Madeira Beach could play a role in shaping the race -- who runs for office and who wins. The success of the citizens group formed in Treasure Island last year to defeat new land development regulations could continue in March. In Indian Rocks Beach, another group of residents has stepped forward to get its own issue on the ballot. Here are some details: Belleair Beach will elect four Town Council members and a mayor and vice mayor, who run as a pair. The election is March 11. Candidates can begin picking up their qualification materials at 8 a.m. Jan. 3. To qualify for the election, all candidates must turn in their materials by noon Jan. 10. Up for election this year are: council members Bert Cutler, Chuck Pollick, Mary Jo Henderson and Lynn Rives; and the mayor and vice mayor, Mike Kelly and Bob Park. The officials are elected to two-year terms and do not earn a salary. Belleair Shore will elect a Town Council member and a mayor on March 11. Both Mayor John Robertson and council member John E. Hayes Jr. plan to run for re-election. Belleair Shore's qualifying period runs from 9 a.m. Tuesday to 4 p.m. Jan. 14. Potential candidates can pick up and turn in materials at the office of Town Attorney John Elias, 611 Druid St. E, Clearwater. Elected officials in Belleair Shore serve two-year terms and are unpaid. In Gulfport, voters will elect City Council members for Wards 2 and 4, seats now filled by Dawn Fisher and Larry Cooper. Voters west of the city will also vote on whether to annex into Gulfport. The qualification period for candidates likely will run from 8 a.m. Jan. 10 to noon Jan. 17. The City Council has not formally approved those qualification dates, but is expected to at its next meeting. Council members earn $600 per month. The election is scheduled for March 4. In Indian Rocks Beach, voters will select two City Council members on March 11. The seats occupied by Jim Palamara and Patricia Emser will be up for election. Emser was appointed earlier this month to fill the remaining term of former Commissioner Joanna "Cookie" Kennedy, who resigned in November. The qualification period will run from noon Jan. 6 to noon Jan. 10. Commissioners are elected to two-year terms. In Indian Shores, only the mayor's office is up for election March 11. The seat is currently occupied by Donald Taber. In 2000, the town changed from two-year to three-year terms for both the mayor and commissioners, staggering elections each year. The mayor earns a $600 monthly salary. The Indian Shores qualifying period begins at noon Friday and ends at noon Jan. 10. Madeira Beach voters will elect a mayor and two commissioners March 11. The mayor serves a three-year term and earns $600 a month; the commissioners serve two-year terms and earn $400 a month. The qualification period in Madeira Beach began Dec. 11 and will continue through 4 p.m. Jan. 10. So far, Roger Koske, city commissioner for District 3, is the only candidate who has qualified for the election. Mayor Tom DeCesare and District 4 Commissioner Charles Parker are also up for re-election. Voters in Madeira Beach also will cast ballots on a referendum, which will ask voters if they want to switch to single-district voting. Currently, commissioners in Madeira Beach represent individual districts that they live in, but they are elected citywide. The referendum seeks to change that system, with the mayor being the only officials elected citywide. In North Redington Beach, voters will be electing a mayor and two commissioners March 4, all for two-year terms. Qualifying begins Jan. 20 and ends at noon Jan. 27. Commission seats 1 and 2 are filled by Jeff Busch and Gar Curtis. Commissioners are paid $200 a month. The mayoral seat, currently filled by Harold Radcliffe, earns a $400 a month salary. Redington Beach voters will elect a mayor and two town commissioners on March 11. The qualification period began Dec. 2 and runs through noon Jan. 10. One candidate, former Redington Beach police Chief Charles L. Haggerty, already has qualified to run for mayor. Mayor Jerry Reitz has announced he will not seek re-election. Seats occupied by John Fish and Tim Gregson are also up for election. The mayor and commissioners are elected to two-year terms. In Redington Beach, commissioners earn $50 a month and the mayor earns $100 a month. In Redington Shores, voters will elect a mayor and three commissioners March 11. Mayor J.J. Beyrouti is up for re-election, as well as Commissioners Deborah O'Connor and Larry Forrester. The District 3 commissioner, Roy A. Scarpitta, was appointed last month to temporarily fill the seat of Clell Miller, who died in November. The person elected to fill that seat will hold it for one year. The mayor in Redington Shores earns $500 monthly, including salary and expenses. The commissioners earn $400 monthly, also including salary and expenses. The qualification period in Redington Shores will run from 9 a.m. Jan. 9 through noon Jan. 24. In St. Pete Beach, voters will elect commissioners to represent Districts 2 and 4. The current commissioners in those seats are Kevan Finch and Lolly Kreider. Qualifications begin at 9 a.m. Jan. 6 and end at noon Jan. 17. Commissioners serve two years and earn $400 a month. The election in St. Pete Beach will take place March 11. South Pasadena voters will elect two commissioners on March 4. Seats occupied by city Commissioners Joan Runyon and Carol Clark will be filled at the election. Commissioners serve three-year terms and earn $475 a month. Clark was elected only one year ago, but she claimed the seat vacated by former Commissioner Dick Holmes, who resigned. The commissioner elected to that seat in March will hold the seat for the traditional three years. The qualification period in South Pasadena runs from noon Friday through noon Jan. 17. In Treasure Island, voters will elect two city commissioners and a new mayor. Mayor Leon Atkinson has announced he will not seek re-election. Seats occupied by District 1 Commissioner Stephanie Lavino and District 3 Commissioner Mary Maloof also will be filled. Maloof plans to run for mayor. The qualification period will run from noon Thursday through noon Jan. 16. The city election is scheduled for March 4. In Treasure Island, the mayor is elected to a three-year term and earns $650 a month. Commissioners are elected to two-year terms and earn $450 a month.
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From the Times South Pinellas desks 2002: The Year in Review |
