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CANDACE RONDEAUXThe three-term Tarpon city commissioner was thought to have a shot at the mayor's office.
TARPON SPRINGS - When City Commissioner Karen Brayboy threw her hat in the ring for a commission seat three years ago, her political future seemed certain.
Many who supported her were certain she would run for mayor next.
But now the three-term city commissioner says she'll soon throw in the towel on city politics.
Brayboy, 47, said Monday she will not seek re-election next March, and, contrary to rumor, she will not run for mayor. Her reasons for opting out of the race are both personal and professional, she said.
"Part of me really wanted to run and stay involved," Brayboy said. "But I've been doing that for almost 10 years now and thought it was probably time to give my husband a break."
Brayboy wants to spend more time on her family and business and less time on the consuming job of helping to run the city. She and her husband, Joe Part, are planning to build a new home soon, and their family business is rapidly expanding, she said. When Brayboy and Part started Alltrust Insurance in 1994, they had just a handful of clients. Now the company, which specializes in selling group health insurance and benefits packages, is garnering national interest, Brayboy said.
"The company that we've got has truly grown far beyond what we ever thought it would," Brayboy said. "It's time to keep my eye on the company."
Brayboy's decision not to run in the March 2004 election could mean big changes for Tarpon Springs' political landscape. Outgoing Mayor Frank DiDonato's seat is also up for grabs in March, because term limits will prevent him from seeking another term.
Plus anyone interested in running for either office will have to step up soon. Starting this March, the city will run its election simultaneously with Pinellas County's.
Tarpon Springs residents will now vote on March 16 along with the rest of the county. The change means candidates will have until 5 p.m. on Nov. 26 to gather enough signatures to qualify to be put on the ballot.
"I wanted to make sure that I gave someone time to file," Brayboy said.
News of Brayboy's impending exit from politics was music to Roger Sellew's ears. Sellew, 65, lost a commission seat to City Commissioner Peter Nehr in February's special election. Sellew, a management consultant who has lived in Tarpon Springs for about four years, said he is seriously considering campaigning for the vacant commission seat.
"Darn, I guess that means I have to change all my signs," Sellew said.
Sellew is not the only one who will have to make adjustments. Brayboy's longtime political ally, City Commissioner Peter Nehr, was only slightly surprised to hear that she would be dropping out of politics. But the move could tip the balance further on the City Commission's occasional tendency to split 3-2, with Nehr and Brayboy in dissent.
"That is a shame because Karen and I tend to think the same about a lot of the same things," Nehr said. "I will definitely miss her up there on the commission seat, because sometimes she was the only supporter on some of the things I voted for."
With Brayboy out of the picture, former City Commissioner Beverley Billiris remains the only announced candidate for mayor. Billiris said she was sorry to hear that Brayboy was leaving the commission.
"I'm a little disappointed," Billiris said Tuesday. "I was kind of looking forward to working with her. She's a good commissioner and has served the city well."
Brayboy's political career began with a successful 1994 run for a City Commission seat. She served as a commissioner for almost six years. In 1997, she surprised local political leaders by deciding not to run for mayor, choosing instead to finish out her term as commissioner.
She then left office in 1999 when she ran up against term limits. But Brayboy didn't stay out of politics for long; she won a commission seat for a third time in March 2001.
"It's been really great," Brayboy said. "But now it's time to do something different."
- Candace Rondeaux can be reached at 727 445-4181 or rondeaux@sptimes.com