ST. PETERSBURG - Determination, usually an admirable quality in a politician, was pushed to absurd new heights Thursday as the City Council attempted to elect a new chairman.
After 49 votes, a record, the council was deadlocked in its quest for a leader. Finally, at 10:40 p.m., members reached an unprecedented compromise that will allow two candidates to each serve six months, instead of a full year.
"Good things come to those who wait," joked council member Jay Lasita. "Or, mediocre things come to those who wait."
The vote had started more than an hour before, after council member Richard Kriseman nominated vice chairman James Bennett for the largely ceremonial position.
Then council member Rene Flowers nominated her colleague, Bill Foster.
Members wrote their picks on scraps of paper and handed them to clerk Eva Andujar. The vote was split, 4-4.
So was the next vote.
And the next.
And the next.
And the next.
After 13 votes, John Bryan made a plea to the current chairman, Earnest Williams.
"How about a solution to this, Mr. Chairman?" he asked.
"I'm open to whatever the council wants to do," Williams replied.
Lasita suggested both candidates make a short speech in an attempt to sway the other members.
"I've been on the council since 1998," Foster said. "I was recently re-elected. Other than Jay Lasita, I'm the senior member."
Said Bennett: "I've worked very hard, and I'm proud of the work I've done. I'll stand on that."
Another vote was taken. No change.
Soon, the council surpassed the record set in 2000, when 21 ballots were needed to select a chair.
That year, after four straight 2-2-2-2 votes, then-council member Larry Williams prevailed over Flowers. Flowers was then unanimously named vice chair.
In 1994, the council tossed a coin to break a series of 4-4 ties and elect Leslie Curran vice chairwoman.
Late Thursday, as members showed no signs of softening their positions, the mood remained light, almost giddy. A few council members blew on the kazoos they had received earlier in the evening as a promotion for First Night, the city's annual New Year's Eve celebration.
Lasita tried to put the matter into perspective. Since council members can serve a term of up to eight years, it's possible that all of them could serve a year as chairman, he said. Couldn't they all just get along?
But Foster said he had no intention of giving up. He reminded his colleagues he had bowed out in his bid for chairmanship for the sake of harmony in 2001.
"I can assure you that I won't be doing that this time," Foster said, shooting a look at Bryan, who publicly opposed Foster during his campaign for re-election this fall.
"I'm not even running, Bill," Bryan protested.
"Amen," replied Foster, as the council erupted in laughter.
Finally, after several more fruitless ballots, Foster suggested allowing one of the candidates to serve six months as chair and the other as vice chair. After some discussion, the council approved the compromise.
Bennett will serve the first term, Foster the second.
"Congratulations, Mr. Bennett," Williams said.
"Congratulations, Mr. Foster. I'm sure you'll both do an excellent job. Now, this meeting is adjourned."
