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JENNIFER FARRELLThe former commissioner, who was forced out by term limits in 2001, will serve for five formal sessions, at most, after being sworn in Jan. 12.
CLEARWATER - City commissioners unanimously appointed former Commissioner J.B. Johnson on Thursday to fill the seat to be vacated next week by Whitney Gray.
Johnson, 81, a retired insurance executive, was twice elected to the five-member commission before term limits forced him from office in 2001.
"Had I been able to keep going," Johnson said Thursday, "I would have."
Johnson, known for his humor and direct manner, returns to the commission for a brief, but key, period. He will be sworn in at a special 1 p.m. meeting Jan. 12 and, at most, will serve five more formal meetings before the March 9 election. But one of those meetings, set for Jan. 14, could decide the longstanding and contentious contract dispute with the city's fire unions.
Gray, who is moving with her family to Fort Myers, announced her resignation in October, effective Dec. 27. Initially, commissioners hesitated to replace her.
Mainly, they said, they didn't want to throw a new player into the thorny union debate.
But last month, Commissioner Bill Jonson pushed to fill the seat, a move required within 30 days under the city charter.
On Thursday, during Gray's last meeting, Commissioner Frank Hibbard recommended Johnson, who lives in east Clearwater's Del Oro Groves neighborhood. The commission then picked Johnson over three other applicants: former Mayor Charles LeCher, Assistant State Attorney David Tobiassen and Joel T. Brannen, a former radio broadcaster.
In light of the union issues, commissioners agreed Johnson's experience made the difference. And more heads at the table to settle the union difficulties are a plus, Hibbard added.
"I just think we ought to have a full board," he said. "I don't want to take the chance of having a split vote."
Gray, who could not vote on her replacement, nonetheless voiced support for Johnson to fill in until the election.
"He's about the only one I'd be real comfortable handing it back to," she said.
In final remarks at the end of the meeting, Gray, a Clearwater native, thanked family and supporters and urged commissioners to stay focused on downtown redevelopment.
"I have a little girl's memories of downtown," she said. "So keep working on it."
Gray also thanked her fellow commissioners and urged them to continue healthy debate.
"Talk to each other," she said. "Keep the dialogue open and honest."
Facing off in the election for Gray's open seat are Don Casey, a retired administrator and former coach with the Pinellas County School District, and Carlen Petersen, former head of the city's Community Development Board.
- Jennifer Farrell can be reached at 445-4160 or farrell@sptimes.com