The mayor-elect vows to keep projects moving, and a newcomer and incumbent voted to the City Commission will join her.
By CANDACE RONDEAUX
Published March 10, 2004
TARPON SPRINGS - Beverley Billiris was elected mayor over Anita Protos by a significant margin Tuesday night, while political newcomer Peter Dalacos won a narrow victory for a City Commission seat.
Meanwhile, Tarpon Springs voters re-elected City Commissioner Peter Nehr in a race that was close and contentious to the end.
Billiris claimed 2,734 votes to Protos' 2,102 votes.
"I'm excited," Billiris said. "I couldn't have done it without teamwork and that's the message I want to bring to the commission."
Billiris, 56, stepped down as city commissioner to enter the mayoral race in December 2002. A Tarpon Springs resident for more than 20 years, she runs a Sponge Docks curio shop, an import-export business and a tour company.
The city's mayor-elect said she plans to continue the projects undertaken by the last City Commission. She also hopes to encourage Tarpon Springs High School students to become more involved with city government. She looks forward to returning to city government next week.
"I think the community spoke for itself," she said. "They want to go forward."
Protos, who served as a commissioner for eight years and mayor from 1990 to 1998, could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.
Some voters interviewed Tuesday said they liked Protos when she was in office, but they believed Billiris would add a fresher perspective to city government. Retiree Janet Van Orden, 88, said she thought Billiris was best-suited for the mayor's job.
"There was too much bickering around when Protos and the others were in office," Van Orden said.
Meanwhile, City Commissioner Nehr managed to take the campaign heat and stay in the kitchen. Although Nehr weathered several political attacks during his campaign he claimed 2,357 votes, or slightly more than 50 percent. Spanos Harding came in second with 1,603 votes. Political newcomer Peter Kapsalis Lloyd, 54, came in last with 727 votes.
Nehr said he was pleased, adding that he plans to continue asking tough questions on citizens' behalf.
"I'm not changing anything except that I will follow procedure more," Nehr said. "I will work with the city manager more closely."
Voters gave the incumbent commissioner his second election victory in slightly more than a year. Nehr was first voted into office last year during a special election to fill Billiris' empty seat. This time around he said he plans to ask his fellow commissioners to support a review of the city's charter and a reassessment of the internal auditor's role in the city.
Tuesday marked Harding's fifth defeat at city polls in almost as many years. He said he was "extremely disappointed" in the election results. But Harding said it's not the last time voters will see his name on a city ballot.
"Nobody can make me quit but myself," Harding said.
In the race for Commission Seat 3, Dalacos, 49, won by just 43 votes over former city commissioner Cindy Domino-Sanner. The first time politician won 2,279 votes, or 50.48 percent, while Domino-Sanner, 52, claimed 2,236 votes, or 49.52 percent.
Dalacos, a real estate agent and stay-at-home dad, is looking forward to beginning his three-year term.
"I just feel honored and humbled that a lot of people who didn't know me were willing to trust me," Dalacos said. "I hope to bring a new insight to things."
Meanwhile, voters also overwhelmingly agreed to let the city proceed with two deals involving city-owned land. Voters interviewed at the polls Tuesday said they found the two referendum items easy to understand and supported the land deals. About 73 percent of voters approved a referendum allowing cell phone tower developers to lease city-owned property for up to 20 years. Telecommunications companies who sign a city lease will have to pay the city up to $2,500 a month for the duration of the lease to build towers on city property.
Voters also passed a referendum to allow Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital to sell its 5,500-square-foot walk-in clinic in Pasco County and four vacant lots on Boston Street north of Pine Street. About 88 percent of voters approved the property sale.
The referendum items will take effect next week.
Billiris, Dalacos and Nehr will be sworn in during a City Commission meeting at 6:30 p.m. March 16.
