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Election results

Belleair Beach

By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA
Published March 9, 2005

Winning mayoral candidate Rudy Davis, a longtime city activist and volunteer, is now the city's first voting mayor and will help usher in a brand new city manager form of government approved by voters last year.

The post, which previously carried administrative responsibilities but no voting powers, will now assume both the voting and leadership power held until now by the council's presiding officer.

Newly elected council members Lynn Rives, Stan Sofer and Kenneth Lucci were unopposed and will automatically serve on the new City Council.

Davis' decisive election will allow him to continue pushing for, recruiting and helping to hire the city's first city manager. His opponent, Bert Cutler, was strongly opposed to changing the city's form of government.

Davis garnered 392 votes to Cutler's 142, according to the county's elections Web site Tuesday night.

After learning he was the city's new mayor Tuesday night, Davis said he will work to implement the new form of government "and the full realization of the benefits it will bring."

"Our goal is a more professional and harmonious government that will bring satisfaction and pride to our great little beach community," he said.

Davis, 62, owns and operates Focused Marketing Inc., an international home furnishing sales and marketing firm.

Davis was a member of the city's Board of Adjustment and also served on the city's Building Steering Committee, the Transition Committee and the Cable Access Committee.

[Last modified March 9, 2005, 00:55:19]