Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

'Voters have taken back' Madeira Beach

That's the assessment of one resident after elections. The commission picks Leonard Piotti to be vice mayor.

By PAUL SWIDER
Published March 13, 2005

MADEIRA BEACH - Tuesday's election saw voters consolidate the power shift that began nine months ago.

Mayor Charles Parker - appointed from a City Commission seat in August after Mayor Tom DeCesare resigned amid turmoil - defeated longtime city commissioner and real estate agent Doreen Moore with nearly 60 percent of the vote.

Art Thomas collected more than 68 percent of the vote as he defeated former City Manager Jim Madden to fill a seat left open when Roger Koske followed DeCesare by resigning last year. And Martha Boos, appointed to fill Parker's seat when he became mayor, was elected outright, running unopposed.

During last week's City Commission meeting, audience members stood to applaud the election winners and many voiced their pleasure at what they described as a house cleaning.

"The voters have taken back the city," said Madeira Beach resident George Gonzalez. "You all have the job of making sure that what happened here never happens again. I have trust in you. No doubt you will do an excellent job," he said.

Parker, who made a similar speech, along with others praised Kevin Connolly, who filled Koske's seat by appointment but did not run for the election, deferring to Thomas.

Last year's spate of resignations, which also included then-city attorney Thomas Trask, was triggered by accusations of malfeasance and conflict of interest, as well as some residents' perception that the commission was favoring development over community interests.

After Parker, Boos and Thomas were sworn in, commissioners elected Commissioner Leonard Piotti as the new vice mayor.

In other commission business:

The commissioners unanimously approved a resolution of support for burying utility lines underground along Gulf Boulevard. The resolution is a product of the Barrier Islands Government Council, which is trying to gather the weight of several smaller municipalities to urge county, state and utilities officials to find a way to bury utility lines.

Buried utility lines are less susceptible to wind damage and improve aesthetics, but the process of putting the lines underground is very expensive. The commissioners discussed having a workshop to examine undergrounding in detail, but no date has been set.

The commissioners unanimously approved leasing two parking lots to private interests.

In the first, the city will lease 21 parking spaces in a lot on the west side of Gulf Boulevard at 132nd Avenue to Dockside Dave's restaurant. Restaurant owner Carol Bates said construction of the Madeira Bay project has disrupted her customers' ability to park, so she is willing to pay up to $35 a month for each of the leased parking spaces for a year, in order to alleviate the problem. Her initial request was for 13 spaces but, during discussion, she asked for and the commission approved increasing that number.

The commissioners similarly approved a lease to the Madeira Bay project developers so they can stage and store construction equipment adjacent to their site for the next year.

The lot, containing 13 parking spaces, is on the east side of Gulf Boulevard and directly across 133rd Avenue from the north end of the Madeira Bay construction site.

Jack Bodziak, representing the developer, said he was willing to pay $500 a month for the spaces, more than the city requested, and would repave, restripe and landscape the lot after he was finished with it next March.

The commissioners also unanimously approved a first reading of a transfer of $390 from the general fund to provide a 10 percent matching grant for a $3,504 grant from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement so the city could buy a new computer, new printer/scanner/copier, and a new patrol mountain bike for public safety.

The commissioners unanimously accepted a comprehensive financial report that gave the city a clean bill of health for its accounts.

[Last modified March 13, 2005, 00:22:15]