Starting his term ahead of schedule
Chris Alahouzos takes his place as Tarpon Springs' newest city commissioner. He was to be unopposed for a vacated seat.
By ROBIN STEIN
Published December 14, 2006
TARPON SPRINGS - It is a city ahead of the times.
While folks in San Antonio and Sarasota are still struggling to determine which candidate won the November election, here in Tarpon Springs a winner of the March 2007 election was sworn in as city commissioner Tuesday night.
"Mr. Alahouzos," Mayor Beverley Billiris began, "Let me be the first to call you Commissioner Alahouzos. ..."
The freshman beamed through another round of applause.
By any measure, it had been an enviable entree into elected office for Chris Alahouzos, 55, a Verizon network manager by trade and veteran member of the city's planning and zoning board.
For months, he had been intently preparing for his first campaign. Always polite, always attentive, he had become almost a fixture in even the spottiest and sleepiest commission meetings.
But when the deadline for candidate registration came two weeks ago, it turned out that Alahouzos was the lone entry for Seat 4.
Just like that, the first-time candidate became commissioner-elect, winner by default for the seat vacated by Peter Nehr, who stepped down last month to serve as a state legislator.
No door-to-door tours, no yard signs, no debates, not even much need for the Web site he created.
"I was very, very surprised, " Alahouzos said when he learned the news. The city clerk quickly filled him in on the flurry of restrictions on candidates running unopposed.
Alahouzos said he was instructed not to accept campaign contributions and told to disband his campaign staff, which at that stage included just his very enthusiastic daughter-in-law.
If Alahouzos had faced competition as many expected, the four remaining commissioners would have appointed a resident volunteer to fill the empty spot until the election.
But with Alahouzos already the presumptive winner, there was no need for a temporary stand-in.
A jubilant clan was on hand to photograph and cheer as the city clerk administered the oath of office Tuesday evening.
Alahouzos said he moved here from Kalymnos, Greece, in 1967. He and his wife, Annette, who teaches eighth grade math at Tarpon Springs Middle School, have three sons and two granddaughters.
There was no respite for the victorious Tuesday night, though.
Minutes after Alahouzos' swearing in, the mayor called the commission to order. There was a round of welcomes before the focus shifted to business of the day.
Alahouzos jumped right in, interjecting to preempt a motion that would have been a procedural misstep, suggesting a biannual review of fee schedules and posing several efficient, straightforward questions.
The new commissioner stoked the spirit of praise and holiday cheer that dominated the auditorium through most of the meeting.
Lest anyone be lulled by the mood, forgetting the rancor sure to come with the upcoming elections, a familiar confrontation emerged in the final minutes between Mayor Billiris and Commissioner Peter Dalacos, who are also up for re-election in March. The brewing tension would be less noteworthy perhaps, if the two were running against each other.
Harry J. Andropoulos, 55, a first-time candidate and retired lawyer who dabbles in residential construction, is taking on the mayor. Dalacos will be on the defense against another political novice, David C. Bolton, 36, an ordained minister, ophthalmic technician and full-time student.
Chrisostomos Alahouzos
Family: Wife Annette is a math teacher at Tarpon Springs Middle School. Sons John, 29, George, 27, Phil, 26. Two grandchildren.
Education: Graduated from Tarpon Springs High School and joined the Marine Corps Reserve. Since then, he has completed several technical and management courses at University of South Florida.
Occupation: Network manager for Verizon.
City experience: Vice chairman of the city's planning and zoning board, which he has been on since 2002; vice chair of Sister City Committee.