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Politics

Activists capture two seats in St. Pete Beach

Belleair Beach will close Police Department.

By CRISTINA SILVA
Published March 14, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: Dirk Shadd] Volunteers hold up campaign signs Tuesday standing outside the Gulfport Recreation Center. Pinellas election news Penny for Pinellas extended to 2020 Clearwater voters say yes to boat slip project Activists capture two seats in St. Pete Beach Voters okay upgrade for Vinoy Check results The Buzz: The latest political news

ST. PETE BEACH - Residents opposed to taller buildings and overdevelopment won a decisive victory Tuesday when two political activists won City Commission seats.

Linda Chaney and Harry Metz will soon join the same commission they have fought against for the past two years when they are sworn in later this month. Metz and Chaney are founders of Citizens for Responsible Growth, a group that led the effort to make St. Pete Beach the first city in the state to allow its voters to have the final say on new building regulations in November.

"The primary thing I want people to know is that I will honor the trust that the good people of St. Pete Beach have put into me," said Chaney, a marketing director at Eckerd College, who won the District 2 seat.

"Responsible growth, anything they want to do, I will do it for them," said Metz, a retired military officer who won the District 4 seat. "It is the people's government now."

In addition, voters shot down a referendum that would allow the city to vacate Corey Circle, a small road behind City Hall. A new development project slated for that area will include a hotel, a condominium and boat storage, as well as a public waterfront park and pedestrian bridge linking the Corey area to the city's new community center on Boca Ciega Drive.

Belleair Beach

Voters in Belleair Beach opted to close its Police Department on Tuesday, and instead contract with an outside agency to provide law enforcement services.

The City Council now has two choices, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office or the Clearwater Police Department for police service.

Lynn Rives, picked to serve as mayor for the next two years, brings extensive experience in city government. Tuesday was Rives' fourth successful election. He previously served three terms on the City Council and was selected as presiding officer in 2004.

Gulfport

Voters elected to retain Mayor Michael Yakes, who has served for 15 years, against first-time candidates Clark Scherer and Marlene Shaw.

During his campaign, Yakes vowed to help address property tax concerns and improve the 49th Street business corridor.

Incumbent Michele King will keep her Ward 2 Council seat.

Indian Rocks Beach

Amid a flood of e-mails attacking the actions of the present commission, voters rejected returning two incumbents to office and instead chose two newcomers, Terry Hamilton-Wollin and Bert Valery.

The two newly elected commissioners campaigned on their ability to bring a higher level of discourse to the commission. Both Hamilton-Wollin and Valery could create a new voting balance on the commission.

Madeira Beach

Steve Kochick, a retired New York City firefighter who recently turned down a nomination to be the city's citizen of the year, will now serve as the District 4 commissioner.

Kochick campaigned in favor of promoting the city's business districts.

Nancy Oakley, an accounting technician for the city of Clearwater, will be the other new face on the City Commission. During the campaign, she said she supported streamlining the city's budget.

Redington Beach

Voters sharply rejected the current town government, putting a new majority into office that says it will "return responsibility and civility" to this small beach community.

Longtime resident and former Commissioner Nick Simons will serve as the town's new mayor. He will be joined by newly elected Commissioners Mark Deighton and Fred Steiermann.

Tossed out of office were Commissioners Sam Maniotes, who was the focus of a failed recall election last year, and Anna Yadevia, who was sharply critical of outgoing Mayor Linda Wilson.

Treasure Island

Residents from the Isle of Capri voted to retain two-term Commissioner Phil Collins, 58.

He was being challenged for the District 1 commission job by community activist Dominique Reiter, 60, a licensed mortgage broker and 17-year resident of the island.

During his campaign, Collins said his key goals were to make sure the city's new Causeway Bridge and the new Publix shopping complex are completed on schedule.

Suncoast Fire & Rescue District

Voters firmly rejected giving any more money to the embattled Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue District.

Two referendum questions failed when a majority of voters in Indian Shores, Indian Rocks Beach, Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore and an unincorporated area south of Walsingham Road said "no" Tuesday on two proposed types of fee increases.

The first question would have increased annual fire protection fees for property owners within the fire district from $190 to $260.

Voters also said "no" to authorizing the fire district to seek state authority to automatically increase annual fire fees.

Times correspondents Sheila Mullane Estrada and Kathy Saunders contributed to this report. Christina Silva can be reached at 727 893-8846 or csilva@sptimes.com.

[Last modified March 14, 2007, 05:42:27]