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Politics

Council looks slightly different after election

By JODIE TILLMAN
Published April 11, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - Voters Tuesday sent two political newcomers to the City Council and returned one incumbent in the municipal elections.

Former Parks and Recreation director Bob Consalvo was the top vote-getter, pulling in roughly 20 percent of the 950 votes cast. Coming in a very close second was downtown business owner Rob Marlowe, also with 20 percent of the votes. Consalvo and Marlowe won three-year terms.

Incumbent Marilynn deChant garnered the third most votes, about 17 percent of those cast, and will get the two-year term.

Other candidates were Tom Finn, Samantha Beckman, Ray Rossi and incumbent Tom Lackey.

Voters also gave a resounding "no" to getting rid of term limits and raising council members' salaries.

Turnout was low, with only about 14 percent of registered voters casting votes.

Consalvo, 65, said his name recognition and experience with the city were probably the reasons he did so well.

"I think it was my knowledge of how the city works," said Consalvo, who has been serving on the council since December as an appointee, finishing the term of former Deputy Mayor Matthew McCaffery. "I've never done this before. It's exciting!"

Marlowe said he thought his financial background and education - he has a master's in business administration - probably played a role in his win.

"I'm just humbled by the voters' confidence," said Marlowe, 53, who owns Gulfcoast Networking.

DeChant said her third-place was heartening. "There are a lot of people out there who supported the way I voted on Main Street Landing," she said, referring to her vote not to provide additional public financing to the stalled $33-million condo and retail project.

With one term under her belt, deChant said she expected a different second term.

"I think I'm going to be a little more assertive," she said.

Lackey was disappointed he won't be serving again, "because the only thing I see is the residents paying for all the costs" of development.

Rossi, who spent the day campaigning in the rain, said the race had been a good one. "Everybody fought a clean campaign," he said.

[Last modified April 10, 2007, 22:58:46]