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Beverley Billiris and Karen Brayboy also handily eclipse the vote totals of their opponents in Tarpon Springs.
By KATHERINE GAZELLA
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 21, 2001
TARPON SPRINGS -- Incumbent Mayor Frank DiDonato was re-elected Tuesday night in a big win over former City Manager Costa Vatikiotis.
DiDonato, 53, defeated Vatikiotis, 52, nearly 64 percent to 36 percent in one of the most bitterly disputed elections in recent memory.
Commissioner Beverley Billiris, 53, and former Commissioner Karen Brayboy, 44, both won handily over their challengers, each winning about 68 percent of the vote. Billiris defeated Joseph Pisani, 37, who owns a hair salon, and Brayboy defeated Spanos Harding, 37, the owner of a propane business.
DiDonato said he was "overwhelmed" by the win and the margin of victory.
"I'm honored," he said Tuesday night as supporters cheered in the background. "I think that says what we tried to do three years ago, to bring Tarpon Springs together, is working."
Vatikiotis did not return calls to the Times Tuesday night.
Almost 34 percent of the city's 14,095 registered voters cast ballots Tuesday.
In 1998, DiDonato won a much closer race for mayor. He received 2,486 votes, edging former Mayor George Psaras, who received 2,255. Harding received 207 votes in that race.
This year, the mayoral race pitted DiDonato against Vatikiotis, who have had a contentious relationship since DiDonato was elected in 1998. At the time, Vatikiotis was city manager. He later resigned, citing philosophical differences with the DiDonato-led commission.
The campaign was characterized by finger-pointing and harsh words. Vatikiotis began his campaign by criticizing his opponent and other commissioners, and DiDonato countered that many of Vatikiotis' statements were based on incorrect numbers and assessments.
The two candidates sparred at several candidate forums, as well as in advertisements and campaign literature.
Vatikiotis, who works as an engineer in private practice, said the commission had overspent on numerous projects, while DiDonato said the numbers were bogus. Vatikiotis said the commission hadn't done anything well in the past three years, while DiDonato said the city has done numerous beautification projects, increased city services without raising taxes and approved the affiliation that allowed Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital to remain open.
The candidates also differed on a proposed downtown redevelopment plan, which DiDonato supports and Vatikiotis opposes. Vatikiotis sent out a mailing last week, which warned that "the beauty of Tarpon Springs will soon disappear." He posted signs throughout town saying, "Save Tarpon Springs," which he said referred to his opposition to the redevelopment plan.
DiDonato said the plan gives the city a long-range goal and will benefit residents and tourists.
Billiris, who won her second term on the commission, said the results could be taken as an endorsement of the current commission. She said voters didn't buy into Vatikiotis' criticisms of the commission.
"The people have recognized that we have done a good job," she said. "And negative campaigning never pays off."
Brayboy, who previously served on the commission from 1994 to 1999, said she was looking forward to delving into the budget and interviewing candidates for the internal auditor position.
"At this point, I really don't know what issues will go forward," said Brayboy, who operates investment and employee benefit companies. "I guess that's going to depend on whether I can ever pick up two other votes."
Neither Harding nor Pisani could be reached for comment Tuesday night.
At polling places throughout the city on Tuesday, voters were sharply divided about which mayoral candidate they supported.
"It appeared the current government was doing a great job," said Dr. Robert Manestar, a chiropractor and DiDonato supporter. "The other side ran a negative campaign."
Others agreed with Vatikiotis' claim that the current commission focuses too much on tourists and risks destroying the city's charms.
"What I'm interested in is keeping Tarpon Springs, Tarpon Springs," said Bob Jenkins, a Vatikiotis supporter who delivers seafood locally. "Keeping it a small town."
Voter Davida Rodman, a Pointe Alexis resident, echoed the sentiment of many voters with her description of the election. She said it was a contest between two men with two distinct personalities.
"It's strictly who you wanted to vote for," she said, "not what the issues are."
-- Staff writer Katherine Gazella can be reached at (727) 445-4182 or gazella@sptimes.com.
100 percent of precincts counted
(Votes, Percentage)
MAYOR
Frank DiDonato, 3,007, 63.7%
Costa Vatikiotis, 1,710, 36.3%
CITY COMMISSION SEAT 3
Karen Brayboy, 3,109, 67.7%
Spanos Harding, 1,484, 32.3%
CITY COMMISSION SEAT 4
Beverley Billiris, 3,149, 68.1%
Joseph Pisani, 1,473, 31.9%