Brenner wins race for mayor

Fewer than 14 percent go to the polls as New Port Richey also chooses Scott Chittum to serve on the City Council.

By BETH GLENN

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 12, 2000

NEW PORT RICHEY -- Voters elected Wendy Brenner the new mayor of New Port Richey on Tuesday and chose Scott Chittum to fill a vacant city council seat.

With all of the city's 11 precincts reporting final unofficial results, Brenner was the winner with 567 votes in the mayor's race. She bested Ted Thomas (408) and Bette Farmerie (252).

Meanwhile, 157 votes separated Chittum (647) from his nearest competitor, Don Kirby (490), in the contest for the council seat. Perennial candidate Frank Janczlik came in a distant third with 87 votes.

Most candidates watched the results come in at City Hall.

"I'm glad it's over and look forward to serving the city," Brenner said Tuesday night. "And I thank all those residents that voted, which wasn't very many. That was a real disappointment."

Brenner wasn't alone in her lament about voter apathy. Poll workers often had little to do Tuesday as only 13.8 percent of the 9,077 voters registered to participate in the election came to the polls. About 50 of those were absentee ballots.

Among resident voters, county elections officials had anticipated a moderately light turnout.

"It's just been a steady little trickle all day long, nothing to get excited about" said Mazie Rohne, who was working the polls at the board of Realtors' office. A veteran poll worker for 12 years, Rohne said it was about what she had come to expect from city elections. "They're all pretty much the same."

Indeed, the presidential preference primary and alcohol straw poll in March drew 14 percent of the city's voters as well, while the previous municipal elections in 1998 were decided by just 8 percent of those registered.

K.C. Misemer, who has lived in the city nearly 20 years, said Brenner and Chittum won his vote because he and his family knew them personally.

"And I think it's very important to get out and vote," he said. "I know the folks here, they're all local and I think that's where you can really make a difference."

Council candidate Chittum, whose 647 votes were more than mayor hopeful Brenner's 567, said he was pleasantly surprised at his victory.

"I'm very excited," he said. "I didn't expect I'd get the most votes out of everybody running but it sure was encouraging. The city's going to be in good shape with that kind of depth of candidates because there was a good menu of people to choose from."

Brenner, 49, is a native of Wolfesboro, N.H., and coordinates the annual Chasco Fiesta. She served seven years on the council, from 1991 to 1997 and was deputy mayor from 1993 to 1997. She was prevented from running in the previous election by term limits.

Chittum, 36, is a Tampa native and insurance salesman, making his first run for council. He has served on the city's code enforcement and planning and zoning boards.

In a race undefined by a single issue, Brenner stressed the importance of spreading downtown improvements into the surrounding neighborhoods and incorporating water and river considerations in city planning decisions. Chittum, meanwhile, said he would place a premium on code enforcement.

In a largely sedate campaign, the only surprise came when mayoral candidate Thomas was asked by the Times about a 1991 arrest. A routine background check showed Thomas had been charged with solicitation but was never convicted. He served probation and paid a fine. Thomas initially denied he had been arrested, saying the incident was a case of mistaken identity. He later admitted the arrest but said the charges sprang from misunderstood intentions.

New Port Richey council members serve for two years and make $3,600 each year. The mayor's post pays $4,200. The elections were non-partisan. The new mayor and council member will be sworn in next Tuesday.

-- Staff writer Beth Glenn covers the city of New Port Richey. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6229 or (800) 333-7505, ext. 6229. Her e-mail address is glenn@sptimes.com.

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