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Jon Pearl, who has criticized the Lealman Fire Board, withdrew on Sept. 29 without explanation.
By ANNE LINDBERG
© St. Petersburg Times, published October 18, 2000
LEALMAN -- Weeks of rumors have turned out to be true: Jon Pearl has withdrawn from the race for head of the Lealman Fire Board.
Pearl's withdrawal leaves board chief Linda Campbell to face former board member Fred Harriman in the Nov. 7 election.
Records from the Pinellas County Board of Elections show that Pearl wrote a Sept. 29 letter asking to be taken off the ballot.
His withdrawal came in a one-sentence, handwritten memo: "I, Jon E. Pearl, hereby withdraw from the ballot for the position of Seat No. 1, Lealman Special Fire Protection Commission on Sept. 29, 2000."
He offered no explanation for his decision.
The elections board faxed Pearl's letter to the state Division of Elections that day, which faxed back its approval of Pearl's withdrawal. His decision came before the ballots were printed, so his name will not be on the ballot.
Pearl did not return a phone message Tuesday seeking comment.
Campbell said she was surprised to hear the news because Pearl has been so outspoken in his criticism of her and her conduct at board meetings. She did note that Pearl was not at last week's fire board meeting, an unusual occurrence.
"I thought his main purpose was to oust me because (he thinks) I run a "Nazi camp,' " she said.
Campbell said Pearl's decision will not change her campaign tactics or her conduct.
"It doesn't change anything for me," she said. "I believe in the community. I believe in what I'm doing. It doesn't make any difference to me."
Harriman did not return a phone message seeking comment.
Board member W.A. Adams and challenger William Suddarth will compete for Seat 5.
Seat 3 is uncontested and has been filled by Michael Brophy, a current board member. Bob Carter, another board member, was not challenged for Seat 3.
Seat 2 is vacant and no one signed up for that race. It's unclear, Campbell said, whether the new board will appoint a member to fill the position or whether the governor will choose someone.
The board is publicly elected but represents the private, not-for-profit group that contracts with the county to run the Lealman fire district.
The new board will represent the newly created independent Lealman fire district and will be able to pay for itself by raising taxes. The new district was created earlier this year by the state Legislature as a way for firefighters to get state long-term disability and retirement benefits, which the private group could not afford.
Voters also will have a chance in a Nov. 7 referendum to decide whether the new board will be allowed to raise taxes.