Crystal River ousts 2 council members

© St. Petersburg Times,
published November 7, 2001

CRYSTAL RIVER -- In a close election that reflected the city's factionalism, voters Tuesday ousted two City Council members and handed a thin victory to an insurgent coalition that rallied around the firing of City Manager David Sallee.

Incumbents Mike Gudis and Ray Wallace, both of whom voted to fire Sallee earlier this year, were defeated by John Kendall and Kitty Ebert, founding members of Crystal River Citizens for Reform.

In a third contest, 48-year-old newcomer Susan Kirk beat Wes Stow, 73, a well-financed Republican leader who at one time considered dropping out of the race, by 178 votes.

About 765 people, or 35 percent of registered voters, cast ballots.

Kendall's and Ebert's victories were less decisive, by 41 and 32 votes respectively. Nonetheless, the candidates cast the day as a turning point in city politics.

"The people have decided that they want change," the 73-year-old Kendall said.

"Now everybody is going to get a fair shake," said Ebert, 68, a former council member who has asserted that the current government has catered to a powerful few.

As the weeks passed since Sallee left town in June, it seemed Citizens for Reform was losing momentum.

First the council hired a new manager, Phil Lilly, a church leader who is well regarded. Then the group failed to recruit candidates.

Founding members originally said they would not seek office. But they disbanded, and with days before the campaign began, Kendall and Ebert stepped forward.

This brought criticism from opponents, who questioned their truthfulness. Gudis, 65, and Wallace, 53, said their experience made them better candidates.

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