HOLMES BEACH – The voters have spoken and Jim Kihm, Carol Soustek, Rick Hurst and Pat Morton will fill the commission’s roster for the next year.
Bringing in the highest number of votes at 698, newcomer Kihm took one of the three two-year terms available. This will be his first term on the city commission.
Filling the remaining two-year terms are incumbent Carol Soustek and newcomer Rick Hurst. Soustek will be returning for her third term, having garnered 572 of the votes. Hurst will be serving his first term on the commission, receiving 556 of the votes.
Taking the one-year term on the city commission is incumbent Morton, who brought in 532 votes. This will be his eighth term as commissioner.
Because of an error in qualifying for last year’s election, Marvin Grossman was reappointed by his fellow commissioners for a one-year term. To put the seat back into its proper election order, Morton will have to run again in 2018 to remain on the commission for a two-year term.
Without enough seats for all candidates, incumbent Grossman was unseated, falling short with 496 votes.
For the first time in three years Holmes Beach hosted a municipal election night to fill its city commission dais. With five candidates and four available seats, 2,854 total votes were cast at the polls and by mail. As of September 2017, Holmes Beach has 2,935 registered voters according to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office.
The first meeting for the new commission will be an organizational meeting, scheduled for Monday, Nov. 20 at 9 a.m. at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive.
