ANNA MARIA – Current City Commission Chairman and Vice-Mayor Mark Short will serve as Anna Maria’s next mayor.
Running unopposed, incumbent city commissioner Gary McMullen and former charter review committee chairman Chris Arendt also earned two-year terms on the Anna Maria City Commission.
Anna Maria voters also approved four charter amendments proposed by the charter review committee and supported by the city commission.
Mayor’s race
In the mayor’s race, Short received 378 votes (60.58%) and Seymour received 246 votes (39.42%),” according to the unofficial results posted at the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website Tuesday evening.
“I would like to thank the voters of the city of Anna Maria for supporting my candidacy for mayor and I look forward to serving the citizens as we go forward,” Short said of his victory.
Short will be sworn into the mayor’s office on Tuesday, Nov. 19. He will succeed Dan Murphy, who served five-consecutive two-year terms as Anna Maria’s mayor.
Short is a retired former partner of the Ernst & Young financial services and consulting firm. He has been a member of the Anna Maria City Commission for the past five years and he’s served as the commission-elected chairman and vice-mayor for the past two years. During the past two months, Short gained hurricane preparation and response experience while assisting Murphy with the city’s response to hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Seymour was an Anna Maria commissioner from 2018 to 2020 before resigning for personal reasons. He owns the Anna Maria General Store, Pine Avenue Bait & Tackle and the City Pier Grill which operates in pier space leased from the city. The City Pier Grill is currently closed due to Hurricane Milton wiping out a significant portion of the pier walkway. The City Pier will remain closed until the missing walkway is replaced.
City charter amendments
During the general election, Anna Maria voters overwhelmingly supported four proposed amendments to the city charter.
Anna Maria voters supported proposed city charter amendment 1, which appeared on the ballot as: “Shall the Anna Maria City Charter be amended to provide a definition for administrative officers of the city?” On this proposed amendment, 498 voters (82.59%) supported it and 105 voters (17.41%) opposed it.
Anna Maria voters overwhelmingly supported proposed city charter amendment 2, which appeared on the ballot as this: “Shall the Anna Maria City Charter be amended to add a height limitation for all structures within the City limits to be no more than two residential/habitable floors and 37 feet above the crown of the abutting road, and include a provision for obtaining a variance?” On this proposed amendment, 531 voters (84.29%) supported it and 99 voters (15.71%) opposed it.
Anna Maria voters supported proposed city charter amendment 3, which appeared on the ballot as: “Shall the Anna Maria City Charter be amended to add language regarding removal of non-qualifying city commissioners and prohibiting city commissioners from holding concurrent municipal or other public office or employment by the city of Anna Maria?” On this proposed amendment, 536 voters (86.59%) supported it and 83 voters (13.41%) opposed it.
Anna Maria voters supported proposed city charter amendment 4, which appeared on the ballot like this: “Shall the Anna Maria City Charter be amended to change the way a special meeting of the city commission may be called, from a call of a single member of the city commission to a call of the majority of the city commission, the chair of the city commission or the city mayor?” On this proposed amendment, 450 voters (74.14 %) supported it and 157 voters (25.86%) opposed it.
