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Tag: commission vacancy

Commission discusses Ward 4 vacancy

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners discussed filling the vacant Ward 4 city commission seat, but the lone applicant, Robert Talham, didn’t attend the Jan. 15 meeting. 

The Ward 4 seat has been vacant since commissioner Jan Vosburgh’s 11-year tenure ended on Nov. 20. 

“To date we’ve had one applicant, Robert Talham,” Mayor John Chappie said. 

Talham was not in attendance at the meeting. According to his application, dated Nov. 3, 2025, he is a retired contractor. The application states he is a full-time resident of Bradenton Beach. The application also states he will not be able to attend meetings in the months of June, July and August. 

City Attorney Erica Augello explained the process for filling the vacancy. 

“We discussed at one of the last meetings to put out an advertisement to see if you could get anyone specifically from Ward 4,” she said. “From any of the applicants that apply, the commission then gets to nominate a person; and then whoever is nominated and seconded, there needs to be a majority vote from the commission.”

She said if the commission chooses not to nominate anyone at that meeting, there would be a second meeting to consider additional applications.

“At that second meeting, if you do not have any nominations you are willing to make, you may nominate any of the applicants based on who you think would be qualified to fill the position,” Augello said.

If there is no nomination at the second meeting, then other qualified applicants from the city at at-large, not just Ward 4, would be considered. Two more meetings would then be needed to nominate and select the candidate.

“Then, if no candidate is nominated and no majority vote is garnered to select that person, it goes to drawing lots (drawing the highest card from a deck of cards),” Augello said. “It is a step-by-step process. You do have to weigh the qualifications of the person and the availability.”

Chappie addressed the difficulty in finding a candidate due to a decreased population in the city.

“We don’t have the population we had years ago. It’s been difficult at times to get people to volunteer and come aboard. I think some time in this year we want to talk about that. I think we’re going to have to face the facts,” he said.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Bradenton Beach was 908 residents in 2020. According to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office website, Bradenton Beach had 481 registered voters at last count.

Bradenton Beach is the only city on the Island that uses geographically based city commission wards. All commission seats in Anna Maria and Holmes Beach are citywide at-large seats.

‘I like the wards. I like that system, but things have changed,” Chappie said.

Commissioner Ralph Cole said he has known Talham for quite a while. 

“He’s lived in Bradenton Beach for a long time. I know he loves Bridge Street. He is living in Ward 4 and has done so for a long period of time,” Cole said.

“The questions I have are about the June, July and August availability,” Chappie said. “That’s hurricane season and we have a lot of stuff going on. I just wanted to voice that. So, we’ll schedule this for our next commission meeting and hopefully we’ll have more applicants.”

Commission discusses redistricting, vacancy

Commissioners discuss redistricting, commission vacancy

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – Following the vacancy left by the Dec. 28 resignation of Commissioner Jake Spooner, city commissioners discussed the course of action to fill his position at a Jan. 4 meeting.

The discussion also included the possible redistricting of the city’s four ward boundaries.

Spooner, a commissioner since 2015 from Ward 1, ran unopposed in 2022 and was sworn in for a two-year term in November 2023. He said he resigned because of the state’s expanded financial disclosure requirements that now apply to all Florida mayors and city commissioners holding office as of Jan. 1.

Mayor John Chappie and Commissioners Ralph Cole and Jan Vosburgh attended the Jan. 4 meeting while Commissioner Marilyn Maro and City Attorney Ricinda Perry phoned in.

“There is a process our charter dictates that we go through,” Chappie said. According to Section 8 of the City Charter, Filling of Vacancies: “Whenever there is a vacancy, the commission shall propose by nomination one or more names of willing and qualified successors for the vacancy. The commission will then vote among the nominees to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term. If a majority of the commissioners are unable to fill a vacancy or vacancies after two meetings, then the successor shall be chosen by lot by the city clerk from the nominees proposed. If no appointee can be found residing in the ward of vacancy, the commission may appoint an individual who would otherwise qualify for elective office.”

“There are two things we’re dealing with that are both dealing with this particular issue,” Perry said. “One is the changing or review of the ward boundaries and also changing the numbers of three and four so they’re sequential in our city. Right now it’s one, two, four, three.”

Perry said part of last year’s charter review process was to make sure the four wards are evenly balanced for the number of registered voters.

“This comes directly with recommendations from the Supervisor of Elections,” Perry said. “If you recall it was almost a year ago, maybe a little longer, the city formally requested from the Supervisor of Elections their data and analysis.”

The Supervisor of Elections produces maps and boundary descriptions for the four wards, she said.

“The charter review committee had recommended the city redistribute that once that data was available from the Supervisor of Elections,” Perry said. “It wasn’t until much later in the year, almost right before the deadline for the November election, that the Supervisor of Elections produced that data to the city. And at that time (City Clerk) Terri Sanclemente and I had discussions with the Supervisor of Elections as to when would be the best time for the city to take up this issue and look at redistributing the voters. “

She said Assistant Supervisor of Elections Scott Farrington had asked the city to hold off until after the elections to avoid confusion.

“Now that the election is over, this would be the time for the city commission to look at those recommendations that came from Mr. Farrington,” Perry said.

She suggested the city take up the redistricting issue first, which is done by resolution.

“Once that issue is fully addressed, then I believe the city commission can take up appointments for Mr. Spooner’s seat,” Perry said.

If no candidate steps forward from Ward 1, Perry explained the next steps.

“Then it becomes an at-large seat temporarily for the remainder of that term,” Perry said. “Until the next election cycle, then it would become a ward seat again if anyone wants to run.”

Perry said the commission would discuss the issue again on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. in the Katie Pierola Commission Chambers, 107 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach.

Prior to that meeting, Perry said she plans to reach out to Farrington to ensure the data received last year from the Supervisor of Elections has not changed.

Anna Maria seeks city commission applicants

Anna Maria seeks city commission applicants

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy and the city commission have established the timeline that will be used to fill two vacant city commission seats.

In late September, Commissioner Deanie Sebring vacated the remaining 14 months of her two-year commission term. The commission seat held by Commissioner Robert Kingan will be vacant in December after his current two-year term expires. Kingan chose not to seek reelection and no other candidate chose to run in this year’s race, which also sees commissioners Jon Crane and Charlie Salem running unopposed for additional two-year terms in office.

The person appointed to fill Sebring’s vacant seat will serve the remainder of a term that expires in December 2024. The person appointed to fill Kingan’s vacant seat will serve a term that expires in December 2025.

The commission generally meets two Thursdays a month (once in the afternoon and once in the evening), with additional meetings scheduled as needed. Commissioners earn $400 per month for their service.

On Oct. 19, Murphy and the four sitting commissioners made slight revisions to the previously discussed appointment timeline.

The city will begin soliciting candidate applications on Nov. 1, with applications available from the city clerk’s office or online at www.cityofannamaria.com. The application period closes on Friday, Dec. 15.

From Nov. 1 to Dec. 27, the city clerk’s office will accept candidate questions submitted by the public, the media, the mayor and the sitting commissioners. Questions can be emailed to amclerk@cityofannamaria.com. On Dec. 29, the compiled questions will be provided to the commission applicants who will then present their answers during a public forum at city hall on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024 at 6 p.m. Forum attendees will be allowed to pose follow-up questions to the written questions addressed or not addressed by the candidates.

The two vacant commission seats will then be filled by commission appointment on Thursday, Jan. 25. The appointments will be based on the individual candidate rankings made by sitting commissioners Mark Short, Jon Crane and Charlie Salem. The two top-ranked candidates will be appointed.

During Thursday’s meeting, Crane questioned whether Kingan might be willing to serve a one-year appointment and then vacate that seat with one year remaining. Murphy said he would discuss that possibility with Kingan. After the meeting, Kingan was asked about his interest in serving one more year. He said at this time he has no intention of doing so.

Muscatello vacates seat, short-term successor sought

Muscatello vacates seat, short-term successor sought

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – Country roads are taking City Commissioner Joe Muscatello home.

“I’m going back,” Muscatello said as he presented the mayor and commissioners with parting gifts bearing the likeness of his home state, West Virginia, during his final commission meeting on Thursday, June 24.

“First of all, I want to say I’m not dying and Missy and I are not getting a divorce,” he quipped. Muscatello and his wife, Mellissa, have bought a bed and breakfast in Shepherdstown – a university town located about 75 miles northwest of Washington D.C.

“I don’t drink coffee, I hate eggs and I don’t get up early either, so it may be a bed and lunch,” Muscatello joked.

City officials affectionately said farewell to Muscatello, whose term was scheduled to expire after the November city elections are certified until he announced his early departure.

After good-heartedly teasing Muscatello about his abbreviated 18-month term in office, Mayor Dan Murphy presented him with a commemorative wooden plaque and thanked him for his service to the city.

“We’re sad to see you go, but I understand life transitions are important,” Commission Chair Carol Carter added.

“It’s been a great 18 months,” said Muscatello, before asking Administrative Assistant Stephanie Janney to play a recording of John Denver’s “Take Me Home Country Roads” – a song that references West Virginia, where he was born and raised.

“It’s a beautiful state and I do hope you’ll visit,” Muscatello said before asking those in the room to join him in singing the familiar chorus: “Country roads, take me home, to the place I belong, West Virginia, mountain mama, take me home, country roads…”

“I love all of you,” he said. “Thank you all.”

Applications open for vacant seat

The city of Anna Maria is now accepting applications to fill the vacant seat.

Tuesday, July 6 is the deadline to apply to serve the remainder of Muscatello’s current term. The commission plans to appoint his short-term successor on Thursday, July 8. The application form is available at the city website or the city clerk’s office.

If so desired, the commission appointee can seek election to a full two-year term during the upcoming city elections. The two-week qualifying period for the Anna Maria elections opens at noon on Monday, Aug. 16 and closes at noon on Friday, Aug. 27. Qualifying paperwork can be obtained from the city clerk’s office or the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections office.

During Thursday’s meeting, the commission discussed whether to fill the short-term vacancy or allow the vacant seat to remain vacant until after the city elections. Murphy recommended filling the vacancy as soon as possible and the commission voted 5-0 to do so.

“We have some very heavy duty topics and issues to solve between now and November and the (elected) commissioner would not be seated until December,” Murphy said.

The mayor noted the commission must soon discuss and make decisions regarding the “Reimagining Pine Avenue” study and the proposed solutions that stem from that study. The commission must also engage in further discussion regarding the planned expenditure of approximately $370,000 in American Rescue Plan funds, and the commission must soon help develop the city budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year that begins Oct 1.

Murphy said he’s concerned that a four-member commission could potentially lead to 2-2 tie votes.

“There’s a potential for deadlocks. Deadlocks would lead to gridlock,” he said. “If we fill this vacancy through an appointment, then you’d have to have an election in November anyway.”

Former City Commissioner Doug Copeland attended Thursday’s meeting and his presence was noted during the commission discussion.

Muscatello vacates seat, short-term successor sought
Former Commissioner Doug Copeland appears to be the leading candidate to serve the remainder of Joe Muscatello’s commission term. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“I’m aware of a very good, experienced, competent candidate who’s actually in the chamber today. I think it would help us address the weighty issues on the table. I can’t imagine someone in our populace more capable of stepping in immediately,” Commissioner Jon Crane said without mentioning Copeland by name.

Crane asked City Attorney Becky Vose if an appointment could be made without first advertising the vacancy and allowing others to apply.

In response, Vose said, “I would highly recommend that you have a public announcement. That person (Copeland) can respond and probably would get picked, but I would not shortcut the process. You could decide tonight to have an announcement made tomorrow. I’m uncomfortable recommending that you subvert the process completely.”

As he’s done previously, Muscatello, who was appointed himself, reiterated his overall desire that commissioners be elected rather than appointed whenever possible. Last year, Deanie Sebring was appointed to fulfill the commission seat vacated by Amy Tripp. Crane ran unopposed for his current term and Commissioner Mark Short was appointed to his first term in office before running unopposed last year.

After the meeting, Copeland said he would submit his application Friday morning. He feels his past experience as a commissioner and a Planning and Zoning Board member would benefit the city in the short term, but he was non-committal about running for a full two-year term later this year. Copeland did not seek reelection in 2019.