On Thursday, it appears, the Fort Myers Beach Town Council, will vote at least one more time to try to fill the seat left vacant when Bill Veach quit the council at the end of 2023. All five candidates who submitted applications for the seat remain in the running.
On Sunday Brunch With The Mayor, this past Sunday, Mayor Dan Allers hinted that there may also be a discussion where each of the 4 sitting council members detail why they are voting for a specific person.
Last Monday, three votes failed to produce a majority for one candidate with Mayor Allers voting for Jim Boan, Vice Mayor Atterholt and Council member Karen Woodson Voting for Scott Safford and Councilman John King voting for Ed Schoonover. Barbara Hill and Sal Pedone did not receive any votes.
Three votes are needed to seat someone. Three rounds of voting last Monday produced the same exact results and the council decided to try again at its meeting this Thursday. There has been no indication from any of the four Town Council members that they are willing to change their votes.
The now empty seat is also up for election in November, along with the seats occupied by Mayor Allers and Vice Mayor Atterholt. Council terms are 4 years.
We believe the Town Council should let the voters decide this in November.
This really is a no-win situation for everyone: A.) if one of the Council members changes their vote, it may reflect poorly both on the Council member (whose mind can be changed,) and the candidate (who may be perceived as unqualified by the Member’s change in vote.) B.) if the candidate who was just voted off the Council decides to run in the fall, they may have to fight the perception that they weren’t qualified in the first place so why vote for them now? Each Council member had their own reasons for backing their respective candidate, and it would seem unlikely for any one of them to change their mind for the reasons mentioned above. To remain in a 2-1-1 stalemate isn’t wrong. It reflects well on the current Members who are willing to stand their ground in the face of this level of pressure. And that resolve is a trait which should be commended, not abandoned for purposes of expediency.
I would love to hear why they are each voting for the person they are voting for! I listened to each of the interviews with candidates and would love understand why they are each picking who.