The number one issue on today’s Fort Myers Beach Town Council agenda is filling the empty council seat. The council recently instituted a new process if a seat opens up. That new process will debut today.
Jim Atterholt resigned from his seat at the end of 2025, a little over one year after he won reelection to a second 4-year term. There are 3 Fort Myers Beach residents vying for the seat: Jim Boan, Tom Brady, and John McLean. With four members on the current council, one of the 3 candidates must receive the majority of votes. We expect the Town Attorney to clarify today whether 3 votes are needed or if a 2-1-1 vote is a also a win. None of the three candidates were told how many votes they need to be appointed. When Scott Safford was eventually appointed to replace Bill Veach several years ago, it took several rounds because he needed 3 votes.
If there’s a tie, the council can take as many votes needed to get to a majority. Or, if there’s a stalemate with no clear chance someone will get 2 votes, they can also decide to leave the seat open until the November election and let the voters decide. 
As we’ve reported, Council member John King is not permitted to vote for Brady following Bill Veach’s “offer” to drop his recall appeal against King. The Town Attorney determined that if King voted for Brady, and Brady won the seat, and Veach dropped his appeal, King would benefit financially from that outcome because he would no longer have to pay legal fees, and in fact might win a judgement against Veach to pay his legal fees.
During today’s meeting, each candidate has up to 5 minutes for an opening statement. The Town Council will then interview each candidate without the other 2 in the room and ask them the same set of questions. The 4 members of the Council will then vote and whoever wins will take the oath of office immediately.
The appointment to the seat is until November. The town’s charter states that if there’s a resignation the seat will be filled until the next election. This seat along with John King’s seat and Rebecca Link’s seat will all be on the November 2026 ballot. So far, Tom Brady has announced he will run for election whether he’s appointed to the open seat or not.
Watch our interview with John McLean HERE.
Watch our intervew with Tom Brady HERE.
Watch our interview with Jim Boan HERE.
Beach Talk Radio will carry the 9AM meeting live on our Facebook page and YouTube Channel.
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If all four vote, someone will have to get two votes. Two votes is not a majority unless King recuses himself. The ruling that King cant vote for Brady is unprecedented.