Commissioners delay leadership vote following election

The Pinellas Board of County Commissioners delayed the scheduled selection of a new chair and vice chair at Tuesday’s meeting to accommodate the imminent arrival of new members.

Commissioner Rene Flowers also used the occasion to withdraw her candidacy for vice chair out of consideration for her colleague Kathleen Peters’ seniority.

Peters, a Republican, motioned to delay the vote until the next meeting. She said the seven-member board should include the two new members, also Republicans. Commissioners initially split as to whether they should postpone selections, as it affects the committee appointment process and January meetings.

“I just want to be inclusive,” said Peters. “I don’t think anything is going to change.”

As current Chair Charlie Justice explained, the vote is typically held at the first meeting after the election and includes new members. Term-limited Rep. Chris Latvala won the District 5 seat back in June as he ran unopposed.

An election reform law enacted in April that only applied to Pinellas County required commissioners in single-member districts to run again following redistricting. Commissioner Karen Seel decided to step down instead of running against Latvala, as she planned to retire at the end of her term in 2024.

Brian Scott defeated incumbent Pat Gerard by eight points during the Nov. 8 election. The new board now flips to a 4-3 Republican majority.

The debate resulted from the two new commissioners who will take office Nov. 22, and Justice noted that no one wanted to convene just before Thanksgiving. County officials then scheduled the meeting and vote for this week to accommodate the holiday, resulting in a “time crunch.” Justice added that a substantial appointment process is necessary to organize committees in time for pertinent January meetings.

Justice, whose term as chairman concludes Dec. 31, motioned for a compromise after the ardent debate. He suggested moving the vote to a December meeting and delegating the vice chair to begin working on the committee assignment process.

After the meeting, Justice told the Catalyst that the vice chair usually becomes the new chair, and the most senior commissioner assumes the vacated position.

“The compromise was more about getting the committee process going,” said Justice. “It takes some time.”

During the meeting, Commissioner Dave Eggers conceded that working through the technical details becomes more challenging once the board selects its chair but called waiting for the new members “the right thing to do.” Flowers and Vice Chair Janet Long said they should follow the set schedule.

Seel, a registered Republican, expressed her belief that the commission should vote as scheduled but said she understood the other viewpoint. She also questioned if the new commission would reverse the vote.

Seel relayed how she pulled then-commissioner and current St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch aside after Democrats took the board’s majority in 2012. She asked him to maintain the same collaborative spirit as both parties serve the people of Pinellas and expressed her hopes that the new commission would continue that tradition.

“And so, that’s my only message to you all today,” said Seel in her last meeting after 23 years as a county commissioner. “I just would hate to see dissension happen come January.”

The commission, with Gerard absent, unanimously approved delegating authority to the vice chair to coordinate the committee and board appointment process while seeking input from the two new members. The new governing body will hear the final recommendations and select its leadership at a December meeting.

Several board members relayed their pleasure with the compromise. After the meeting, Justice said he believes the same collaborative approach will endure.

“The Pinellas commission has a long history of working in a bipartisan manner to get the work done,” he said. “I expect that to continue.”