Brown takes mayor's chair again

There’s a new tradition at Longboat Key Town Hall: As long as Jim Brown is still a commissioner, he is mayor of Longboat Key.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Longboat Key Town Commission unanimously selected Brown to serve as the town’s mayor at Monday night’s statutory meeting.

Brown’s appointment ties former Mayor James “Jim” P. Brown’s four consecutive terms as mayor from 1990 to 1993. Former Mayor Samuel Gibbon’s stint of five consecutive mayoral terms from 1969-73 holds the record.

Brown, in the final year of his third and final term, was nominated by Commissioner Jack Duncan.

“I’m pleased and proud to nominate Jim Brown, the sitting mayor, to another term as mayor,” Duncan said. “I hope my colleagues will agree he’s done a phenomenal job making this position as a commissioner easy for all of us. He makes it comfortable for all of us and he allows us to get our opinions across. We appreciate what Jim has done for the last three years and we hope he will serve another year.”

No other commissioners made nominations, and Brown accepted the role.

“I will do whatever I can to uphold the tradition expected,” Brown said. “I can’t do what I do without the help of the rest of you.”

The vice mayor seat nomination process didn’t go as smoothly.

Commissioner Lynn Larson nominated Commissioner Phill Younger; Commissioner Terry Gans nominated Commissioner Pat Zunz; and Younger nominated Duncan.

Duncan, who received the majority of the votes, hesitated briefly before voting for himself. Brown, Younger and Commissioner Irwin Pastor, the fresh face on the commission, also voted for Duncan.

Larson voted for Younger. Zunz, who voted for herself, also received the vote of Gans.

The town’s new mayor and vice mayor will serve one-year terms.

Both Gans and Pastor, who won two-year terms in last week’s municipal election, were sworn in to the District 3 and at-large seats, respectively. Commissioners Lynn Larson and Pat Zunz, who ran unopposed, were also sworn in for new two-year terms.

Outgoing District 3 Commissioner David Brenner’s farewell from the commission after two terms, though, took center stage at the meeting.

Commissioners who worked with Brenner took the opportunity to make farewell remarks to their colleague who they each agreed was the commission’s hardest working member over the last four years. Some commissioners confirmed they were only on the commission after being recruited by Brenner.

“I’ve had the good fortune over the past several years to work with Dave Brenner and it’s always been a pleasure,” Brown said. “Anything he was ever asked to do, he always did it in spades. I’m going to miss him. We all are.”

Brenner’s farewell speech was met with applause and a standing ovation for his service.

“It was a labor of love, and I have no complaints,” Brenner said. “The success I have had is due to many people.”

Brenner outlined a list of accomplishments he is most proud of (see Page 7A) from his commission days.
He noted that working with Publix officials to make sure a new Longboat Key Publix project stayed on track is one of his notable accomplishments.

“Getting something built in this town is not always easy and I felt strongly the Publix development was critical in turning things around,” said Brenner, who urged the town to keep the course with Urban Land Institute recommendations.

“The ULI study is the roadmap for the next 20 years,” Brenner said.

In an email to Granger and commissioners Monday night after the meeting, Brenner wrote: “Thanks to all of you for making this the most memorable meeting of my career on Longboat Key. My best wishes for continued success, Irwin, too. There’s work still to be done. I’ll be watching.”

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected]