Daly vs. Grossman; Jaleski vs. Younger

When the clock struck noon Monday, at Longboat Key Town Hall, the race was on — two of them, that is.
The town will have two contested Longboat Key Town Commission races on the ballot of its March 10, 2015, general municipal election.

Commissioner Phill Younger will face off against Longbeach Village resident Gene Jaleski for the at-large seat Younger has held since 2010, when Jaleski resigned from the commission after just more than a year in the seat.

Planning and Zoning Board Vice Chairman Jack Daly, a Club Longboat resident, and St. Judes Drive resident Larry Grossman will vie for the District 4 seat that Mayor Jim Brown will term-limit out of next spring.

The Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office certified Grossman as a candidate Monday morning after he submitted petitions that the office verified. Grossman originally submitted candidate paperwork last week, but the Supervisor of Elections office rejected them because the signers did not live in District 4.

“We don’t have single-member districts where I would be elected only by the people in District 4,”

Grossman said. “That’s something that needs to change. I thought because anyone can elect you, anyone could sign the petition.”

Not in the running: Planning & Zoning Board Chairman Al Hixon, who took out papers to run for the District 4 seat earlier this month but opted not to seek office.

“With appreciation to all of those who encouraged me to seek a seat on the Town Commission, I am unable to devote the time and effort required to do this full-time public service position well.  My personal and professional obligations seem to be increasing, and Jack Daly is an outstanding candidate who will serve our Town well … ” Hixon wrote in an email to the Longboat Observer.

Meanwhile, no candidates challenged Vice Mayor Jack Duncan for the District 2 seat he has held since 2011, meaning Duncan will serve a third and final term on the commission.

Election issues
Although the election is three and a half months away, candidates already believe certain key issues will emerge.

Daly says one of the biggest issues will be the underground utilities referenda the commission opted last week to put on hold until at least November.

“I think the commission came out correctly,” Daly said. “The important thing is to get it right, and it’s clear the ordinance needs more work.”

Also high on Daly’s priorities are updating the town’s codes and Comprehensive Plan.

Grossman, his challenger, said the issue will be about “building a better community.”

“It really is about picking up on ULI (Urban Land Institute) recommendations and the need to modernize and prepare for future generations and keep the island up-to-date,” he said.

Grossman said projects often get stalled due to a lack of consensus, citing underground utilities.

“I call it disunity, where people make accusations and argue about who gets what, who pays for what,” he said.

Younger said zoning code and Comp Plan changes will be top priorities.

“They need to be in line with the court decisions,” he said. “I wish this had gone a little faster, but we’re finally deeply looking into it.”

Younger said other major issues will be the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort — including what the town can and cannot do, Bayfront Park, underground utilities, 911 dispatch consolidation, beach nourishment and keeping taxes under control.

Jaleski, Younger’s opponent for the at-large seat, said the election is about bringing Longboat Key into the 21st century.

“We’re not there,” Jaleski said. “This commission has done nothing in years to advance this community. I have the background, skill and technical expertise we need.”

Jaleski accused the current commission of not taking action on the severely eroded north-end beach, where construction of two groins is currently underway, or Bayfront Park, and he said morale at Town Hall is poor.

Still, he said the beach was the most important issue.

“It is a disaster,” Jaleski said.

Duncan said he opted to run for a third and final term after being asked repeatedly to reconsider his original decision not to run again. He also cited redoing the town’s code and Comp Plan as a high priority.

Brown, who has been mayor since 2011, thinks Duncan could make a good successor.

“I would still like to see Jack as mayor, but it’s not going to be my decision,” he said.

Brown could seek appointment to the Planning and Zoning Board when he leaves the commission next spring.

“I’ve been invested in this town for a long time,” he said. “A lot of things are unfinished, and I’d like to see them finished.”

Commissioner Lynn Larson will term-limit out of her District 1 seat in 2016. Commissioners Terry Gans, Irwin Pastor and Pat Zunz will be up for re-election at that time.

The town’s March election will take place one week earlier than usual to allow the town to piggyback off of Sarasota County’s election.

Commission Races
Voters will cast ballots in the March 10, 2015, election on the following races.

At-large seat
Jaleski
Younger

District 4 seat
Daly
Grossman