Inverness voters put new blood on council

Political newcomers grab two seats in an election dominated by talk of police raises and a new city hall. The re-elected incumbent wins by only 16 votes.

By SUZANNAH GONZALES
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 12, 2003

INVERNESS -- Inverness voters decided Tuesday they wanted to see some change on the City Council.

In three council elections, two incumbents lost and the third kept his seat by just 16 votes.

In the race for Seat 1, incumbent John Sullivan barely slid into his third term, taking 517 votes compared with Brian Snapp's 501.

Ken M. Hinkle defeated eight-year council veteran Henry "Ted" Stauffer in the battle for Seat 3, 574 votes to 440.

And for Seat 5, Marc L. Wigmore beat out four-year council member Robert E. Plaisted with 541 votes to 472.

The council members serve four-year terms.

The challengers each were seeking office for the first time. They said pay for police and plans to build a new city hall, among other issues, prompted them to run.

Meanwhile, the incumbents said they wanted to continue working on ongoing projects such as downtown redevelopment, park improvements and building the new city hall.

The county's court director, Sullivan, 56, said he wants to see projects already under way completed. He also said he will work to keep the city's financial reserves strong.

An ultrasound consultant for Citrus Cardiology Consultants and Family Care, Hinkle, 52, said he wanted to address police officer pay and the department's high turnover rate, as well as encourage better maintenance along city streets.

"I'm going to do the best I can," Wigmore said after his victory was announced in the City Council chambers. All the candidates and many supporters gathered there to wait for the results.

Plaisted said he was tired and wanted to go home. "You know, better luck next time," he said of his defeat. "I'm sure my opponent will do a good job."

During his campaign, Wigmore, a 53-year-old self-employed accountant, said he would conduct a survey of his own to determine if the city's police officers are underpaid and look into fair taxation.

Of the 5,005 registered voters in Inverness, 1,029 cast ballots, including 253 who voted absentee.

The winners will join Mayor Joyce Rogers, who ran unopposed in the election, as well as council members Jacqie Hepfer and Richard "Dick" Kaufman, whose seats were not up for election this year.

Rogers and the newly elected council members will be sworn in at 10 a.m. today.

-- Suzannah Gonzales can be reached at (352) 860-7312 or sgonzales@sptimes.com.

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