By Steve Plunkett
Briny Breezes is looking for two good aldermen or women.
Alderman Jeff Duncan was the only one of three incumbents in November to file qualifying papers for the March 10 election. Mayor Ted Gross and Alderwoman Holly Reitnauer did not.
That means Duncan was automatically elected to his Seat 4 position and will serve a second two-year term. Duncan originally was appointed as an alderman in December 2023 when no one filed to run for the seat after then-Council President Christina Adams resigned early.
In March, when the three current terms end, the Town Council will appoint people to fill Gross’ Seat 6 and Reitnauer’s Seat 2, according to the town’s charter.
“At its first meeting after the election, the Town Council shall declare any office that was left unfilled due to a vacancy in candidacy to be a vacant office. The Council, by plurality vote, shall appoint a qualified elector to fill that vacancy for the full term of that office,” the charter says.
The council will also choose a mayor from among its members.
Gross was appointed to be mayor in December 2023 after he had qualified for the March 2024 election and then-Mayor Gene Adams resigned early to avoid having to file a detailed statement of his finances.
But a lawsuit held up implementation of the state’s in-depth financial statement known as Form 6 and aldermen have since only had to file the previous, less-intrusive form.
Reitnauer, who is married to Alderman Bill Birch, will have been in office only 15 months when her tenure ends. She was appointed an alderwoman in December 2024 after Kathy Gross, Ted’s wife, gave up her Town Council seat.
Comments