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Election results

Proof every vote counts

Just 29 votes separate the ballot totals of newcomer Robin Saenger and Tarpon Springs ex-Mayor Frank DiDonato in Tuesday's municipal election.

By NORA KOCH
Published March 9, 2005

TARPON SPRINGS - With an unofficial margin of 29 votes, newcomer Robin Saenger upset former Mayor Frank DiDonato in Tuesday's city election.

Incumbent Commissioner David Archie prevailed over political novice Matt King, who lost by about 500 votes.

Voters also passed eight proposals to amend the city charter, making it easier for the City Commission to buy land valued at less than $250,000 and raising the amount the city can spend without going out to bid.

The races for the two City Commission seats pitted a pair of experienced insiders against two political novices. Much of the campaign centered around the controversy over the Wal-Mart Supercenter that was approved in January for a vacant site on U.S. 19.

An unknown number of provisional ballots will be counted today, said City Clerk Irene Jacobs.

Saenger claimed an early victory Tuesday night.

"I think the people of Tarpon Springs have come forward to make a statement that they want to be a part of their city," she said from a party with supporters at the Lime-n-Coconut Bar and Grill.

DiDonato blamed his loss on two last-minute fliers Saenger distributed in the days just before the election. One accused him of failing to address key city issues while he was mayor and cutting breaks for developers. Among other things, the flier included a photo of a high-rise development at least 14 stories tall. City codes do not permit a building that tall. DiDonato also was upset about a flier that quoted from a St. Petersburg Times editorial recommending his election. Saenger's flier used truncated quotes to make it seem like she had received the recommendation, he said.

"Unfortunately there were at least 29 people who bit into her lies, and that made the difference right now," DiDonato said. "She's starting her term in a very negative way and that's unfortunate."

DiDonato said he would wait for the provisional ballots to be counted before deciding whether to ask for a recount.

Saenger, 51, used her political newness as a campaign strategy, telling voters that the City Commission was in need of a fresh face with new ideas. She decided to enter the race for the City Commission seat about to be vacated by Commissioner Jim Archer, who is leaving because of term limits, after she learned DiDonato was running unopposed.

DiDonato left the mayor's office last March after six years, forced out because the city charter limits officials to two consecutive terms. He said he was then asked to run for county or state offices, but turned down those offers because his heart was in Tarpon Springs.

During the campaign DiDonato has taken heat for a letter he wrote in 2001 asking the county to back off from an idea to buy a tract of land on U.S. 19, now the Wal-Mart site, and turn it into a park.

Opponents of the project, including Saenger, took shots at DiDonato for writing the letter. DiDonato defended his letter, saying the property had been eyed by developers as a commercial site since the early 1980s and is on a business corridor.

Saenger, who opposes the Wal-Mart project, supports a plan for alternative water but has some questions about the current plan, and would like to consider creating the city's own bottled water brand. She also wants to make the city more pedestrian friendly, attract more tourists and foster a flourishing artist community.

In the race for Seat 2, the inexperienced King proved a challenge to Archie, who ultimately won with nearly a 20 percent margin. King, inspired to run by the Wal-Mart issue, campaigned with promises of preserving the city's history and nurturing small businesses. The two opponents often butted heads over Archie's decision to approve the Wal-Mart plan in January.

"You can still have integrity, do what you think is best and still come out victorious," Archie said, talking about his "yes" vote on Wal-Mart. "That's what this election proved to me."

Despite his apparent loss, King said he was pleased with the results, considering he ran against a three-term incumbent. He also said the thousand voters who supported him were sent a message to Archie.

"Even if he wins, he should consider the fact that so many people voted, basically, against him" because of concerns about development, King said. "He should take into consideration some of those issues in the future."

King said he will continue to promote historic preservation in the city, even if it will be as a citizen.

Nora Koch can be reached at nkoch@sptimes.com or 727 771-4304.

[Last modified March 9, 2005, 00:55:19]