Former Clearwater Mayor Appointed By City Council To Seat Left Open When Hibbard Resigned

CLEARWATER, FL — Following a discussion that lasted 1 1/2 hours, the Clearwater City Council unanimously agreed to appoint former mayor, Brian Aungst Sr., as the interim mayor to fill the seat vacated by former Mayor Frank Hibbard.

Hibbard abruptly resigned as mayor on March 20 during a discussion of the city's strategic plan, which included talk of building a new city hall at a cost of $90,000, money the city currently doesn't have.

Aungst Sr. served as Clearwater mayor for two terms, from 1999 to 2005. During his time in office, he oversaw the construction of $75 million in capital improvements in the city including the construction of the spring training stadium for the Philadelphia Phillies, now known as BayCare Ball Park, as well as construction of the city's main library where the city council now meets.

City Attorney David Margolis said, under the city's charter, the council would need to appoint an interim mayor to fill Hibbard's term which is up in 2024 within 30 days or the choice would be put before the voters in a special election. But after speaking with the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Office, Margolis said a special election couldn't be held until November.

"So that person would only serve for four months," Margolis said.

When it came to appointing an interim mayor, Clearwater residents were clearly divided into two camps.

About half of the residents and business people speaking at the special meeting Monday were in favor of appointing council member and current Vice Mayor Kathleen Beckman to the post. Others favored someone who currently doesn't sit on the council, but has experience with the workings of the council and the major issues facing the city.

Among the names tossed around was former Mayor George N. Cretekos, who was prevented from running for mayor in 2020 due to term limits. However, the mayor must live within the city limits and, in the years since he served as mayor, Cretekos moved to the nearby town of Belleair.

With Cretekos out of the picture, a number of residents came forward to endorse Aungst for the interim position, a choice seconded by council member Lina Texeira.

"This last week has been very difficult for me," said Texeira. "With emotions running high, I knew I needed to retreat and make a rational decision."

Like other council members, she said she was bombarded by phone calls last week from residents giving their opinions on whom the council should appoint to the position.

"I had to ask myself the question, 'What does Clearwater need right now?'" she said. "The situation is not normal and what we need is stability. We don't have the luxury of appointing someone with little or no experience. Clearwater needs someone with experience who can step in and steer this ship."

Related:

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She said she felt Aungst best filled that need.

Several residents thought the job should go to Allbritton, the senior member on the council, but Allbritton said he wasn't interested in the job.

"I would be done in a year," he said. "I have three years left (on his term as a city council member). I want to give it the best shot I can during the next three years and when I'm termed out, I'm done. I have no intention of running for mayor."

Councilman Mark Bunker argued that Beckman, who has stated that she plans to run for mayor in 2024, was the ideal candidate for the interim job.

"I have been impressed with her. By the time Frank had packed up and left the chambers, I had already decided I wanted Kathleen to be mayor," he said. "She's going to bring a humanity to the role we need. She cares about people and neighborhoods."

Bunker was also in the minority in that he had no problem with Beckman serving as interim mayor and then running for the permanent seat.

Allbritton, too, had high praise for Beckman, lauding her for the way she seamlessly took charge of the strategic planning meeting when Hibbard walked out.

"What a great job you did taking over," he said. "I would like to see you run for mayor. But I wouldn't like to see you handcuffed by taking an interim position."

Although there is nothing in the city charter that prohibits someone who is appointed to an interim position from running for the permanent seat, the feelings of fellow council members and many residents who spoke is that the interim appointee should have no political aspirations for the office. Beckman said she felt an interim appointment would damage her chances of a successful mayoral campaign in 2024.

"I don't feel my job is done, either," she said. "I want to continue to improve neighborhoods, make sure the North Greenwood CRA is successful and increase affordable housing access. And it's important to me to continue serving residents. I would not want to be put in a position of being interim mayor and then having to agree not to run in the fall."

Margolis said he had several conversations with Aungst Sr. as well as Brian Aungst Jr, an attorney who frequently represents developers and property owners before the city council through his law firm, Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen.

Although the mayor cannot make motions, the Clearwater mayor does have voting power. Council members and residents had concerns about Aungst Sr. voting on projects brought before the council by his son's law firm.

Margolis said Aungst Sr. signed a statement vowing to abstain from any issues involving his son's law firm. Moreover, his son signed a statement recusing himself from coming before the council with any issues associated with his law firm.

And, although there is no law prohibiting an interim mayor from running for mayor when the interim term is up, Aungst Sr. signed a statement vowing that he would not run for mayor in 2024 and his son signed a statement promising no involvement in fundraising and political spending in the 2024 city elections.

"In the several conversations I had, they were fully supportive of this to ensure that optics meet the public standards," Margolis said. "There was no argument."

The city council plans to swear in Aungst as interim mayor in April.