Published: Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

Updated: Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009

Bradenton, island go to polls Tuesday

MANATEE — Voters in Bradenton and the three Anna Maria Island cities will go to the polls Tuesday to elect some of their officials.

In Bradenton, three incumbents are being challenged for their city council seats.

Candidates have to reside in the ward they represent, but are elected by the 29,065 eligible voters city-wide.

In Ward 2, Marianne Barnebey, who is seeking her fourth term on the council, will face political newcomer Lori Melton,

Both candidates have said they are concerned about what the economic downturn has done to neighborhoods.

Barnebey said the high number of foreclosures are contributing to a shrinking tax base and the city needs to work with other governing bodies to ensure the local economy is protected.

For Melton, fixing failing neighborhoods is her campaign priority.

She said the city needs to create an atmosphere where residents look out for their neighbors.

In Ward 3, Richard O’Brien is challenging one-term incumbent Patrick Roff.

O’Brien is campaigning on reducing the crime rate, bringing jobs to the city and new ideas to the council.

Roff has said O’Brien was exaggerating the crime problem and that the city was working with the Economic Development Council on creating jobs.

Incumbent Bemis Smith will face retiree Joe Henry for the Ward 4 seat.

Both candidates are campaigning on their experience, Smith with his two terms on the council and Smith with his 31 years as a city employee.

Henry said the council should be more involved in writing the annual budget and look for waste to reduce spending.

Smith said with the failing economy, the council has made deep cuts in the budget.

On the island

In Bradenton Beach, the race for mayor is a repeat for the 905 registered voters of last year when incumbent Mike Pierce faced off against former city commissioner Bill Shearon to fill the vacant office when John Chappie resigned to run for Manatee County commissioner.

Pierce has campaigned on his record of good management, while Shearon said there needs to be a review of city policies and reviews.

The two candidates for Bradenton Beach city commission, incumbent Jane Robertson and political newcomer Gay Breuler, will take their seats because no one else filed to run against them.

In the Holmes Beach race for three commission seats the 3,236 registered voters will have a choice of five candidates, three incumbents and two newcomers.

Pat Geyer, Pat Morton and David Zaccagnino are running for re-election, while political newcomers Al Robinson and Andy Sheridan want to unseat two of them.

The $7.8 million budget the commission approved in September was the main issue in most of the candidates’ campaigns.

They all said the budget process will have to be tightened for next year, expecting even less tax revenues than this year.

In Anna Maria, 1,349 registered voters face the same situation as voters in Holmes Beach, with five candidates seeking the three seats up for election — three incumbents and two newcomers.