TREASURE ISLAND – Over the next few weeks, Treasure Island residents will vote via mail-in ballots or at the polls on March 13 to elect two city commissioners.
A field of two candidates – incumbent Gail Caldwell and Irving “Butch” Ellsworth – are seeking the District 2 seat and three candidates – incumbent Alan Bildz, Fred Kelsey and Bob Weber – are going after the District 4 seat.
Today the Beacon takes a look at the candidates with a series of questions designed to help voters make a better decision on Election Day.
The candidates:
District 2
Gail Caldwell Marital status: Single. Age: 66. Activities/Employment: Retired. Bio: Native of Kansas City, Kan. … attended Rockhurst University in Kansas City, University of Kansas and University of Missouri-Kansas City … worked 13 years in a family-owned blueprint business … sold real estate in Kansas City … worked in management for FedEx for 20 years in Kansas City, Stratford, Ct.; St. Petersburg, San Jose, Calif.; Tampa and Naples … a Treasure Island homeowner since 1995 … Former volunteer for the American Red Cross … seeking her second term on the City Commission … was unopposed in 2010. Email: gcaldwell@mytreasureisland.org. Website: none.
Butch Ellsworth Marital status: Married 25 years to Cherie. Age: 65. Activities/Employment: Retired … former board member of www.vets-help.org … past president of the Treasure Island Chamber of Commerce … past CEO of the chamber … former board member of Treasure Island Charities … former competitive race boat driver. Bio: native of Winston-Salem, N.C. … moved to Treasure Island in 1954 … lived in the same home on Isle of Palms since 1959 … U.S. Army Vietnam veteran … served as a crew chief and a flight engineer on Chinook helicopters … awarded Bronze Star and air medal with clusters … managed John’s Pass Marina for 19 years … former executive vice president of the Treasure Island Yacht and Tennis Club … previously served three terms on the Treasure Island City Commission (1998 to 2003) … fined $5,000 in 2006 by the State Ethics Commission for earlier ethics violation. Email: None (call 709-0619). Website: none.
District 4
Alan Bildz Marital status: Married 26 years to Patricia. Age: 47 Activities/Employment: Employed by Sunstar Plumbing … chairman of the board of Gulf Beaches Public Library … second vice president of the Suncoast League of Cities. Bio: Native of Crown Point, Ind. … lived four years in The Bronx, N.Y. … worked in a meat-processing factory for nine years outside Scranton, Pa. … lived 16 years in Sunset Beach … served on the City Commission since 2004. Email: abildz@myreasureisland.org. Website: none.
Fred Kelsey Marital status: Single. Age: 69. Activities/Employment: Retired. Bio: Born in Pass-A-Grille and raised in St. Pete Beach … resident of Sunset Beach since 1999 … earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial management from the University of Florida and an MBA from Rollins College … earned an accounting degree from Florida Southern College … a self-employed certified public accountant and rental property manager for 35 years … currently serves on the Treasure Island Code Enforcement Board … member of Pasadena Community Methodist Church … vice president of the St. Petersburg Lions Club … member of the Treasure Island Chamber of Commerce and treasurer of the Kiwanis Club of the Gulf Beaches. Email: kelseyfred@hotmail.com. Website: none.
Bob Weber Marital status: Married 26 years to Tina, three children. Age: 53. Activities/Employment: Employed nearly 5 years by Bay Care Health Systems at Morton Plant Hospital in the central utility plant. Bio: Native of West Virginia … employed 15 years in the hospital engineering department of Wheeling Medical Park, Wheeling, W. Va. … moved to Treasure Island in 2007 … lived in Sunset Beach for nearly five years … a master Mason in Ohio. Email: electbob4com@gmail.com. Website: www.weber4commish.com.
Why should the voters elect you to the City Commission?
CALDWELL: I listen to the voters and what their concerns are. I’m concerned about fiscal matters and how the city spends its money.
ELLSWORTH: Because I have previous knowledge of everything that goes on in the city. When I was there before, we did multiple projects. We built a $60 million bridge, two parks on Sunset Beach, the clock tower, renovated and enlarged the Community Center and renovated City Hall. All of this was done with little or no taxpayer money.
BILDZ: I have a proven track record of fighting for our district and the residents in general. If something comes up, I give it my full attention.
KELSEY: I’m an idea man. I’m creative. I can research and come up with viable ideas that work. I want to give back to the community that I love and that has been so generous to me. I have been successful both personally and financially, and desire to draw on my successful experiences for the betterment of the city of Treasure Island.
WEBER: I think the voters of District 4 need more representation of what they actually want. For example, the city just redistricted (the voting districts) and didn’t go with the charter. Unfortunately, this type of thing happens quite often. We need to uphold the spirit of the charter. There’s an assumption by the current commissioner that the majority of people think a different way than they actually do and he’s not correct a majority of the time.
What are the biggest issues facing Treasure Island?
CALDWELL: To complete the two bridges (Isle of Palms and Isle of Capri). My goal is to help with whatever the city can do to minimize the disruption for the residents of the area (during construction). Also, the Beach Trail. I want to see the central section completed. Infrastructure is important too. I would prioritize those things so we don’t neglect or put off working on it. Also, downtown redevelopment. I want us to do everything we can to help the businesses when the economy turns around and there’s money available. We need to be available to help them fast when the money is there.
ELLSWORTH: We’re going to be building two bridges (Isle of Capri and Isle of Palms) and I have experience dealing with those things. Also, re-doing the Gulf Boulevard islands as part of the crosswalks. They aren’t safe the way they are now. We also need to find ways to trim fat off the budget and there’s a lot of fat. Reapportionment needs to be addressed too. There’s a 500-vote disparity between the Isle of Capri (District 1) and the other districts. We need to get it back to an equal number of votes for each district.
BILDZ: The city went into debt for the first time in a long time and needs to pay the debt. We need to rewrite the LDRs to reflect a built-out community. Also, the Beach Trail needs to be done on time, as well as the bridges.
KELSEY: The budget and representing the voters’ will. Being an accountant, I’m really tuned in to the budget. That’s really my area of expertise.
WEBER: It goes back to the charter. The City Commission doesn’t abide by its constitution. The millage rate increase is a big issue. People are very unhappy about that. As the economy improves, people are going to be paying a lot more in taxes.
How would you improve Treasure Island?
CALDWELL: Downtown redevelopment. I would involve the chamber and would improve our relationship with the city of St. Petersburg. Central Avenue is a core to Treasure Island and needs to be attractive. I would help the merchants in the hotels. I would do things to support them and their business. But we need to take care of all of our residents as well. We need a balance.
ELLSWORTH: I would seek to do the undergrounding of power lines. It will be very expensive but it would be a great improvement, and it would have to be borne by the taxpayers. Improvements to Treasure Island could be accomplished by trimming the budget down. There are things that can be outsourced to take the burden off the city. I also favor beautification of Gulf Boulevard.
BILDZ: We need to re-do the LDRs to make them more user-friendly. Also beach nourishment on Sunset Beach.
KELSEY: I would establish precincts within the district. I’m really big on that. I want to improve the city’s image with tourists to attract people back to Treasure Island. I would reduce taxes because I believe the taxes are too high. I think increasing the millage rate (in the current budget) was a mistake. We can’t afford all this. If you increase taxes, you run people off. That’s where my background as a financial consultant would come in.
WEBER: I want to end wasteful spending and encourage Treasure Island to use its beaches to increase tourism and increase the bottom line of businesses on the beaches. I would upgrade the infrastructure, such as the sidewalks on Sunset Beach. I have a problem with the city funding undergrounding (of utility lines) when it’s something Progress Energy should take care of. It’s an awful lot of money for the city to pay.
If budgets cuts are necessary in fiscal 2013, what would you favor cutting?
CALDWELL: I’m proud that the millage rate has remained the same the last three years. It did go up (in fiscal 2012) but for a temporary time period. It was a very responsible way to tackle three projects (two bridges and the Beach Trail improvements). Everything should be on the table. Everything we spend money on we should make sure there is a cost benefit. We have to be careful not to postpone infrastructure maintenance. It would be easy to postpone sewer relining but by doing so we would face a potential emergency repair (in the future), which would increase the cost.
ELLSWORTH: This is a difficult question because I don’t currently sit in the seat. I believe there are places to trim the budget but it would not be in law enforcement or the fire department.
BILDZ: In a heartbeat, I would cut beautification of the causeway on the east side, which is in the city of St. Petersburg but owned by Treasure Island. We should xeriscape instead of bringing in lawn mowers and crews. That would save us a couple hundred thousand dollars per year. Other than that, we’re pared down pretty good.
KELSEY: I would have to review the budget. I can’t shoot from the hip on that. It would take a review of the departments and I’d have to discuss it with my precinct chiefs.
WEBER: I definitely favor cutting the funding for undergrounding. Instead, I would favor using the funds to pay off the note for the two new bridges. I’m not certain what all we can cut because I’m not completely familiar with what we’re spending. I think we’re wasting a lot of money in these lawsuits against the city and wind up paying out large settlements. But the way to reduce spending is to be wiser with money management. It’s not wise to spend all the money they have on the Beach Trail and two bridges all at the same time.
Would you be in favor of a tax increase?
CALDWELL: The only type would be for a particular project. For example, the bridges. It has a start time and an end time. When (the projects) are finished, it goes away. That’s the only way I would consider one.
ELLSWORTH: No. But there comes a time when you do have to increase the taxes. The city just passed a huge tax increase (to finance the two bridges and the Beach Trail). I don’t think they turned over all the rocks and looked for enough grants.
BILDZ: I can’t think of any type of tax increase I would be in favor of.
KELSEY: No. I think it was terrible to increase the millage rate this year. When tax revenue goes down, the budget needs to go down.
WEBER: Absolutely not. I’m not in favor of any tax increase. I think this is something that rings true with the voters. People are looking for ways for the city to lower the millage rate and city fees. Something like this RNC event in August on the beach would bring people and additional income to the city. Everybody would benefit.
Closing remarks
CALDWELL: The City Commission is a diverse group and works well together. They listen to each other’s opinions and views. I believe in creating a consensus to work with people. I want Treasure Island to become a focal point in Pinellas County. Part of that is downtown redevelopment, the Beach Trail and how we take care of our city. I believe in the balance of taking care of business and our residents. I’m totally fascinated by Treasure Island. It’s a unique city in this vast county. We’ve got great residents and the most beautiful beaches.
ELLSWORTH: I know I can do the job of commissioner and I would appreciate my constituents allowing me to do that. We can pull together and make my district and the Isle of Palms a great place to live and have fun. The representative now from District 2 has not been in our best favor.
BILDZ: People in my district know I’m one of the biggest supporters of my district. If something comes up, it will get my attention. Whether it’s a 4-to-1 vote or a 1-to-4 vote, it will get my attention. I’m not the type to sit on top of the fence to see which way the wind blows.
KELSEY: The majority of voters in the prior Treasure Island referendum (1986) were for alcohol to be legal on the beach. Unless the majority of voters decide to ban alcohol, our city commissioners are not abiding by the majority of voters by passing the current ordinance prohibiting alcohol on Sunset Beach (weekends and holidays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., through Sept. 30). Running for public office is a long-time ambition for me. I respect Alan (Bildz) but I have a little different analytical approach. On most issues, I agree with him. I just feel I’ve been successful and would like to contribute to the city. I feel like I can make a statement locally and I want to contribute. The best part about this campaign is going around and meeting people, and talking with them. I cherish that.
WEBER: It’s time for a change in city government. A lot of people in there have been in there a long time and I think it’s time for a change. The incumbent has been in there since 2004 and apparently hasn’t been a good advocate of District 4 in arguing his points with other commissioners.
