TARPON SPRINGS — Incumbent Michael Eisner is facing a challenge from Planning and Zoning Board member Georganna Frantzis for his seat on the City Commission.
The two participated in a recent forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters where voters had the opportunity to inform their decision in the March 11 election.
Opening statements were a preview of the diverse background that each candidate would bring to Commission Seat 3.
Eisner told those gathered at the City Hall auditorium “while I wasn’t born here, my wife and I chose to make Tarpon Springs our forever home, because we fell in love with the unique charm and sense of community. I’m passionate about working hard to keep it a vibrant and welcoming place we all love.”
He said that during his time as a commissioner, and the six years he served on the Board of Adjustment prior, he has been accessible and a regular at many community events.
“Whether it’s securing a voice for Tarpon Springs, or being on the Forward Pinellas board or advocating for student safety and school safety solar lights, or being available to help residents with their concerns, I’m here to listen, to problem solve, to ensure that every decision we make reflects the best interests of our entire city, not any one part, and its people that I work for.”
He said his three years on the commission has been eye-opening.
“When you first come in as a commissioner, it’s very interesting what you think you can accomplish or do, it’s very different when you actually take the seat,” he said. “You need three votes to get anything done. I was very pleased that we got a seat on Forward Pinellas. We haven’t had our own seat for many years. … I made myself known and I made Tarpon Springs known. I will continue to do that, as I go on to all of the things that I do for you.”
His challenger, Frantzis said she’s lived in Tarpon Springs about 40 years, or her entire life.
“I have deep roots in this community,” she said. “Many people here tonight are aware of my Greek cultural roots. They go back to my great-grandfather who was a sponge diver. I’m very proud of the roots that I have in the city. My mom was from the Midwest, so I’m just as proud to be part of her culture as well. It’s really important to have it. It gives me a unique perspective, growing up here: Being half Greek, half not Greek.”
For the past 13 years, she has served as an attorney because she wanted to help people.
“And that’s what I’ve done in this city over years of volunteer work,” she said. “I’ve been on the Art Committee for the Chamber of Commerce for over 10 years. I’ve served two years on the Planning and Zoning Board. I graduated from Citizens Academy and Leadership Pinellas.”
If elected as a commissioner, however, there is something she won’t do.
“I will not waste hundreds of thousands of dollars of your taxpaying dollars on lawsuits based on reckless accusations, baseless investigations that lead to absolutely nothing that prove no wrongdoing at all,” she said. “I won’t file ethics complaints against my fellow commissioners and waste your time doing such things.”
She said she plans to listen to residents and keep an open mind.
“I’ll keep an open mind and represent what’s best for the city, and work towards a consensus on this board, because one vote doesn’t mean anything,” she said.
Each candidate was then asked what they see as the three top priorities for the city.
“Infrastructure, I think is one of the biggest things, and I think infrastructure ties in a lot with preservation,” Frantzis said. “We always think about preservation as maybe cultural things at the Sponge Docks, but we have to preserve the entire town if we are going to succeed and have a viable economic future.”
She added the city needs to address flooding and deferred maintenance.
“It’s easy to address the concerns that come up immediately from residents and business owners, but ultimately it’s time that we start facing those hard decisions,” she said. “We need to make decisions that make businesses sustainable.”
Eisner said his three top priorities were addressing homelessness, dealing with the ramifications from the hurricanes, and trying to bond the Sponge Docks with the downtown.
“Let me speak a little about FEMA and the hurricane,” Eisner said. “I handled Hurricane Irene and Sandy in New York, watched how it helped and watched what it did here. I’ve been on the phone with FEMA more than I would have liked to have been and I’ve been trying to help with that.”
He added, “We need to find a place for the homeless because in our downtown area it’s not the place for it, but money is the issue right now.”
Both candidates agreed on the need to continually dredge the bayous, canals and river. And that the $5.2 million price tag for a spoil site was too expensive, but a needed amenity.
In closing statements Frantzis told the audience she was running for the residents.
“I have never planned on running for commission,” she said. “I’ve always been very opinionated and I’m very passionate about the city. I don’t think we need to be competing over who loves the city more. … When you’ve grown up here you feel you have an obligation to make it better.”
She added the city needs accountable governance and that it’s OK to disagree with city leaders because she’s been very vocal in her opposition to some.
“Please don’t ever mistake my passion for anything else but that,” she explained. “At the end of the day, I want what’s best for the city. We can all be better about how we approach different things and I’m working on that.
“Just ask yourself, at the end is this, what’s best for Tarpon? I can promise you I won’t put my ego ahead of what’s best for Tarpon, and we need some of that up here,” she said.
Eisner said he’s proud of what has been accomplished the past three years, including work on the Strategic Plan, and he would be honored to continue to work as a city commissioner.
“Yes, I’m retired,” he said. “I’m not doing this for the $8,000. I do this because I love you all. This is the town I’m going to stay in and die in, eventually.”
He added, “I’ve worked hard to show you transparency, responsiveness, meaningful representation for Tarpon Springs. Whether it’s engaging with residents or reading every detail of city proposals. … Helping to find solutions to the concerns that you all have, I’m here to make our city government truly work for you,” he said.
“I’m retired; I do nothing else except work as hard as I can for the city. I’m always there to take your phone call. You may not always like the answer you get, but that’s going to be the answer. If elected, I promise to keep showing up and working hard, putting the needs of our community first,” he added.