Tarpon Springs heads into critical election, with four open commission seats

TARPON SPRINGS — No matter how residents vote in the March 15 election, big change will be coming to City Hall.

Four of the five at-large seats on the Tarpon Springs Board of Commissioners are up for grabs, and two candidates are running for each seat. Mayor Chris Alahouzos will leave office due to term limits, and commissioners Connor Donovan and Townsend Tarapani are not seeking second terms. Commissioner Costa Vatikiotis is stepping down from his seat one year early to run for mayor.

This coastal city with rich, Greek heritage and about 25,000 residents is grappling with many of the same challenges seen in other Pinellas County municipalities: pressures of growth and development, threats from climate change, and maintaining quality of life for residents amid tourism.

But a controversial apartment complex on green space along the Anclote River that commissioners approved 3-1 last year ignited community activism and outrage. Vatikiotis voted no; Tarapani recused himself due to a conflict.

In a response to questionnaires from the Tampa Bay Times, all eight candidates lamented the political climate in Tarpon Springs, many referring to debates that occurred during meetings over the Anclote River project.

“In a word: toxic,” mayoral candidate Robin Saenger said of local politics. “The toxic national political speech that demonizes everyone who disagrees with their beliefs has no place in local non-partisan governing.”

The race for mayor

Vatikiotis, 73, a former city engineer and city manager of Tarpon Springs in the 1990s, said he has concerns over the city becoming overbuilt. He wants to manage development to avoid overcrowding and worsened traffic and to preserve open space. He seeks to update the strategic and comprehensive plans every three years and to increase the involvement of citizens in the decision-making process.

“Decision-making is often made without a clear direction or vision in mind,” he said. “When there are no plans or priorities to which to refer and community outreach is lacking, ideas and decisions are based largely on the personal preferences of commissioners.”

Robin Saenger, 68, an artist who served on the commission from 2005 to 2011, said her goals are to protect the natural environment, foster unity within the community and preserve the city’s “small town feel.”

In 2010, she founded Peace4Tarpon, which helps communities address problems like domestic violence and homelessness through understanding unaddressed childhood trauma.

She said if the city had owned the Anclote property, she would have advocated for it to be preserved. But since it was in private hands, she said the apartment complex is a far less intense development than the Walmart supercenter that was proposed for the site more than 15 years ago.

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She said the issue was “a prime example of how crucial it is to preserve land, to protect our natural environment and allow growth that contributes to a sustainable future for us.”

Both candidates note climate change as one of the most significant issues facing Tarpon Springs in the short term.

Vatikiotis said he wants to develop a plan to protect streets and sidewalks against flooding. He said the commission should strengthen policies to discourage development in coastal high hazard areas.

Saenger worked since 2019 on the city’s sustainability committee, an effort that led to has led to the city budgeting money for a sustainability coordinator.

Seat 2

Seat 2 candidates Lisa Malamatos Benitez and Craig Lunt share some priorities. Both make note of fiscal responsibility and the need to improve infrastructure as two primary concerns.

But their perspectives on the environment set them apart. Lunt said the city must implement strategies to alleviate flooding on roadways, especially evacuation routes. He said the city must also do more to repair and replace seawalls to mitigate erosion.

“We also need to be very stringent regarding any further coastal and wetland development,” said Lunt, 68, a cyber security technology and sales consultant.

Benitez said “the city is already taking measures to attempt to mitigate or prepare as much as possible for what is being called climate change.”

Benitez, 65, a retired psychiatric admissions director, said her goals as a commissioner would be to unite the community, keep taxes in check, grow the reserve fund and maintain infrastructure.

Lunt said he would work to ensure citizens have a say in how the city spends its share of $12.8 million in American Rescue Plan funds. He also is concerned about giving residents a voice on the Disston Avenue corridor extension, which could impact two residential areas.

Seat 3

The license plate on Michael Eisner’s truck says “Ask Mike” because the retiree said he likes to solve problems. He said he worked in radio management; sales; pest control management; and flood and mold remediation before retiring to Florida in 2013.

Eisner has served on the city’s Board of Adjustment for six years and said the commission’s handling of the Anclote River development is one issue that prompted him to run for office. He sees the biggest issues facing Tarpon Springs as flooding, homelessness and lack of city leadership.

If elected, Eisner, 67, said he would implement the five-year comprehensive plan, hire a full-time grant writer and “actually deal with our flooding issues.”

George Koulianos, 24, graduated last year from University of South Florida with a degree in international studies. He said he spent “a few months” working for global security consulting firm SMI Consultancy and is now working full-time on his campaign.

Koulianos has been developing an economic strategy with local businesses called the Invest in Tarpon Plan. It pitches an advertising campaign to increase tourism and help attract more local businesses. It also calls for expanding city-wide events to draw more traffic to existing businesses.

Koulianos said his goals would be to preserve the city’s heritage and culture while supporting sustainable growth and fiscal responsibility.

Seat 4

Panagiotis “Peter” Koulias said the lack of long-range planning in Tarpon Springs government prompted him to run for office. He has been a City Hall watcher for about two years, often addressing commissioners with animated commentary. He called elected officials corrupt over the Anclote River project, prompting Vice Mayor Jacob Karr to condemn the allegations as false.

Koulias, 34, owns a staffing agency and workers compensation consulting firm in his hometown. His platform calls for conducting a nationwide search for a new city manager to lead long-range planning and sustainability. He said infrastructure must be improved to address flooding and utilities.

“We are at a critical point in our city’s history that requires leadership and a vision for the future,” he said. “We need more vocal leaders who put people ahead of politics and have the everyday Tarponites’ interest in mind.”

As an account manager with BayCare Behavioral Health, Jacqui Turner, 47, connects businesses and other organizations with mental health care services and educational programs. She spent nearly two decades in higher education administration.

Turner wants to steer “smart growth” by pushing for the redevelopment of existing properties instead of “clearing the little remaining green space left in our community.”

She said the city should invest in shoreline stabilization through practices such as living shorelines and prioritizing stormwater infrastructure needs.

She wants to use the “wealth of talented residents” to help advance the city’s economic development endeavors in the same way members of the public art and sustainability committees provide guidance in their areas.

“I have a passion for our city and believe we have many opportunities to foster thoughtful change while still respecting Tarpon Springs’ unique heritage and traditions,” Turner said.

(Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described candidate Craig Lunt’s position on the city’s need to address flooding and erosion. The story has been updated with correct information.)

Pinellas County March 15 elections

There is no in-person early voting for municipal elections. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 15.

Residents may vote by mail. Voters can request a mail ballot through March 5 by visiting VotePinellas.gov, calling 727-464-VOTE or emailing MailBallot@VotePinellas.gov.

Voters should allow at least one week for their ballot to be returned by mail to the Supervisor of Elections Office. Mail ballots can be dropped off at any of the three elections offices during normal business hours prior to or on Election Day.

These cities will have elected offices and/or charter amendments on their ballots: Belleair, Belleair Beach, Belleair Bluffs, Clearwater, Madeira Beach, Oldsmar, Redington Beach, Redington Shores, St. Pete Beach, Tarpon Springs.