Pardo, Davis and "Baggy Pants" are election winners
After waiting hours for election returns, Islanders and "West Side" residents of Riviera Beach learned that they would have two new Council people as well as a new law banning "baggy pants" in public. The latter was led by Mayor Thomas Masters, who overcame ridicule by local media and some residents as he argued for some kind of community standards.
On Singer Island, Dawn Pardo, who spearheaded the Public Beach Coalition last year, ousted James "Jim" Jackson for the District 4 seat. Jackson has had a number of incidents involving his girlfriend that brought the police in, and that were widely reported in the media. Pardo had widespread support, including endorsements from the police and rescue workers, Citizens for Responsible Growth for Riviera Beach (CRG) and the Singer Island Civic Association (SICA).
Judy Davis won back the District 2 seat from the person she lost to two years ago, Norma Duncombe. Davis also had the support of SICA and the CRG.
Most of the 20charter amendments were approved, with the exception of three the Mayor and SICA opposed along with one other. The first three included compensation for mayor and council members, term of office for mayor and council members and repealing the mayor's authority to suspend city workers. Also voted down was a limitation upon special assessments, a change that would have allowed the city to set certain street and drainage improvements made for the benefit of a property owner "up to but not more then 50%" rather then the current set fee of 50%.
