SEBASTIAN — The Sebastian City Council chose Mayor Bob McPartlan to lead them for the next year on Tuesday night. McPartlan was nominated by Andrea Coy. There were no other nominations.
After he was elected mayor, McPartlan picked up his belongings and moved to the center seat. As he shuffled the papers, McPartlan indicated his nomination was a surprise.
“I didn’t anticipate having to move,” McPartlan said.
The selection of McPartlan was a slight break in the recent practice of the council to promote the vice mayor to mayor. Vice Mayor Don Wright was returned to his post.
Sebastian City Council candidate Damien Gilliams questioned McPartlan’s appointment, adding that his comments were nothing personal against McPartlan.
Gilliams said Vice Mayor Wright should have been chosen as mayor instead of being passed over in favor of McPartlan.
“I think it was politics as usual,” Gilliams said. “Mr. Wright has earned that spot.”
At the same time, though, Gilliams suggested the city’s charter should be adjusted to allow for the citizens to elect its mayor, rather than allowing the council members to choose from amongst themselves.
Gilliams then congratulated Adams for his win in the council race and commended Adams for questioning an item that had been placed on the Consent Agenda.
“Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions,” Gilliams urged Adams.
The selection of mayor came just after former Mayor Jim Hill and Councilman Jerome Adams were sworn in by City Clerk Sally Maio.
Hill and Adams emerged victorious in the Nov. 6 election out of a field of four people. Adams won an open seat vacated by former Mayor Richard Gillmor, who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Congress.
McPartlan, who was elected to the council in 2011. He works as a supervisor of investigations with the Florida Department of Children and Families.
Vice Mayor Wright is a long-time local Realtor.
At the close of their first meeting as the newly formed council, Councilman Adams told his fellow members that he is looking forward to working with them.
“I think we’re going to have a great council,” Vice Mayor Wright said.
Hill told the council and the remaining members of the audience that he hoped he had not let them down during his tenure as Mayor.
“It has been a great, great pleasure,” Hill said of serving as the council’s leader.
Mayor McPartlan called Hill a “true ambassador” of the city and said that he hopes to serve as the same.
