Rossi won’t run for reelection; Yaniz and Johnston will

BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

 

On the heels of City Attorney Shawn Smith ruling that Mayor Craig Cates can run for a fifth term in 2016 despite term limits holding the mayor to four, three city commissioners were asked at a Key West Business Guild luncheon Jan. 7 whether they planned to run again when their terms expire later this year.

 

Commissioners Mark Rossi, Teri Johnston and Tony Yaniz will be up for reelection on Oct. 6. Yaniz will be finishing his first, four-year term as commissioner, while Johnston will finish her second term. Rossi will have served a little over 10 years, having been elected to two full terms and one half term when he was appointed then elected to fill the term of Merili McCoy, who died in 2005.

 

Although Rossi could run for a third term, he said at the Jan. 6 city commission meeting that he will step down when his term expires this year.

 

“It’s time to move on. I’m the second longest serving commissioner after Jimmy [Weekley],” Rossi said.

 

Yaniz and Johnston both indicated they will run for another term in October.

 

“I do what my constituents tell me to do,” Yaniz said. “If I had to answer today, damn right I’ll run again.”

 

The commissioners were also asked by a Business Guild member whether they wanted to run for mayor. At that point in the presentation, Cates had not yet told the audience, and his fellow commissioners, that he had been told by City Attorney Smith that he could run for a fifth term in 2016. Assuming the mayoral slot would be up for grabs in two years, both Johnston and Yaniz were circumspect.

 

“Mayor? Yes I have [thought about it],” Johnston said, refusing to say any more.

 

And Yaniz, who decided against running against Cates in last November’s election, said that his Cuban heritage would be an asset for Key West during the current transition in U.S.-Cuba relations. Yaniz said he had other solid governing skills would make him a good mayor. But he was unsure whether or not he would run.

 

“The biggest concern I have is I’m going to run for reelection [as commissioner] this year. How do I tell my constituents I’m going to quit my job and run for mayor,” he said.

 

One commissioner who is not up for reelection this year but has already made a decision on whether to run for mayor is District III’s Billy Wardlow. His emphatic “no” left no room for question.

 

“I love representing my district,” he said.

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]