It might be worthwhile taking to heart, and perhaps implementing - in a real way - Rodney King's plaint of some year's past -
"Can't we all get along?"
That is going to have to take place in Largo if any headway is to be made.
There is a new commission there now and with the dust settling after some brutal days in the final phase of the election campaign wounds had better be licked quickly, guts sucked up because it's time to go to work.
After yesterday, all the election business was taken care of for a while.
Belleair Beach voters go to the polls Tuesday - will that pretty little village move forward, keep the same lineup on the council, or lurch backwards?
Only the mystical collective hand of the voters exercised in secret individually and dynamically revealed next Tuesday well after sundown knows.
Belleair's issues - the future of the Belleview-Biltmore Hotel, talks with Progress Energy, to name the big items - will be influenced greatly by how the Town Commission shapes up.
Belleair Bluffs has no election - those whose terms end went unchallenged and the status is quo in Belleair Sho. No, no, just kidding - that makes no sense but couldn't resist the poetic touch. Things stay the same there also.
Ah, but down in Indian Rocks Beach there you have some real dog fights - not at the bloody level that went on in Largo in the past several weeks, but certainly of stern enough stuff to test the mettle and thick skin of any of the candidates so embroiled.
Four folks are scrimmaging there for the office of mayor. Bill Ockunzzi is fighting to keep the post while Cookie Kennedy, former commissioner; Larry Sandefer, former commissioner, and Victor Wood, retired Navy man who has paid close attention to IRB proceedings, maintain they can do the job better.
Three seats are open on the commission and the results of next Tuesday's polling could give Indian Rocks Beach a totally new look when commissioners take their seats after March 14.
The general consensus is, even among fellow competitors, is that Jose Coppen has done a whale of a lot of work in his effort to get one of those commission seats. The retired engineer is showing all the acumen one would expect from an MIT grad as he works for a seat.
R.B. Johnson, a hometown boy with deep roots in the community, bids fair to retain his seat and Jean Scott, also an incumbent, has a core of solid popularity in the city. Ed Piniero, former member of the commission and mayor, Patti Muneio, David Pearson and Dale Voss are also in the scrap. Only Jim Palamara holds the only certain seat; his term is not up.
Back to Largo - Surely the blitz near the end of the campaigning undoubtedly had an effect with voters.
Perhaps you were one of those who got one or two of the 90,000 pieces of literature that went out late last week. The material was first class, of top-grade Madison Avenue quality.
Changes, changes all the changes.
But some things don't change.
John Atanasio will routinely be seen at Largo meetings at the citizen comment time. This amazing man, who flew B-24s in WW2 in raids over such places as Ploesti, Romania, and who has carved out an eminent career as a businessman, will continue to offer good sense advice to the commission - whoever may constitute same.
And Curtis Holmes, fiery and passionate, will be chipping in with suggestions and ideas - no agenda with him except what might improve the city he loves.
These two are not a couple of golliwogs.
Maybe they ought to be up on the dais.
Lights, cameras, action! Roll 'em.