BELLEAIR BEACH - Councilmember Jeff Coulson caught the city by surprise with his resignation last week, paralleling, in a sense, of events of a year ago.
Coulson, who said demands of his job as a private pilot curtailed his ability to continue to serve, was the second highest vote getter in the March, 2006, election.
That balloting was a bit of a shocker with a trio of candidates, including a former mayor, going down to defeat.
The surprise a year ago also brought Mary Schoonover (who ran ahead of everyone) and Richard Crowl to the council.
Defeated were former Mayor Mike Kelly who was emphatically rejected, running dead last, along with Donna Durante and Marvin Behm, both incumbents.
A week later, Ken Lucci resigned from the council.
Durante lost another bid for elected office this year when she lost to Lynn Rives in a race for mayor. Rives had been a council member.
The city is accepting applications from citizens so that the council can appoint a resident to fill Coulson's seat. Coulson was in the midst of his second term on the council.
Applicants must have been residents and registered voters for six months to qualify.
The council plans to name Coulson's replacement at its meeting May 7. The person filling the seat will face election next March.
Nancy McCollum, who has served as city clerk for years, will begin her duties as interim city manager on May 8, the day Reid Silverboard begins his new job as city manager at Treasure Island.
In the meantime, the council has launched a search for a manager to replace Silverboard.
