Doug Andrews and Jim Rostek are in an acrimonious Madeira Beach mayor’s race.
Andrews currently serves on the city commission and as vice mayor who touts his experience in the beach town. Rostek is a retired fire department captain from Maryland who contends the city needs fresh leadership and fiscal restraints.
There has been drama in the contest, which voters will decide March 14, including stolen campaign signs and ethics complaints. Rostek filed complaints with the Florida Ethics Commission and Attorney General’s office over an online video of him interacting with city critic William Gay at city hall. Madeira Beach City Manager Robin Gomez gave that video to Andrews.
Rostek is a retired public safety worker and says the video violates Florida public record laws.
Gomez and Andrews declined comment on the ethics complaints.
Andrews has complained about the theft of a number of his campaign signs, pointing to a social media video showing a man taking a sign. He said he filed a complaint with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office over the signs. Rostek denies involvement with the sign thefts and reported he has also had some signs stolen.
Keeping Up the Momentum
Andrews said he wants to follow the footsteps of outgoing Mayor John Hendricks, who is not seeking reelection.
“My mayoral priority is simple,” Andrews told The Gabber. “Just grab the wheel from Mayor Hendricks and keep the momentum going. After some dark times and bad decisions after a disastrous election in 2017, Madeira Beach is now in excellent shape financially, administratively, and legislatively.”
He praised the work of the current city commission, including construction of a new parking garage at John’s Pass and underground construction of utility infrastructure.
The sitting vice mayor said he wants to find a sweet spot when it comes to development and construction controls in the beach burg.
“Development is always a tricky topic. Let’s put a few facts on the table. Nobody wants Clearwater Beach and John’s Pass Village is not being bulldozed over to build 1,880 hotel rooms. Not happening,” Andrews said. “But you also can’t put a moratorium on building. You either grow or you die and there’s plenty of history of city floundering after taking that disastrous step.”
Andrews asks voters to look at his experience: two terms on the city commission and serving as the city’s parks and recreation director.
“My opponent has never been involved in Madeira Beach and just recently started coming to meetings and frankly it shows,” said Andrews.
‘Ethics and Moral Conduct’
Rostek counters that Madeira Beach needs fresh leadership and some fresh frugality. He said curbing wasteful spending is his top goal if elected mayor.
“Right now, the city has or is going to spend $500,000 on ‘gingerbread items’ where the city needs to be tightening its belt,” Rostek told The Gabber. “I think the taxpayers have already taken a huge hit by the increase in property values.”
Rostek doesn’t like a $150,000 expenditure for improving a city hall break room, or other spending items including $200,000 to install synthetic turf at the local dog park, and $50,000 for a city boat used for code enforcement.
“I think that everything is going to have to be looked at under a microscope,” Rostek said of future city spending.
Rostek also defends his public service record, citing his experience as a captain with the Anne Arundel Fire Department.
“I have had a background in government service for a very long time. I bring a better sense of ethics and moral conduct,” Rostek said.
