Kelly Hayes
David Will won Tuesday night’s election for Redington Beach Mayor.
Will took 54% of the vote, while his opponent Fred Steiermann only mustered 46%.
The two were colleaues, both serving on Redington Beach’s Commission while going head-to-head in the mayoral race.
“The unofficial results are in,” Will said in a Facebook post on his campaign page. “I am honored and humbled to be the new mayor of Redington Beach — I will always do my best to serve our residents. God Bless America.”
Will was first elected in 2010 and is a member of the Property Owners Association and a small business owner. Will leans conservative and was running on the premise that he is not a politician but a public servant, according to his campaign page.
Will is looking to “provide reasonable government by serving the needs of my neighbors as we manage change as appropriate.” He plans to work to maintain the qualities that make the town special by talking to residents.
Steiermann was first elected to the City Commission in 2007 and is a volunteer for the Redington Beach Property Owners Association. He is a Realtor and a former volunteer at Bauder Elementary and Seminole High School and leans more to the left.
Steiermann campaigned to address lawsuits seeking to reserve portions of the beach for residents only, posting “I will do whatever it takes to keep the beaches open to all of us,” according to his campaign page. He also wanted to improve the city’s storm water system.
The new Mayor will replace James Simons, who did not seek reelection.
Redington Beach also elected two commissioners, with four candidates on the ballot.
Shawntay Skjoldager and Rich Cariello took the seats, ousting incumbent Tim Kornijtschuk.
Cariello brought in 29% of the vote, and Skjoldager trailed with 27%. Local business owner John Miller came in third with 24% of the vote.
Kornijtschuk came in last, mustering only 21% of the pool.
Both Skjoldager and Cariello have served on the Parks and Recreation Board.
Skjoldager is looking to preserve the city’s small beach community and residential feel, according to her campaign page. She is a small business owner in Redington, and is invested in “the evolution” of the town.
Cariello is a retiree who worked for more than two decades in management. According to his campaign page, he is focused on addressing flooding in the city with a three step plan.
Kornijtschuk had served on the Commission since 2017. He is a retired businessman, and previously served on the Town’s Planning Board before becoming a commissioner.
Miller is a local business owner. He wanted to work closely with environmental engineers to approach resiliency and protection for the area. He hoped to be proactive in protecting residents’ rights to the beach, and improve flood control.
