Joe Henderson
Congratulations are in order for Ken Welch. Raise a glass and toast the man St. Petersburg voters resoundingly selected Tuesday as their city’s next Mayor.
He defeated challenger Robert Blackmon in a race that was never in doubt. The polls that projected an easy win for Welch were dead-on this time.
OK, enough with the congratulations. It’s showtime, Mr. Mayor-to-be. Whaddya got?
Got a plan to keep the Rays at least in the Bay area? Let’s hear it. And don’t let them corner you on their insipid sister city nonsense with Montreal. That’s the dumbest baseball idea since starting extra-inning games with a runner at second base.
What’s your answer about what to do with Tropicana Field after it’s demolished in the name of progress? Oh, can I push the plunger?
What will you do about the skyrocketing rental rates that make it almost impossible for those just starting out to get their own place?
Gov. Ron DeSantis likes to flex his muscle and order cities like yours to obey his every decree. How will you fight back?
Your city has a lot of lovely waterfront property, but — I don’t know if you’ve heard this — there’s a thing called climate change, and it’s real. What can you do to keep homes near the beaches from floating out into the Gulf of Mexico?
Sure, that’s a long-term issue that probably won’t happen on your watch, but wouldn’t you want history to say you were the guy with the right idea and staved off catastrophe?
Oh, and try to get all that done in your first week.
That was a short honeymoon, wasn’t it? Hey, you asked for this job. Get used to stuff like this flying at you 24/7/365.
You’re inheriting a growing, vibrant city and one that’s a little quirky, too. That’s a good thing because it gives your town personality. St. Pete is not just another dot on the map; it’s a big city with a small-town feel and charm.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t problems, though, and race relations always seem to be on that list. As St. Pete’s first Black Mayor, you have a great chance to make things better. People like you.
Yes, you had strong support from Black voters, but preelection polls showed you had a lot of crossover support as well. That says that many voters trust you and will look your way for answers because most people want to live peacefully with their neighbors and stay safe.
They want to have fun, too.
Current Mayor Rick Kriseman’s idea to close Central Avenue to car traffic for a few hours on Halloween was a drop-the-mic success. People loved dressing up in their costumes, and strolling the road without a fear that they’d get plowed by a driver is too big of a hurry.
Find a way to make that happen again, and the people will love you for it; maybe the Sunday closest to Halloween next year. No need to thank me.
Congratulations again. It’s your time, so make the most of this chance.
Sure, you’ll have plenty of problems to solve, and it’s different when it’s your call. Not everything you have to do will be popular, but that’s how they play the game.
Don’t forget that the people picked you — not because this job is easy, either. You won because they trust you to make things better. Do your best to prove them right.
