Challenger Unseats Cedar Key Mayor

A second election in Cedar Key's City Hall will occur May 20 when the two newly elected Commissioners join the three mid-term Commissioners to elect a Mayor and Vice Mayor. Four-term Mayor/Commissioner Paul Oliver was defeated May 6 by challenger Scott Dennison by a vote of 172 to 153. Vice Mayor/Commissioner Vanessa Edmunds' decision to not run for reelection leaves the office of Vice Mayor vacant.

Former Commissioner Heath Davis, who did not stand for reelection in 2007, returns to the Commission after his opponent withdrew from the election April 29. Although both names were on the ballot, the votes were not counted.

Cedar Key Police Department policies and performance may have been an important factor in the Dennison-Oliver race. The controversy surrounding an April 28 tazoring and arrest on Dock Street has focused attention on the Police Department. Commissioner-elect Dennison said after the election that he had gone door-to-door and found 80 percent of people are unhappy with the Police Department. Although Mayor Oliver has not been uncritical of the Police Department, he has had oversight responsibility since taking that assignment from Commissioner Pat O'Neal. Furthermore, Commissioner-elect Davis has informally proposed changes in the Police Department in recent months.

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