Campaign season trumps holiday season in Safety Harbor
By 
The calendar still says November, but in the city of Safety Harbor, it might as well be March.
Two well-known local political figures—current City Commissioner Janet Hooper and former mayor and commissioner Joe Ayoub—have declared their intentions to run for mayor of Safety Harbor in the municipal election on March 14, 2017.
But before the last Thanksgiving-leftover plate has been digested and the bruises from Black Friday have fully healed, the first skirmish of the campaign season has already hit, after Ayoub’s campaign signs were spotted around town over the Thanksgiving holiday, well in advance of the 90-day pre-election window such signage is allowed.
Hooper and many others cried foul, as campaign signs cannot go up until December 14, three months prior to Election Day, according to changes made to the city’s sign code over the summer.
But Ayoub said it was an honest mistake, since the code change was not included in the packet of information all potential candidates receive.
“When I picked up my packet, it gives you the rules for the election, and all it says is you can’t have the signs up seven days after the election,” Ayoub told Safety Harbor Connect by phone earlier this week.
“For years its always been allowed that you could put them out whenever you wanted to. Then several months ago, the City Commission drafted an ordinance that changed the rules. But the change wasn’t in the packet I picked up.”
City officials confirmed the amended code was left out of the initial run of packets.
Ayoub said he moved to remove the signs as soon as he was made aware of the situation.
“As soon as I got notified by City Hall, I posted a message on my Facebook page asking people to please take the signs down,” he said, noting he was out of town for the holiday and could not immediately remove any of the signs himself. “I acted in good faith. I followed the rules to the best of my knowledge.”
For her part, Hooper said she did not file a complaint with code enforcement regarding the signs, as had been rumored, but she believes all candidates should have to abide by the same rules.
“I received two emails from the City Clerk outlining the rules and regulations for signage,” Hooper said via email. “Campaign signs are allowed 90 days before the election which is December 14th. I follow the rules as that makes it fair to everyone.”
“I was told that a candidate accused me of filing a code enforcement complaint against him. I did not file any such complaint,” she continued. “Some people probably did choose to contact code enforcement; I did not and, as a normal practice as a Commissioner, I do not file on behalf of residents with complaints.”
Ayoub said he issued an apology to Hooper through his Facebook campaign page, and he is looking to put the issue behind him.
“As this issue is becoming a distraction I would like to apologize to Commissioner Janet Hooper for any confusion this may have caused,” Ayoub’s post stated. “My intent is to run a positive campaign while staying focused on my vision for the city.”
Other candidates who have announced their intentions to run in next year’s election include two contenders for Seat #4, incumbent Carlos Diaz and newcomer Cameron Boozarjomehri. Two others have picked up packets but have not announced an intention to run.
The candidate qualifying period begins after noon on Friday, January 3 and runs until before noon on Friday, January, 10.
While Hooper hasn’t made an official announcement regarding her candidacy, as a current commissioner she has until 10 days prior to the start of the qualifying period to resign her seat, per Florida State Statute 99.012.
The resignation is irrevocable and must be must be effective no later than the date the new commission takes office, per the statute.
Bookmark Safety Harbor Connect for all your 2017 Safety Harbor municipal election news!
Related content:
- Joe Ayoub to run for mayor of Safety Harbor in 2017
- Janet Hooper cleared of conflict of interest by state ethics commission
- Commission unanimously approves changes to the city’s zoning, sign codes
Below is the response Shelly made to a comment on her SSH Facebook Page about a 3 story restaurant on Iron Age. What is funny is that Shelly and her husband own at least 5 homes in Safety Harbor as rentals. And they tore down a quaint one story home on Hillsborough to build a 2 story home but of course the are not profiteers. Pot calling kettle black.
*****Saving Safety Harbor: You are right, and if you look at his list of campaign donors, you will see the reasons why. His money comes from special big development interests, most outside of Safety Harbor, developers, architects, realtors, profiteers, and opportunists. He is also supported by the wealthy who want to build big buildings, like a 3 story restaurant, on Iron Age.
1 · Yesterday at 4:49pm
Riddler, you asked for it and again the above post shows Saving Safety Harbor Facebook page wants to continue to post information that is NOT correct, a three story restaurant. It’s all about their scare tactics. Their post may be deleted by now as individuals point out their tactics.
Everything they write is skewed in the direction that is not correct.
I asked there is no plans for a 3-story restaurant on Iron Age. The people that live in that home are lovely people who plan to stay.
Downtown Safety Harbor CAN BE a jewel. Unfortunately, over the past several years, it has been hijacked and pushed toward becoming Seffner only with waterfront.
Small businesses owners who have committed their dreams and life savings into Safety Harbor deserve support from the city they have invested in. Citizens who live in downtown and support a Smart Growth approach into the future deserve leadership, not insults.
Joe Ayoub has vision for managed progress and an inviting, open-door welcome to new businesses, and residents — not a supporting Facebook page spewing insults, hate and intimidation tactics toward fellow citizens.
I want a downtown with a steady heartbeat. I want my Waterfront Park — citizens only paid $2.7 million — to be developed in a way that is actually usable. i want a community whose leaders do not support Facebook hate when dealing with opposing views.
Joe Ayoub, you have my vote and support.
Stand strong Joe. Its going to get ugly. You have many people who support you. You are more classy than the people on saving SH, and your responses to negativity on your facebook page show that. The recent say no to Joe video is appalling, as I walk the downtown area I see many properties and yards that are horrific and not kept up I wish people would worry as much about those properties., but I dont see those on the slide show on saving SH. I also see properties that are very close to the sidewalk which is the very thing that keeps getting complained about with new development. I am tired of looking at the 2 story white building on Main for lease that needs to be painted and fans replaced. Maby code enforcement can work on that. Accept it new development is coming. As homes come up for sale we cannot pass so many rules that it restricts the homeowner to who they can sell to. Its called an investment , and they have a right to make money. I know for a fact the Iron age developer paid many thousands of dollars into the tree bank. Can someone tell me where the new trees are being planted with this money? I also think trees do need to be replanted if taken down but in some areas Oak roots would be to destructive but the area may be able to have an alternative that is smaller such as a beautiful crepe myrtle or other flowering tree. To all the people who hate new development maby you should go on the property appraiser website and see what these people are paying for taxes to move to a city and be the subject of such hate. Iron Age homes are in the 7000 to 10, 000 range a year. Thats a lot of money, and while the 7 story condo is not liked by many ( I can understand both sides to that debate) between that building and Iron Age it will be close to half a million a year in taxes. Repairs will have to be made as the city ages and we will need all the money we can get. I eat everyday on main and go daily to the wonderful coffee shop behind Tapping The Vine the owner is so nice it makes you want to frequent her business and have her be successful. I have bought gifts at a few of the stores on Main and I and others in my family regularly get our nails done. Our merchants are struggling and I feel sad for them. New people moving in bring business to Main. I do agree developers should be made to pay an impact fee however. Also, our so called waterfront park in a joke , its just a bunch of grass that I let my kids run in until they step into a pile of fresh poop because that is what it is mainly used for. How about some tables under shade, maby a playground to watch children play ( it would bring joy to many elderly that may be alone that I see sitting just staring out at the water by themselves) while people may meet each other and make a new friend. Lets plant some oaks there with the money from the tree bank. Bring in some decent dirt for the hole before we plant them and add some fertilizer and they will thrive. I recently spoke with our city arborist and I have never met someone so passionate about nature, I am sure he would have many good ideas. Maby when all these new residents move is we will have extra tax money to work on our park. Heres a thought lets carefully work with developers for growth, have them pay an impact fee and use the money to help build our waterfront park, open a door for someone coming in a building, smile and say hello when someone walks by you on the sidewalk, take the time to pet someones dog and lets show people what a small community feel is really like. Also lets disagree about matters and act like adults not bullies. Many Blessings to All During The Holiday Season.
You are right Julie. It is getting ugly already with Shelly Schellenberg’s posts on her Saving Safety Harbor Facebook Page. She is telling people there is a 3 story restaurant being built on Iron age just to scare voters. It is sad and just wrong. I am voting for the candidate that stays positive and has a following of positive people. I feel sorry for Janet Hooper being supported by Shelly Schellenberg and Dave Riggles.
Yes! Joe has started campaign. NOW we can have a downtown, not dying. Now can push waterfront park. Now we can stop a dividing ugly face in SH!
No Joe for me! He has shown his interests in the past as Mayor and Council member.
He does not listen well nor is he a fair debater of the issues. Think Trump.
His only interest is in select businesses and not the community at large.
I will fight to defeat him.
Sincerely, Stephen Collins
I don’t know much about either of them. Just recently moved here. But your “Think Trump” comment just convinced me to vote for Joe Ayoub.
We’re a new group in Safety Harbor focused on stretching the Harbor out to it’s very boundaries with a focus on setbacks that will allow for patchy, dead grass across all our neighborhoods. Picture how some of the older, 1970’s neighborhoods in St. Petersburg where everything has a 20ft setback uniformly. We are against character and charm.
We would like to see Main St. go away and replaced with trees – our goal is to develop more land by making it less usable in the long term. We expect our setbacks and anti-growth plans to slowly kill business and allow nature to take back the land we stole.
It is with these issues in mind that we will be supporting Janet Hooper.
Please look for our Facebook page coming soon!
What is this?? And whop are you??
… this was to read: WHO are you
We are a group of concerned citizens who are fellow travelers on a few key issues with Shelley Schellenberg and Savjng Safety Harbor.
We are pro-urban sprawl (i.e. Increased lot sized and increased setbacks), anti-growth (we support zoning for what we don’t want vs creative zoning for what we would like to see) and we would like to see our Main Street close down and reduce our traffic and economic footprint (I.e. Less housing density around Main Street).
This is why we wil be supporting Janet Hooper for Mayor.
But Shelly Schelllenberg tore down a small single story home and built a 2 story home, got a permit to remove a tree, built a block rear wall 1′ off the alley and left a nonconforming garage up knowing full well it would not be permitted to be built if torn down. All the above she is fighting so hard to have changed so no other homeowner will have those rights. Hypocrite is what that is and you are a group that supports her and her candidate for Mayor, Janet Hooper?? Then if that is so, we will be mowing Main Street instead of driving down it!