David confirmed winner of Atlantic Beach seat after protest hearing held

By RUBEN LOWMAN

After holding a special election and a runoff, and then having those results challenged in a protest hearing on Monday, Atlantic Beach has finally officially confimed John David as the town’s new councilman.

David initially won the special election to fill the vacant council seat back on Jan.17, and again received the most votes in the runoff election held on Jan. 31.

David garnered 38 votes in the runoff, or just under 60 percent of the total, with challengers Michael Isom and Lenny Evans receiving 21 votes and eight votes, respectively.

But Isom, who is the son of Atlantic Beach councilwoman Josephine Isom, disputed the results last Thursday during the certification of the ballots, and initiated a protest hearing on the grounds that David did not fulfill the residency requirements laid out by the town in order to hold public office.

In response, David, who is retiring from the military and owns property in Maryland, presented documents showing he is a legal resident of the town.

The town’s election commission accepted his documentation and confimed him the winner of the seat on council this Monday.

David has said that he is in favor of more business development in the town, specifically on 30th and 31st streets, but he is against the “Black Pearl Project”, a 21-story oceanfront resort that has been proposed to the town’s planning commission.

He stated that he wants to preserve the pristine and historic waterfront of the town in order to maintain beach access for all of the town’s residents.

David is expected to be sworn-in at the next council meeting, which is scheduled to be held on Monday, March 6.