Hosafros, Murphy, ready to get to work
Rexann Hosafros and Ray Murphy will return to Fort Myers Beach Town Council after winning the majority of votes for seats one and two last week.
Both have previously served on council in notable ways.
Murphy was part of the town’s first-ever council after incorporation in 1995, and served a stint as mayor during his six years.
“Back then we started it from scratch, we didn’t have pencils, we didn’t have chairs.. we really had to start from ground zero and build everything up and when I left office there after the first six years, I don’t think we had more than five or six employees in the whole town,” he said.
Hosafros was one of three women to be elected to serve together on council in 2014, aN historic ratio of female council members for the town.
Now, she’ll join Vice Mayor Joanne Shamp and Councilmember Anita Cereceda for another female council majority.
“It’s exciting that women are getting more involved in politics, and I was really happy, I ran a pretty low-cost grassroots campaign and I’m glad to see you can still get elected doing that,” Hosafros said.
On election day, Murphy and his brother helped two special people get to the polls: his 97-year-old father and 95-year-old mother.
“I said if I win by three votes, it’ll be your three that put me over the top,” he said, laughing.
Murphy didn’t have to worry about a close margin, though.
He won 34 percent of a total 3,314 votes, taking the lead, with Hosafros winning 27 percent, or 927 votes.
Newcomer Dan Allers was close behind with 24 percent, or 813 votes, and incumbent Dennis Boback lost his seat with 13 percent, or 431 votes.
“I think the town is going to turn a new leaf here and we’re going to have a nice, quiet, steady council up there. I see nothing but good things ahead for the Town of Fort Myers Beach,” Murphy said.
“I’m excited to work on the water situation…I had expressed dissatisfaction with the town’s response to the water crisis and I wanted to become a more active participant in it myself and now I’ll have the opportunity to do that,” Murphy said.
“I’m just really looking forward to getting to work on a lot of different issues, and I’m thrilled to be working with the four other members of council and Roger (Hernstadt), I think we’re all going to be a good team,” said Hosafros.
She thanked all her supporters for their help.
“It was a grassroots campaign so I couldn’t have done it without all the people that helped me, definitely,” she said.