DUNEDIN — Former Utilities Director Nan Bennett won the District 4 City Commission seat, vacated by Jeff Gow due to term limits, beating challenger Mark Ossian by gathering 56% of the vote Nov. 3.
According to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections, 9,436 out of 16,734 voters chose Bennett, with Ossian gathering 43.6%, or 7,298 votes.
Nan Bennett is no stranger to city government, having spent eight years serving as the city’s Public Works engineer, Utilities Operations manager, and director of Utilities and Engineering.
Born and raised in Pinellas County, she moved to Dunedin in 1998 and has a master’s degree in engineering and environmental engineering sciences from the University of Florida.
At an Oct. 1 candidate forum, Bennett emphasized she was not running to fix Dunedin.
“Dunedin is a great place to live, work and visit,” she said. “I’m running to protect the quality of life that we’ve all come to love and expect here in Dunedin, especially in the face of uncertain fiscal challenges ahead.”
Bennett has spent 25 years in engineering, utilities and public works for local governments, including Safety Harbor, Oldsmar, Clearwater and Pinellas County. She has worked for Dunedin three separate times, totaling eight years.
“The reason I keep coming back is because Dunedin isn’t just another job to me, it’s home,” she said.
Bennett said she grew concerned in recent months about the affordability and economic challenges facing the city. She asked herself who could guide Dunedin through the next few years, while keeping it affordable for young families, frontline workers and retirees on fixed incomes.
She ran on a platform asserting, “Dunedin residents deserve a city government that spends taxpayer dollars wisely and delivers dependable services efficiently.”
On her website, she emphasized “our natural environment is one of Dunedin’s greatest assets and a major part of the economic vitality of Tampa Bay and Florida. Environmental stewardship must stay at the center of every city policy and budget discussion.”
She volunteers with the Audubon EagleWatch program, monitoring the bald eagle nests in Pinellas County, and won the endorsement of the Dunedin Firefighters’ Association, IAFF Local 2327.
She said she favors “smart growth that should enhance Dunedin, not erase what makes it special. Smart, compatible redevelopment that respects neighborhood character, protects quality of life, and preserves the charm that residents value.”