NORTH REDINGTON BEACH — A little over a month ago, Seat 1 Commissioner Steve Bradley resigned from the North Redington Beach Board of Commissioners. Bradley had sold his home and moved out of North Redington Beach, making him no longer eligible to retain his seat.
John Messmore was formally appointed and sworn in as the new seat 1 commissioner at the beginning of the Nov. 13 commission meeting.
Messmore and his wife of 22 years, Barbara, own Sweet Sage Café. The café has been in business 32 years, and the Messmores have owned it for the past 20.
Although Messmore has not held public office until now, he is well-known around town, having been here since 1950 when the town was called Redington, before it was renamed North Redington Beach in 1953. Messmore claims to be the oldest living resident.
Having grown up in the area, Messmore was in the first graduating class at Dixie Hollins High School with Jim Morrison of The Doors as one of his classmates. He fondly remembers former Redington Mayor Nick Simons, who was one of his contemporaries. Messmore has spent most of his life in the hospitality business and real estate development and rarely misses a town meeting.
With his knowledge of local history, having witnessed much of it firsthand, Messmore has many stories to tell. Among his favorite experiences was waiting on Marilyn Monroe at the Tides Hotel on Bath Club. “I got to talk with her,” said Messmore.
Messmore was unanimously appointed to the commission by a 4-0 vote. Town Attorney Jay Daigneault then swore Messmore in, and Messmore took his seat at the dais, participating from then on in the town’s proceedings. Mayor Jay Super welcomed Messmore to the commission. Messmore will serve out the remainder of Bradley’s term, which ends in 2027.
In other news
Two new ordinances passed unanimously, 5-0 during new business.
The first was an ordinance regarding the review and approval of certified recovery residences. Although North Redington Beach currently has no halfway houses, a new state requirement mandates that municipalities must have a process in place for certified recovery residences.
Super asked the town attorney if the town had a choice in passing the ordinance.
“You have the same choice my father used to give me,” Daigneault said. “You can do it happy, or you can do it sad.”
The other ordinance concerned the colocation and construction of wireless communication support antennas and facilities. According to Daigneault, the ordinance complied with state and federal law and there was little the town could do to control it. Town Clerk Mari Campbell said AT&T called her, requesting a copy of this ordinance.