Kornell becomes first openly gay official in St. Petersburg. Incumbents sweep.

ST. PETERSBURG — The City Council will welcome one fresh face: Steve Kornell.

He earned more than enough votes to beat Angela Rouson in the race for District 5's seat Tuesday. Incumbents swept the city’s other four council races.

When he takes office Jan. 2, Kornell will become the first openly gay person to hold office on the St. Petersburg City Council. It’s a significant milestone in a city with a large gay community that has faced opposition to past pride displays under conservative leadership.

Kornell, a Pinellas County schools social worker, received 59.5 of the vote. Rouson, a former marketing professional and the wife of state Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, received 40.5 percent.

Kornell has an extensive background working with city recreation centers, running both Childs Park and Shore Acres. He wrote a grant that still brings in millions for teen programs. He hopes to help prevent crime and increase youth activities and jobs. He advocates using Penny for Pinellas money to put solar panels on city buildings.

Rouson and Kornell ran a race largely free of mudslinging. They had similar outlooks for the city and both played up their experience working with children. Rouson is a mother of five and community activist.

Here’s how the rest of the races played out:

District 2
In the council’s closest match, Jim Kennedy earned 55.7 percent, beating newcomer Stephen J. “Steve” Corsetti, who earned 44.3 percent.

Kennedy, 52, was appointed to the City Council when member John Bryan committed suicide in 2007. A lawyer active in the community, he had never held office before. On council, he became known for reading documents extensively and chairing two committees.

Corsetti, 65, is vice president of the Riviera Bay Civic Association and previously served as police chief in the small New Hampshire town of Danbury. He raised heavy campaign money and was backed by influential supporters. But it wasn’t enough.

District 4
Leslie Curran, a 12-year council veteran, captured 71.9 percent of the vote to beat writer and educator Pamella Settlegoode, who earned 28 percent.

Curran, 53, owns Interior Motives art gallery and design business and has led efforts to turn the 82-year-old Crislip Arcade on Central Avenue into an artists’ community. She launched Art in the Park at Williams Park and served on the Pier task force. Her track record, she said, proved itself.

Settlegoode, 60, is a fifth-generation St. Petersburg resident who decided to run after reading the newspaper and getting concerned about city issues. She led a grass-roots campaign for change with the help of two students.

District 6
Karl Nurse earned 73.8 percent of the vote to retain his council seat, beating Vel Thompson, who earned 26.2 percent.

Nurse, a community activist who owns a printing business, was appointed to District 6 last year, becoming the first white man to represent the area in decades. Nurse, 55, pushed for open meetings and records and using government stimulus money to hire police officers. Race, he said, wasn’t the overriding issue.

Thompson, a 51-year-old cosmetology student and former manager of the city’s Neighborhood Team, pushed for less waste and more neighborhood policing. She said representation by an African American such as herself would help the district take pride.

District 8
Incumbent Jeff Danner received 72.2 percent of the vote, beating Leonard Schmiege, who received 27.8 percent.

Danner, 49, was a carpenter and contractor who working on historic homes who served on government boards before working his way to City Council. He focused on transportation and boosting local business districts.

Schmiege, 40, got some attention when he brought a video camera to a council meeting and captured a brawl at City Hall, then posted it online. The self-employed technological fan and free speech advocate wanted more transparency in government.

Stephanie Hayes, Times Staff Writer

Comments

[BARRY Sucks!!!]

Nice job Barry. You looser! Greedy loser!!! How could you let a landslide canidate loose!?!?! You managed her campaign tailored to your interest. You should have managed it to win and win only! Angela, Next time open up your eyes a little and trust your gut. Your a hot black female...um hello.. you could have won all day long without Barry.

[Well done!]

Congratulations, Steve! You ran a great campaign and showed voters that you deserved their consideration and vote!

Please do not forget your Democratic roots!

[Chris Brudy]

Steve Kornell had a sea of great volunteers, led by Steve Lipinski and Mike Fox. They deserve kudos for vastly outworking Angela's team.

[garry]

Get ready for Kornell's extensive list of gay suporters to cash in on their favors now owed and credited to city hall.

Next year will for sure have the biggest Pride Parade the city has ever seen.

[to: garry]

garry, there aren't any 'favor's' due anyone. Too, the council position is part of a large group, a collective branch of municipal government that extends far beyond a proclamation for the Gay Pride event. But go ahead and live in the stone age, matter of fact why don't you let Foster know what it's like since he doesn't accept it's existence. If you left your short sighted bigotry behind you stand to benefit from a little diversity, we're here, you've been working, playing, shopping, having your teeth cleaned, car repaired, paper delivered and taxes done by us for years, you just may not have known it.

Congratulations Steve, the city has truly elected the best candidate in this piece of the election.

Terri

[Reporters should check their facts.]

"Corsetti...raised heavy campaign money and was backed by influential supporters."

Don't the Times reporters even read the Times? Corsetti was OUTSPENT by more than 3 to 1 and was "backed" by the PBA and the FOP.

[Lii]

I think it's interesting that the same voters just elected a gay councilman and a creationist mayor. We have an open minded city.

[Go REPUBS]

"YES WE CAN"

[Peter]

Aren't we all a little gay?

[vince]

Angela is a caring and fine citizen. Unfortunately she paid Barry Edwards over $4K according to her final expenditure report to secure the District 5 seat.
Darryl has paid approx $5K to Barry over the past 2 months to Edward's company Gravitas, in hopes of getting his spouse elected.
Barry was outmaneuvered, and simply beaten by a more efficient campaign manager, at NO cost to Kornell.
Darryl, contrary to your belief, Edwards is not brilliant. True Democrats only hope that you utilize him as your senior adviser in the upcoming District 55 race.
Nice touch on your part using Republican Minkoff,s wife, Elise as your campaign treasurer. Do you understand a the difference between Republican and Democrat in a partisan race?

[Peter Schorsch]

And Vince, you wont be working for anyone.

[Sour Grapes]

Is that Vince from the Joe Smith camp?

Vince, since when is a council race partisan? Read much?

[Rotten Grapes]

there's no such thing as a non-partisan political race... dope

[Rotted Brain Cells]

Yes there is. Try READING the City Charter, moron.

[Dain Bramaged Lefties]

Just because it's written, doesn't mean its real... pinhead... isn’t that you left-wingnut wacko’s argument over the Bible?... ya sap! I take it you believe the stimulus has actually “created” jobs too... ya simp...

[Winning campaign managers Darden Rice and Johnny Bardine discuss how they helped their clients win.]

Winning campaign managers Darden Rice and Johnny Bardine discuss how they helped their clients win.

http://bit.ly/3xVGJM

[attentive too]

My take is that Vince was discussing two different subjects on his 9:49P.M. post last night.

Angela is a good person, having chose poor advisers, (i.e. Edwards and her husband).

The second comment was prefacing the upcoming District 55 race in 2010. Darryl's former treasurer was Tom Minkoff, recent attorney for the Pinellas Republican Party. Since Minkoff was politically appointed to Circuit Judge, he had to abdicate his position as Darryl's treasurer. Darryl simply tapped Elise Minkoff as Treasurer for the 2010 race, a staunch Republican.

Darryl Rouson is currently a DEMOCRATIC candidate for this position, he is also the current DEMOCRAT holding the seat. This race is partisan. Rouson would be prudent to surround himself with Democrats to advise him as well as manage money that will hopefully come from Democrat supporters.