List of mayors of West Palm Beach, Florida

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Mayor of the City of West Palm Beach
Seal of West Palm Beach, Florida.svg
Seal of West Palm Beach
Keith A. James (51324734859) (1).jpg
Incumbent
Keith James
since April 4, 2019
Residence West Palm Beach, Florida
Term length Four years
Inaugural holderJohn S. Earman
Formation1894
Salary$125,000
Website https://www.wpb.org/our-city/mayor-s-office

The Mayor of West Palm Beach, Florida is a nonpartisan office that is the head of the executive branch of West Palm Beach's government. The type of government is Mayor-Commission. Powers and duties of the mayor include approving the agenda of and presiding over the meetings of the city commission, the ability to veto the city commission votes, including line-item vetoes in regards to the city budget, but vetoes can be overrode with a 4-1 vote. The mayor and city manager both have supervisory powers over the city's departments. Additionally, the mayor may initiate investigations involving the city of West Palm Beach. [1] Since 1991, mayors have been popularly elected to four-year terms. [2] City Hall is located at 401 Clematis Street, with the mayor's office on the second floor. [3]

Contents

On November 6, 1894, the day after West Palm Beach was incorporated, voters elected John S. Earman as the first mayor. Beginning in 1919, the city operated under a council–manager form of government, with the mayor elected to the city commission and selected by other members of that body to serve a one-year term. The mayor served as a chairperson of the commission and had far less power than the city manager. [4] A referendum in March 1991 resulted in a transition to a directly elected strong mayor. [5] The first modern election for mayor occurred in November 1991, resulting in Nancy M. Graham becoming the city's first strong mayor. [6] The current mayor is Keith James, who was elected on March 12, 2019. [7]

Early mayors (1894–1919)

Name [4] Start of term [4] End of term [4] Notes
John S. Earman18941896
J. F. Lamond18961897
Marion Eugene "M. E." Gruber18971898
Wilmon Whilldin18981899
RJChillingworth.jpg

Richard J. Chillingworth

18991901Grandfather of Curtis Chillingworth, who was murdered in 1955 while serving as state judge [8]
Louis W. Burkhardt19011901
GGCurrie.jpg

George G. Currie

19011904
William I. Metcalf19041905
GBBaker.jpg

George B. Baker

19051907
J. T. DeBerry19071909
George W. Potter19091910
James B. McGinley19101912
C. S. Anderson19121914
Murray D. Carmichael19141916Later served in the Florida House of Representatives [9]
W. A. Dutch1916September 22, 1919 [10]

Council-manager government mayors (1919–1991)

ImageNameStart of termEnd of termNotes
David F. DunkleSeptember 22, 1919 [10] September 8, 1921 [11]
Murray D. CarmichaelSeptember 8, 1921 [11] 1922Later served in Florida House of Representatives
L. Garland Biggers19221923
Joseph Mandel19231924First Jewish mayor [12]
Henry Stephen Harvey19241926
Spencer T. Lainhart19261927
J. C. McCreary19271928
Vincent Oaksmith19281929
JRBeacham.jpg John R. Beacham19301931Later became President of the Florida Senate [13]
Elza B. Donnell19311933
Charles B. Watkins19331934
Paschal C. "Pat" Reese19341935
F. Theodore "Ted" Brown19351937
Sanford D. "Sam" Morris19371939
Ernest Metcalf19391940
Ronald V. Ware19401941
Willis H. "Bill" Hitt19411942
J. O. Bowen19421943
Vincent Oaksmith19431944
George H. McCampbell19441945Brother of S. Perry McCampbell [14]
Stanley Peeler19451946
E. Tinsley Halter19461947
Willis H. "Bill" Hitt19471948
Lloyd C. Bell19481949
William P. "Bill" Holland19491950
L. Thomas Keating19501951
Hustin V. McMillan19511952
H. Elmo Robinson19521953
S. Perry McCampbell19531954Brother of George H. McCampbell [14]
Elias V. "Jack" Faircloth19541955
C. Harold Earnest19551956
Maurice E. "Buster" Holley19561957
Elias V. "Jack" Faircloth19571958
Horace S. Miller19581959
William P. "Bill" Holland19591960
Percy I. Hopkins, Jr.19601961
Ray G. "Uncle Bim" Behm19611961Served three days [4]
Percy I. Hopkins, Jr.19611962
C. Ben Holleman19621963
Robert "Bob" Hawkey19631963Served for about two weeks [4]
Ray G. "Uncle Bim" Behm19631964
Fred O. Easley, Jr.19641966
C. Harold Earnest19661967
Reid Moore.jpg Reid Moore, Jr. 19671968Served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1977–1978 and 1981–1982 [9]
David H. Brady19681969
Eugene W. Potter19691970
Fred O. Easley, Jr.19701971
Francis H. Foster, Jr.19711972
M. P. "Ham" Anthony19721973
G. Ray Sparks, Jr.19731974
Fred O. Easley, Jr.19741975
Richard E. Linn19751976
James M. Adams19761977
M. P. "Ham" Anthony19771978
Helen Wilkes 19781980First woman to serve as mayor [15]
James M. Adams19801981
Michael D. Hyman19811982
Eva W. Mack19821984First African American mayor [16]
Dwight Baber19841985
Carol Roberts 19851986Served on the canvassing board for the 2000 Florida election recount and the Democratic Party nominee for Florida's 22nd congressional district in 2002 [17]
Samuel A. Thomas19861987
Richard V. Reikenis19871988
Pat Pepper Schwab19881989
James O. Poole19891991
John F. "Jeff" Koons19911991Served for eight months [4]

Strong mayor (1991–present)

ImageNameStart of termEnd of termNotes
Nancy M. Graham November 1991 [4] March 25, 1999 [18] First strong mayor [4]
Joel T. Daves, III.jpg Joel T. Daves III March 25, 1999 [18] March 27, 2003 [19] Lost re-election [19]
Lois Frankel, Official portrait, 113th Congress.jpg Lois Frankel March 27, 2003 [19] March 31, 2011 [20] Served in the Florida House of Representatives (1987–2003) and the U.S. House of Representatives (2013–present) [9] [21]
Jeri Muoio, mayor of West Palm Beach.jpg Jeri Muoio March 31, 2011 [20] April 4, 2019 [22]
Keith A. James (51324734859) (1).jpg Keith A. James April 4, 2019 [7] Incumbent

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Give West Palm a Strong Mayor". The Palm Beach Post . March 10, 1991. p. 1E. Retrieved March 21, 2022– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  2. ↑ Eliot Kleinberg (March 7, 2015). "Stakes high in West Palm Beach Mayor race". The Palm Beach Post. West Palm Beach, Florida. Archived from the original on October 22, 2016. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Directory of City Departments". West Palm Beach, Florida: City of West Palm Beach. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 H. J. Roberts (December 1994). West Palm Beach Centennial Reflections . West Palm Beach, Florida: Sunshine Sentinel Press. ISBN   1884243029.
  5. ↑ Earl Daniels and Fred Lowery (March 13, 1991). "Strong Mayor Gets Nod". Sun-Sentinel . Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Graham Elected Mayor". Sun-Sentinel. West Palm Beach, Florida. November 20, 1991. Archived from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  7. 1 2 Terri Parker (March 13, 2019). "Keith James elected as new mayor of West Palm Beach". WPBF. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Portrait of Richard Jolley Chillingworth". Tallahassee, Florida: State Library and Archives of Florida . Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 Robert L. Ward (August 2011). Membership of the Florida House of Representatives by County 1845-2012 (PDF) (Report). Tallahassee, Florida: Florida House of Representatives. pp. 221, 224. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Capt. D. F. Dunkle Chosen Mayor of West Palm Beach by Commission". The Palm Beach Post. September 23, 1919. p. 1. Retrieved June 23, 2019– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  11. 1 2 "New Administration Takes Reins of City". The Palm Beach Post. September 9, 1921. p. 4. Retrieved March 21, 2022– via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  12. ↑ "The Jewish Community and Congregation". West Palm Beach, Florida: Historical Society of Palm Beach County. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  13. ↑ Sessions of the Florida Senate From Statehood, 1845-present (PDF) (Report). Tallahassee, Florida: Florida Senate. March 2016. p. 8. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  14. 1 2 Joseph C. Nunes (January 24, 1989). "Former Mayor George H. Mccampbell". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on December 1, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  15. ↑ Marisa Gottesman (October 9, 2015). "Helen Wilkes, 88, first female mayor of West Palm Beach". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  16. ↑ Steve Nichol (June 5, 1998). "Eva Mack, 81, Public Health Activist". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Republicans projected to retain House". CNN . Washington, D.C. November 6, 2002. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  18. 1 2 Cindy Glover (March 24, 1999). "West Palm Beach Voters Pick Joel Daves To Lead Them". Sun-Sentinel. West Palm Beach, Florida. Archived from the original on December 9, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  19. 1 2 3 J. Christopher Hain (March 18, 2003). "Tearful Supporters Bid Farewell to Daves". The Palm Beach Post. p. 1B. Retrieved March 21, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  20. 1 2 Andrew Abramson (March 31, 2011). "New Mayor Muoio sworn in; "My doors will be open," she tells public". The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on May 11, 2017. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Biography - U.S. Representative Lois J. Frankel (FL-22)". United States House of Representatives . Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  22. ↑ "West Palm Mayor Muoio delivers her final state of the city". WPTV. January 24, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
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