Senmartin, Gonzalez win Marathon City Council

Luis Gonzalez and incumbent Mark Senmartin earned the highest votes in the Marathon City Council race and will serve the next four years representing the two at-large, non-partisan seats up for election.

Mark Senmartin served two terms representing the Middle Keys city. He inched out George Neugent, a longtime Monroe County commissioner who chose to run for city council instead of reelection, by less than 1 percent.

Gonzalez won 31.87 percent of the vote; Senmartin, 26.48 percent; Neugent, 25.67 percent; and newcomer John Kissick, 15.98 percent. There were 6,050 ballots cast.

Neugent spent the last 20 years representing Marathon down through Big Pine Key on the Monroe County Commission. He raised $26,625 during his campaign. Senmartin’s campaign raised $14,790.

Gonzalez owns a landscaping business that contracts with the city of Marathon. He said in press reports that he would abstain from voting on issues related to his business.

He once ran for the school board and he had an unsuccessful bid for Marathon City Council in 2015. Out of all the candidates, he raised and spent the most — $28,190, of which $1,589 remains.

Kissick’s campaign raised the least. The swimming pool company owner raised $5,915 during his inaugural bid for office.

Correction: The original story incorrectly stated Senmartin served five terms on the city council. This will be his third term.

This story was originally published November 6, 2018 at 10:05 PM.