For the first time in 20 years, the Town of North Redington Beach has a new mayor at the helm—just as the community faces one of its toughest recoveries yet.

Jay Super was sworn in during the March town commission meeting after running unopposed. He succeeds Bill Queen, who stepped down in February after two decades of service and relocated to the city of Seminole.

With a background in plumbing and construction, Mayor Super says he’s ready to lead the town through its ongoing recovery from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

“Our focus now is on navigating these disasters,” Super told Bay News 9. “We’re working to cut through the red tape and get people back into their homes—not in months, but in weeks. We hope this doesn’t happen again, but we need to be ready if it does.”

The storms left hundreds of residents with extensive damage and the loss of most of their personal belongings—including the new mayor himself. Super’s home was destroyed by Hurricane Helene and is scheduled to be demolished later this month. His family is currently living in temporary housing.

“Everyone’s been affected—some more than others,” Super said. “We lost about 98% of our personal belongings, including all of my children’s things. But we’re safe, we’re healthy, and so are our neighbors. That’s what matters most.”

Emphasizing the strength of community, Super stressed the need for neighbors to support each other through the long road ahead.

He estimates it could take up to five years for North Redington Beach to fully recover. Though he’s been a resident for only two years, Super and his wife have been visiting the area with their three children for two decades.

Follow the St. Pete-Clearwater Sun on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Google, & X

(Image credit: WUTF)

PIE-Sun.com: local St. Pete-Clearwater news

Leave a comment

Trending