Dupre, Mullins elected for CEPD board
By MEGHAN BRADBURY
mbradbury@breezenewspapers.com
The voters elected incumbent Bernie Dupre and Michael Mullins as the commissioners for the Captiva Erosion Prevention District during the General Election last week.
Dupre kept the Captiva Erosion Prevention District’s Seat One with 52.83%, or 84 votes and Margarethe Thye-Miville received 47.17%, or 75 votes.
“First, I would like to express my gratitude to the residents for allowing me to continue to serve. CEPD’s core mission of beach erosion and prevention is a valuable asset to this community,” Dupre said. “Unfortunately, its historical governance and administration has at times has been tortured and dysfunctional. I am proud that over the past year, under the leadership of the outgoing chairman, it has been reorganized to function effectively. The organization is now streamlined, with qualified outside district oversight from GMS coupled with the outstanding financial and operations management of Lisa Batchelor. Importantly, this structure allows the board to concentrate its governance on the accepted role of financial oversight and strategic direction to ensure the organization achieves its mission while remaining legally and financially compliant. It is also critical for the CEPD to focus on its core mission. That mission does not include iguana control, village drainage issues or bayside regulations. Those concerns may be real, but are not the mandate of the CEPD. I hope the community holds the new board to the highest standards of proper governance in fulfilling the CEPD’s core purpose of beach erosion and prevention.”
Michael Mullins claimed the Seat 3 for the district with 63.52%, or 101 votes, beating incumbent Bob Walter, who received 36.48%, or 58 votes.
Mullins said he was very pleased with the election outcome and deeply appreciates the faith Captiva residents have placed in him through this decisive victory.
“Unlike past years, when CEPD commissioners often ran unopposed or were appointed, this contested election highlights our residents’ strong engagement and concern for the future of our community,” he said.
During Mullins term, he plans to advocate for initiatives supporting “bayside resiliency.”
“In line with the CEPD’s enabling legislation, our obligation to prevent erosion and increase resilience applies to all tidal areas of Captiva. The CEPD must address the threats rising seas and severe storms pose to the entire island, not just its beaches. Additionally, I intend to focus on restoring federal funding to support these critical efforts,” he said.