A changing of the guard took place Tuesday night in Wilton Manors with a little added drama thrown in.

Wilton Manors Mayor Scott Newton and Commissioners Mike Bracchi and Chris Caputo were sworn in during the virtual proceedings. 

Before the new commissioners were seated, Michael Rajner, chairman of the city’s charter review board, blasted Commissioner Gary Resnick as a “small, vindictive, insecure, little man.”

Rajner said Resnick made inappropriate comments towards out-going Commissioner Julie Carson and brought up Resnick’s past troubles with the owner of a local strip club.

Newton defeated Carson for the mayor’s seat in a close race. Before making way, Acting Mayor Tom Green wished Newton good luck. 

“Scott has a calm demeanor and gets along with everyone,” Green said. 

Carson, in her farewell speech, noted she was the first out lesbian elected to public office in Florida and thanked the city for supporting her during a decade of ups and downs. Only real risk, Carson said, tests the reality of a belief.

“The best way to find one’s self is to lose one’s self in the service of others,” she said.

The new commission’s first order of business was to elect Paul Rolli as vice mayor. Rolli said he looks forward to moving Wilton Manors forward.

“The train needs to get back on track,” he said. 

Prior to the start of the meeting, Carson revealed she had tested positive for COVID-19 and had done the necessary contact tracing.

At the commission’s next meeting, the community affairs advisory board is scheduled to present its definition of “diversity.” The commission is currently made up of five white men with Newton being the lone non-gay member.