This originally appeared in orlandoadvocate.com, read full story
Eatonville’s mayor Anthony Grant is mayor no more. After 14 years in office, and a seemingly iron-clad hold on town politics, Grant was beaten by his political nemesis, Vice Mayor Bruce Mount. Mount had tried twice before to unseat Grant. The third time, it seems, was the charm.
The race was close, with only 26 votes separating the two. Though the count is still “unofficial,” Grant has said he will respect the apparent wishes of the voters and step down. He promised to make the transition of power to Mount as smooth as possible. The 43-year-old Grant has been in office since 1994.
Chinks in the armor of Grant’s political apparatus began showing up when long-time political opponents Eddie Cole and Alvin Moore were elected to the town council last year. Together with Mount, the three have waged a long-time war against Grant– with most battles being fought over issues of budget, procurement and Town hiring practices.
Last year, Grant hired a planning director who it turned out had already been arrested for taking brides on a previous job. He was out awaiting trial on those charges when the Town of Eatvonville hired him. Later, when the criminal prosecution came to light, Grant took the hit for the town’s failure to conduct background checks. Even more alarming was the fact that a subsequent personnel audit revealed that more than a dozen other town employees also had criminal records.
