Republican club elects 2010 officers

A local news reporter from Historic City News was on hand for the last regular meeting of the Republican Club of Greater St. Augustine when they elected and installed a new slate of officers for the coming year.

2009 President, Bob Smith, convened the meeting on Monday night, March 8th, at 7:20 p.m. in the meeting room of the St. Augustine Yacht Club, located at 442 Ocean Vista Avenue by the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum.

Smith, who was stepping down this year, conducted the election of officers for the group of about 75 members and guests who attended the event.

Elected for 2010 were Gary Bruce – President, Don Heine – 1st VP, Gary Howell – 2nd VP, Pat Greenfield – Secretary and Randy Brunson – Director at Large.

Newly elected President, Gary Bruce, addressed the meeting, briefly, to thank the previous officers for their service and to announce his agenda priorities for the coming year. Bruce said that, being an election year, his first priority is to get the Republican Campaign Office open. A site has already been located and the members are already at work making preparations for the space in the former Bozard Ford Service Department offices on San Marco Avenue.

Bruce said that as a Republican, he loves our country and does not want citizens to fear our government. He wants to focus on educating members and the public about what it means to be a Republican; establishing a speaker’s bureau for that purpose. In a related priority, Bruce said that his term will make a concerted effort to build membership in the local Republican club in order to better prepare the organization to build a strong fundraising capability.

Photo credit: © 2010 Historic City News staff photographer