The Town Deserves Better
The Town of Melbourne Beach Deserves Better! Why Mayor Alison Dennington’s Tenure Must End.
Since the last election, Mayor Alison Dennington has been missing in action—literally. After her preferred candidates lost in November, the mayor seems to have checked out. Mayor Dennington did not attend the December meeting, requiring the newly elected commissioner, Terry Cronin, to step-in as presiding officer. Vice Mayor Cronin did a wonderful job! The meeting was efficiently run with respectful communication and productive results. The staff and viewers seemed very relieved that the typical six hour meeting duration under the bungling direction of Mayor Dennington was complete within three hours under Vice Mayor Cronin.
Dennington has missed three meetings in the past three months, including the emergency meeting that was called to help rescue the trapped manatee. Her absence has been glaring. The writing is on the wall as even the handful of her most ardent supporters are no longer attending the meetings. This stalemate has her focus directed at other matters...Could it be because her personal agenda for 2026 of getting her settlement offer for $50,000 approved has hit a wall without the supermajority that Steve Walters announced they would have if he and Bruce Larson got elected?
We must not forget that Mayor Dennington’s relentless legal battles against the very town she’s supposed to serve are leaving the taxpayers of the Town of Melbourne Beach to foot the bill. A bill that continues to grow for the six lawsuits that she has filed. To date, it is over $175,000 in Town attorney fees alone that has been paid with our Town budget. She continues to fight the Town with litigation continuing to this day with a deposition being taken on March 19th in the “Breach of Contract” case, which is essentially the shed case. Future court hearings are still pending for this and other cases. It’s clear her priorities are not in the interest of the people in the Town of Melbourne Beach.
It certainly seems apparent that the issues surrounding Mayor Dennington are still being Swept Under The Rug.
The emergency meeting involving the rescue of “Melby” the Manatee, was underscored by the mayor’s absence during critical moments in Town governance and decision-making. All other commissioners as well as Town staff were on hand to deal with the situation. Yet, the mayor was nowhere to be seen… for days. There was no response or reply from her to the phone calls, emails or text messages.
Vice Mayor Cronin remained on site until the manatee was fully recovered. He spoke to reporters on behalf of the town during the crisis, keeping the focus on rescuing Melby. At the next Regular Town Commission Meeting (RTCM), the town manager announced plans to improve emergency communication systems—to effectively inform residents in quick time.
It was at this meeting on February 18th, that Vice Mayor Cronin stepped in again during Mayor Dennington’s continued absence to preside over the meeting. The new Town Manager addressed the commission from the podium for her introduction the the town, which was a refreshing approach to communication. Residents voiced concerns about topics like code enforcement retention issues and hiring practices, as well as commenting on the recent rescue of “Melby” the Manatee—who has become a beloved symbol of the unity within our coastal community.
In addition to the mayor’s absences at multiple RTCMs, when the manatee was discovered and an emergency meeting was called to fund the effort, Mayor Dennington was physically in town but completely unreachable—no texts, no calls, no emails. Every other commission member actively participated in the rescue and attended the emergency meeting, highlighting the mayor’s lack of leadership when it was most crucial.
Beyond missed meetings, town resident Jan Pence voiced her concern about a highly inappropriate email Mayor Dennington sent to our Town finance manager, Jennifer Kerr. After learning about this abhorrent exchange and doing a public records request, Jan read the emails aloud that were sent back and forth between the mayor and the finance manager. Ms. Pence went on to ask the new Town Manager, Marie Smith, to work with our town commission to specifically address Mayor Dennington’s unacceptable behavior and compel her to issue a public apology to Mrs. Kerr. (Watch YouTube video of RTCM public comment by Ms. Pence starting at 12:45 minutes)
Commissioner Anna Butler summarized the meeting in an email to residents, including the following key points:
Town Manager Marie Smith announced plans to work with Fire Chief Gavin Brown of the Melbourne Beach Volunteer Fire Department to improve emergency communication systems, a critical step for our community’s safety and responsiveness.
The commission voted unanimously to increase pay for a code enforcement officer after multiple resignations, signaling ongoing challenges in maintaining town staff morale.
Legal battles by Mayor Dennington continue to drain resources, with upcoming trial dates and outstanding bills adding to the financial burden placed on taxpayers.
The commission remains focused on protecting our environment, passing regulations on artificial turf and planning manatee and other wildlife protection measures in the upcoming budget.
Despite these efforts, the mayor’s disengagement is a stark contrast to the dedication shown by other town leaders. While Mayor Dennington has indicated she does not plan to run for reelection, our focus must now turn to finding a candidate who truly loves Melbourne Beach and is ready to lead with commitment and integrity. Our town deserves leadership that shows up, stands up, and puts the community first.
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