Florida Mayor Resigns Amid Hurricane Recovery: Don’t Have ‘Bandwidth’

The Republican mayor of a small Florida beach town devastated by two recent hurricanes announced his resignation on Monday, saying he lacks the “necessary bandwidth” to lead the community through its recovery while managing his family business and personal crises.
Treasure Island Mayor Tyler Payne, whose own home was destroyed by flooding from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, made the announcement in a Facebook post, calling his three-and-a-half-year tenure “the greatest honor of my life.”
“While it pains my heart to make this decision in the midst of our recovery from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, this is the best decision for me and my family,” he wrote, citing competing demands from his full-time role in his family’s business, which he said is in a “critical growth phase.”
In an email to Newsweek, Jason Beisel, the city’s public information officer, said the mayor’s statement is all that has been released at this moment.
The resignation comes as Treasure Island, a barrier island community in Pinellas County west of St. Petersburg, grapples with extensive damage from both storms. Hurricane Milton hit Florida at the beginning of October, killing at least 16 people and leaving millions without power. Two weeks earlier, Hurricane Helene had carved a path of destruction through several U.S. states, killing more than 200 people and causing widespread damage to homes and infrastructure.
Milton, which twice reached Category 5 status while drawing energy from the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, had maximum sustained winds of 120 miles per hour when it hit Siesta Key, Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The storm brought a dangerous storm surge to densely populated areas along Florida’s Gulf Coast, including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Fort Myers.
In his resignation announcement, Payne explained that his own family’s situation mirrors that of many residents.
“Just like the majority of our residents, our home and my parents’ home both on Paradise Island were completely flooded and damaged beyond repair,” he wrote. “While my parents will rebuild and we will fortunately continue to have those roots in Treasure Island, my husband and I cannot afford to do the same.”
The timing of Payne’s departure comes at a critical juncture for the coastal community. In his statement, Payne acknowledged the crucial role the mayor must play in recovery efforts.
“As we recover from these storms, it is going to be critical for the mayor to dedicate a significant amount of time to lead our community through the process,” he wrote, adding that he “unfortunately” does not have “the necessary bandwidth to fulfill that need.”
Vice Mayor John Doctor will assume mayoral duties, according to Payne’s announcement, writing, “I am confident that our Vice Mayor John Doctor will step into my role and serve the residents with the highest level of passion and dedication.”
Despite stepping down and relocating off the island, Payne expressed his intention to remain connected to the community he has served. “We aren’t moving far and I intend to remain an active part of the Treasure Island community that I love so much,” he wrote.