Chris Dzadovsky will be sworn in on Monday at Fort Pierce City Hall after narrowly winning the run-off election for a City Commission post against Jaimebeth Galinis.
District 2 voters went to the polls on Jan. 13 in a special election to fill the seat vacated by former City Commissioner James Taylor after his arrest and resignation in July 2025. Dzadovsky will serve the balance of Taylor’s four-year term.
Dzadovsky and Galinis moved forward after none of the original three candidates garnered over 50 percent of the vote in November. The third candidate was Donna Benton.
Although Dzadovsky is not yet sworn in, he considers himself already on the job.
“Formally I’m sworn in on Feb. 2, but I’ve already been reviewing public materials, departmental reports, and prior commission actions so I can start informed,” he said. “My approach is to engage staff early, understand existing conditions, and be prepared to contribute constructively from day one.”
Out of 13,158 registered voters, 2,591 ballots were cast, constituting a 19.69 percent turnout.
Dzadovsky defeated Galinis by a mere 31 votes – 1,311, or 50.60 percent, to 1,280 votes, or 49.40 — according to the St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections website.
Seasoned in local government, Dzadovsky served for 16 years as a St. Lucie County commissioner before losing his seat to James Clasby in November 2024.
“I feel the weight of our community, the concerns, and the incredible amount of work that will be necessary,” said Dzadovsky. “I am up for the task and working diligently to be prepared to make the difference citizens of Fort Peirce are expecting.”
St. Lucie Voice posed a series of questions to Dzadovsky about his thoughts and plans going forward as a commissioner. The following is a summary of his responses.
Top of the agenda for Dzadovsky is the city’s comprehensive plan. “It’s the policy constitution of the city, and it’s overdue,” he said. “Getting it updated, legally compliant, and aligned with our real infrastructure and growth capacity is essential for every other decision we make.”
Dzadovsky recognizes the success of public investment that has gone into the downtown and beach areas of the city over the past 25 years, but believes other areas of the city need to be considered as well.
“In recent years, many other neighborhoods haven’t seen the same level of attention, and some are showing real signs of strain. My focus is making sure the entire city benefits from investment – not just a few corridors,” he said.
Asked about his vision for the Kings Highway corridor, he said, “I have long believed a Special Overlay District is necessary to signal to the private investment community that this area is planned, prepared and supported for economic development.
“Just as important is creating a clear, predictable planning and development process that allows for true speed-to-market. The goal should be focusing investment on completing projects – not wasting time and resources simply navigating unclear or inefficient processes,” he added.
High on Dzadovsky’s list of priorities is keeping police officers on the job in Fort Pierce and not departing for higher-paying areas. He said it would be an early focus when meeting with Police Chief David Smith, who is also set to be sworn in on Feb. 2.
“Retention requires both competitive compensation and a professional environment where officers feel valued and supported,” he said, talking about succession planning that he introduced when he served with the Fire District.
The planning emphasized education, training and a vision for career advancement. “People need to see a future for themselves – not feel like they are stuck with no path forward.”
Dzadovsky believes it is crucial to work with the city manager and police leadership to ensure the city is financially competitive in recruiting and retaining officers.
Regarding multiple pending lawsuits related to planning and development, the incoming commissioner said that he needs to be fully briefed on their current status. Dzadovsky believes that some of the city’s processes need modernization and he will focus on “improving transparency, consistency and speed-to-market.”
“Long-term economic stability means attracting higher-wage private investment in manufacturing, marine, aviation, and logistics. The Port of Fort Pierce and the airport corridor are critical assets, and I believe we need a more streamlined governance and planning framework there to unlock their full potential,” he said.
Dzadovsky thinks that his experience at the county level will help the city be better prepared on major redevelopment projects going forward, citing a need for “asking the right questions early and structuring policies that anticipate risk.”
He said that watching the progress of the Kings Landing Project has been “disheartening,” but that “many of the original policies and decisions were based on good intentions by both the City Commission and staff.”
Adopting a five-year business plan that can be integrated directly into the upcoming budget process is also high on his list of priorities. “Preparing for economic uncertainty is critical,” he said, recalling the 2009-2010 recession and many subsequent years.
“Many cities and counties were forced to delay maintenance, postpone equipment replacement and shelve critical infrastructure projects. That only made problems worse.
“Local governments must be transparent: If major revenue sources decline again, some services may/will be affected. This is not about being alarmist. It’s about being honest, planning ahead and making sure citizens understand the financial realities facing our city.”