Board of Commissioners

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Contact the Board of Commissioners: 727.938.3711 or email: boc@ctsfl.us

Board of Commissioners Agenda

Mayor Costa Vatikiotis – Mayor Costa Vatikiotis is a Tarpon Springs native whose family arrived in 1905 with the first Greek sponge fishermen from Aegina, Greece. He’s a graduate of Tarpon Springs High School, Florida State University, and the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering Science, Masters and Doctorate Degrees in Mechanical Engineering. He served in the U.S. Navy in the Mediterranean as a Surface Warfare Officer. Mayor Vatikiotis completed his 20-year career with the rank of Commander as an Engineering Duty Officer in the Navy’s Research and Development Community. He later was on the Research Staff with the Center for Naval Analyses, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, as a Senior Scientific Analyst. He participated overseas in Desert Storm as a Senior Advisor to the Admiral in charge of the Mine Warfare Command. He met, Darlene (Dolly), his wife of over 40 years while attending the Naval Postgraduate School. Upon her retirement as a U.S. Navy Commander, Costa and Dolly relocated to Tarpon Springs to finish raising their 3 children, and to step back from the hi-tempo of the Washington, D.C. environment. After returning to Tarpon Springs to open a plant nursery in the Keystone area, Mayor Vatikiotis instead became the City’s Building Official, City Engineer, and ultimately City Manager. He left city employment to spend more time with his family and to develop his practice as a professional engineer and an environmental consultant. Costa is now retired professionally but continues serving as your Mayor. Email: cvatikiotis@ctsfl.us

The office of Vice-Mayor will be rotated as provided by Resolution 2024-01 as follows:

COMMISSIONER EISNER –       JANUARY 10, 2024 TO JUNE 6, 2024
COMMISSIONER KOULIAS-      JUNE 7, 2024 TO NOVEMBER 2, 2024
COMMISSIONER KOULIANOS- NOVEMBER 3, 2024 TO MARCH 31, 2025

Commissioner Michael Eisner – Commissioner Eisner was elected to serve a three-year term on March 15, 2022, and was sworn in on April 12, 2022. He served on the Board of Adjustments for the previous 7 years. He has been a Tarpon Springs resident since 2013 and has been very active in the community with Rotary, mentoring children in the schools, volunteering for the merchants’ association, and helping whenever able. He was originally from the Bronx, NY and studied at Herbert H. Lehman College while teaching English at Taft High School, Bronx, NY.  At age 21, he was the youngest National Sales Manager of Emerson Radio. For 10 years he worked for Xerox, then became the Branch Manager of Rentokil, a pest control company.  He and his wife were married in 2005 and lost their home on Long Island in hurricane Sandy in 2012.  He retired in 2014 after being an emergency service expert following hurricanes Irene and Sandy in NY. He is a flood restoration and mold remediation specialist and for over 30 years remodeled flooded kitchens and baths. He was a home improvement contractor and a flooring expert. He is the father of 2 grown children and recently became a grandpa of a beautiful baby girl.  As Commissioner, he promised to listen to the residents and to instill honesty and common sense in all his decision making. (Commissioner Seat #3) Email: meisner@ctsfl.us

Commissioner Panagiotis (Peter) Koulias – Commissioner Koulias was elected to serve a three-year term on March 15, 2022 and was sworn in on April 12, 2022. (Commissioner Seat #4).  Commissioner Panagiotis (Peter) Koulias is proud to be a native son, born and raised in Tarpon Springs.  His campaign reinvigorated the pride of the residents, who grew up in Tarpon Springs.  His grandparents immigrated to Tarpon Springs from Greece in 1971 to provide a better opportunity for his mother and her siblings.  His grandparents’ house is in the historic Greek Town Sponge Docks neighborhood.  His father immigrated to America in the 1970s, and both of his parents are from the island of Kalymnos, Greece.  As a Greek American, second-generation Tarponite, Panagiotis feels blessed to have grown up in a city intertwined with history and Greek culture.  He is a proud member of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral.  As a youth, Panagiotis played Junior Sponger Football and High School Football all four years. He attended Sunset Hills Elementary School, Tarpon Springs Middle School, and is 2005 graduate of Tarpon Springs High School.  He then attended the University of South Florida, receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting in 2010.  Panagiotis has been a local business owner for many years.  After college, he opened a staffing and temporary employment agency, in addition to a payroll and workmen’s compensation brokerage.  His focus as Commissioner is to protect the Tarpon Springs way of life for current and future generations and to preserve small town charm.  He is thankful to be able to give back and serve the community he grew up in and loves. Email:  pkoulias@ctsfl.us

Commissioner John Koulianos – Commissioner Koulianos was elected to serve a three-year term beginning in April of 2023.  John has a long history of volunteerism in all facets throughout our community, including: Tarpon Springs Planning and Zoning Board; Tarpon Springs Police Pension Board; AdventHealth North Pinellas Foundation Board; St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral Board; Tarpon Springs Friends of the Library; Tarpon Springs Rotary; and Tarpon Springs Youth Football and Soccer Coach. Commissioner Koulianos holds the professional designations of Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA) and Master Analyst in Financial Forensics (MAFF).  He has taught as an adjunct accounting instructor at St. Petersburg College and as an accredited continuing legal education provider by the Florida Bar Association.  Mr. Koulianos appears regularly in court proceedings as an expert witness on tax, accounting and forensic matters.  John and Kay Koulianos have been married for 42 years and have two daughters, both graduates of Tarpon Springs High School.  Kay is a life-long resident of Tarpon Springs and manages their accounting office located on Ring Avenue in downtown Tarpon Springs.  John and Kay are blessed with the recent birth of their first grandchild.  John has a passion for running, which is exemplified by his completion of the New York City Marathon in 2021.  He is currently training for the Chicago Marathon scheduled for October of 2023 with his long-term goal of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. He has a long family history in Tarpon Springs with his father, and decorated war veteran, Michael G. Koulianos having been born in Tarpon Springs in 1915.  John’s brother Tom was the former Mayor and a Commissioner of Tarpon Springs. Commissioner Koulianos believes in progress with an emphasis on preservation of the heritage that makes Tarpon Springs unique. Email: jkoulianos@ctsfl.us

Commissioner Frank DiDonato – Commissioner DiDonato was appointed as interim Commissioner Seat #2 on February 20, 2024.  He will serve until such time as a special election is held in August 2024.