Ralph Betancourt

Ralph Betancourt , one of the brighter hues in a city of colorful , often clashing characters , chose not to seek a second term as mayor this year so he can chase his dream.

Betancourt , 77 , is the host of a new television magazine show set to begin production in Central Florida.

Being mayor has been very rewarding , he said recently.I like people , I've always been a public servant.But I truly like the entertainment business..

Residents of this small beachside community south of Daytona Beach have long known of Betancourt's affinity for the performing arts.

That interest has sometimes overlapped with his job as mayor , as in 1998 when he welcomed newly hired City Manager Mike Booker to the city with a special song.

After he was elected mayor in 1997 , he convinced the council to begin each meeting by singing America the Beautiful..

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For several years , Betancourt has been a member of the Florida Motion Picture and Television Association , which promotes TV and movie projects in the state and provides a creative outlet for members looking to break into the field.

At local workshops , Betancourt wrote mock commercials and performed with his wife , Carol , in a taped original play , Ralph and Paula , about the lives of a retired couple.

He had eight roles as an extra in Universal Pictures' production of Days of Thunder , the Tom Cruise racing picture shot a decade ago in the Daytona Beach area.All eight scenes ended up on the cutting room floor.

His outgoing personality makes him well-suited as a host of an interview show featuring unique Florida personalities , said Ed Macchia , president of DeLand-based Mule Productions.

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If successful , it could go statewide , Betancourt said.

At a recent Shores council meeting , Betancourt , a retired Long Island , N.Y. elementary school teacher , promised to remain active in city affairs after the November election by attending meetings and possibly volunteering for citizens committees.

His unusual style will be missed , colleagues said.His informal , people-oriented approach helped to heal wounds opened by the 1998 recall of then-Councilwoman Phyllis Garvin.

After the recall campaign began , Garvin proposed a long list of restrictions on citizens' behavior at council meetings.Her proposals -- which Betancourt opposed -- sought to ban citizens from talking during meetings , groaning , laughing derisively and making loud remarks.

By contrast , Betancourt , the child of Cuban-born parents , revels in the often-raucous atmosphere of small-town politics and seldom reacts to the occasional groan or snicker directed at him.He sometimes follows heated debates with short commentaries on the beauty of local democracy in action.

Meetings chaired by Betancourt are more open than any meetings I've seen a mayor conduct , said Booker , who worked in four cities before coming to the Shores.
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Betancourt envisioned the gazebo as a venue for live music and for broadcasting emergency information.