Thursday, October 1, 2026
George Pappas, whose administration was rocked by two huge controversies in the past few years, resigned as Atlantic Beach mayor on July 2, and Trustee Charles Hammerman, appointed deputy mayor by Pappas, stepped down as well.
Pappas was the village’s fifth mayor, first elected in 2014, defeating 18-year Mayor Stephen Mahler.
As of press time, Pappas has yet to respond for comment.
The announcement came just hours after the Board of Trustees voted to enter a settlement between the village and the Chabad of the Beaches that will cost Atlantic Beach $950,000 in addition to the legal fees totaling nearly $400,000. The resignations also came a few weeks after it was revealed that Atlantic Beach residents would endure an 87 percent tax increase.
“It became abundantly clear at Tuesday’s meeting that the residents connected my appointment with Mayor Pappas ahead of the election,” Hammerman said.
Hammerman replaced Trustee Anthony Livreri after he resigned on May 28, just short of completing one year of his two-year term. Hammerman was expected to finish out Livreri’s term through July 2026.
“Now that Mayor Pappas has resigned, I am providing an opportunity for the three remaining trustees who will take office on Monday to name not only a new mayor but a fellow trustee to work alongside them,” Hammerman added. “If I happen to be in consideration for either one of those positions, I would be honored to continue serving this great community.”
New Trustees Laura Heller and Joseph Pierantoni were sworn in at the July 7 meeting.
In a statement from Trustees Barry Frohlinger, Heller and Pierantoni, “We wish Mayor George Pappas and Deputy Mayor Charles Hammerman all the best. As Trustees, we are united by our dedication to the Village of Atlantic Beach and committed to providing thoughtful, effective, and transparent governance.”
The statement continues, “There is a lot of important and exciting work ahead, and we are confident in our ability to meet these challenges and make a meaningful difference. Atlantic Beach is a vibrant, diverse, and unique community, and it is our goal to make sure that it continues to thrive and remains a place we are all proud to call home.”
The trustees will need to appoint a new trustee and mayor for a special election. A date is yet to be set.
Atlantic Beach resident Kevin Kelley, thought it was “gracious of Hammerman to resign” rather than to think he would be stepping in for Pappas as mayor.
“Pappas has resigned in disgrace, and he appointed Hammerman to be his likely successor and I guess that could still happen,” Kelley said. “It shows a certain generosity on his part not to force the issue but to let the bends unfold.”
Kelley added that this situation is an “extraordinary upheaval” and is “unprecedented” but positive in his point of view.
“For Pappas, the 87 percent tax increase coupled with the $950,000 payout to Chabad of the Beaches along with the eminent domain is a pretty appalling record,” Kelley said. “I don’t think the people of Atlantic Beach will mourn his resignation.”
Mahler expressed that he is “happy about the situation” and that this is a win for the village.
“I’m think the new trustees are going to do very well for the village and we’ll go from there,” Mahler said. “It’ll be very interesting, but the threesome on the board will do great things. After being mayor for 18 years I was very unhappy with the events leading up to this and I’m hoping brighter days lie ahead.”
Have an opinion on the upheaval in Atlantic Beach? Send letter to mberman@liherald.com.
