Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Village of Atlantic Beach ushered in a new governing board on July 6, when Mayor Barry Frohlinger and Trustees Douglas Garczynski and Andy Bass were sworn into office after winning the June election.
For Frohlinger and Garczynski, the ceremony marked a transition from appointed officials to elected leaders after a year in which they helped guide the village through litigation, reduced property taxes by 2 percent and approved zoning changes they said strengthened protections against overdevelopment.
Set to serve a two-year term, Frohlinger said the goal is to keep moving forward with transparency and protecting village interests. He noted the board is continuing to work on village finances and capital assets.
“For me, it’s a continuation of all the great work and the progress that we’ve made over the last year serving the village and residents as a brand new board,” he said.
Bass has lived in Atlantic Beach for more than 20 years. Elected to his first term as a trustee, Bass has nearly four decades of experience as an insurance broker, which he said will help him in his new position.
“My goal is to serve my fellow residents to the best of my ability and do it in a way that serves the community,” Bass said. “After many years of being part of the Atlantic Beach community, I can now hopefully do something constructive for my neighbors.”
The board’s first action was to reappoint key village officials. The Hon. Lester R. Hill, Jr was reappointed associate village justice; Jared Kasschau as village attorney; Herbert A. Kilbanoff as village treasurer; Emily Siniscalchi as registrar; Donna Stone as deputy registrar; Susan Jaffe as local historian, Anthony Rivelli as director of emergency management and Joseph Pierantoni as deputy mayor, as well as the liaison to the finance committee.
All appointments are for one year, expiring July 5, 2027.
The organizational meeting also included the swearing-in of the village’s Parks and Beach Commissioners. The commissioners oversee and advise on beachfront operations and safety.
Nat Etrog, who has served as board chair since 1985, said commissioners work with lifeguards and village officials to help keep residents safe throughout the summer.
“The commitment that we have to the operation is to ensure that the residents have a safe and enjoyable summer,” he said. “We rely on the experience of the chief lifeguard, and the deputy chief, and me, and the commissioners to ensure that our residents are safe.”
Frohlinger commended residents who volunteer their time to serve the village.
“Residents in the village who are deciding to volunteer and give all their effort to the village really need to be commended for everything they’re doing,” he said. “The reappointment of all those people who are serving the village is a real testament to our joint desire to serve the village and continue to bring the village forward.
