Rodriguez' opponent in 2010 seeks to take over Boynton mayor job

BOYNTON BEACH — Just hours after Mayor Jose' Rodriguez was suspended Friday following his arrest, the man who came in second to Rodriguez two years ago has asked to fill in for him.

Brian Edwards sent an e-mail Friday evening to commissioners, who are expected at their Feb. 7 meeting to temporarily fill Rodriguez' seat.

He said he'll be in Tallahassee that day for legislative meetings but that "I am willing and ready to serve."

And Edwards, an ex-Marine and neighborhood activist who recently served on the city's charter review committee, said, "My run for Mayor in the last election did indeed fall a little over 100 votes short of Mayor Rodriquez and I stood proudly to congratulate him at his swearing-in ceremony. Although the effort on my part doesn't default to anything other than second place, it does bring credit to the fact I am still as prepared to serve our city as Mayor now, as I was then."