Sarasota's new candidates have a lot to say -- but will the public get the chance to hear them?

In our area right now, we are fortunate to have several candidates who are knowledgeable and articulate on a broad range of environmental issues.

Unfortunately, the current state of local media is such that it's likely very little broad public attention will be given to our area's local candidates or issues in the 2020 General Election. More on this below.

Here's a brief intro to five of these challengers, all of whom have made the environment a key plank in their respective platforms:

Andy Mele has a long and strong history of advocacy in both New York and Florida, where he's led Suncoast Waterkeeper as well as taking a lead role in opposing the huge gypsum mining firm Mosaic. Andy is running for Florida House District 71.

Mark Pienkos is running against incumbent Mike Moran in District 1, where large-scale developments are getting approved and moving eastward at an accelerated rate. Pienkos sees serious custodianship of the environment as integral to maintaining Sarasota's highly regarded quality of life.

Cory Hutchinson is running for the County Commission against Nancy Detert in District 3 - the Venice area. One key element of his platform is renewable energy. Hutchinson also wants to prioritize infrastructure repairs, to stop sewage spills into our water.

"Our environment is everything," says Alice White, "it's why we chose to live here." White, who's running for the District 5 County Commission seat, has been a longtime North Port voice for good planning and good planting -- In fact she's known as "The Tree Lady."          

Brian Kelly is a candidate for Venice City Council and a lifelong resident of Sarasota. A co-founder of Hands Along the Water, his focus is to preserve our lands from over-development, to protect our water quality and the environment as a whole, and to extend the reach of public health. "We must protect our natural resources," he says, adding, "our state's fragile environment is at risk from powerful interests. I am frustrated by developers' destruction for short-term gains. Our kids will pay the ultimate price if we don't act now."

There's a lot more about the County Commission districts, candidates and issues at Citizens for District Power.

From the sudden spate of super hotels planned for Siesta Key to the efforts of the Old Miakka Community in the most rural eastern portion of Northeast Sarasota, some of the most significant local issues have to do with the impacts of planning and intense development upon the environment.

Each candidate is following his or her individual conscience and commitment, but behind their concerns looms a larger common question, lurking in Red Tide, in storm surges, in ever-stronger hurricanes, in polluted aquifers, in the disappearance of rural life: Is our way of living reaching a breaking point? 

Where are the public debates?

None of these challengers is accepting developer handouts. All deserve to be better known. Voters deserve sustained, illuminating, in-depth discussion at this critical time.  

No public debates were organized by the corporate media in Sarasota during the August Primaries. The Herald Tribune is not staging any forums or debates for the General Election. And here's no word as of yet from WWSB-Ch 7, or the Observer, or any or our corporate media as to how they will cover the election.

Two local groups are holding online forums: - click the links to obtain their schedules: 

Tiger Bay and the League of Women Voters are organizing Zoom Forum events.

Are our media trying to socially distance themselves from these issues? Some residents think so. If you feel that candidates running without large funding from developers deserve more media attention, please sign this Petition:

Sarasota News Media: Engage our candidates!

Seeding our imaginations - ecological and political

We saw a remarkable example of the ecological imagination bear fruit in Sarasota. The brainchild of a few people who paid attention to need - an overflowing, failed drainage system - and to potential - digging water retention on a huge scale - and to inspiration - piling up the muck to create a large plateau.

That sort of attention made the Celery Fields a place of public safety (from flood), public health (340 acres to walk, exercise) and general well being (for birds, nesting areas; for people, birding areas).

At the moment the Celery Fields was maturing into a thriving natural asset, drawing people from overseas to its Audubon Nature Center, a developer nearly persuaded the Board, its planning department, and two of our five commissioners (Moran & Maio) to approve building a huge open-air dump next to the nesting areas of the Celery Fields.

It took a community to turn away that big money exploitation.

Ecological imagination won out thanks to the people who live here. It was a close call. The environment will lose out to the rampant growth pursued by Pat Neal, James Gabbert, Carlos Beruff, Gary Kompothecras, Rex Jensen and their myriad mechanical minions if we don't feed, seed, and cultivate the ecology of our political imagination.

Vote wisely.

#celeryfields #primary #vote #election #growth #developers #commissioners #politicalmachine

Tiger Bay: Sarasota City District 2 Forum available for viewing

City of Sarasota 2020 Election Districts

It is going to be difficult for candidates running in Sarasota's local races this year -- given the pandemic and the lack of venues for voters to get to know them. 

If you missed this June 4 Tiger Bay forum for the candidates running in the city district 2 election race. Morgan Bentley moderated:

The candidates are:

Terry Turner
Jerry Wells
Liz Albert (incumbent)
Martin Hyde

Watch it at this link  Password to view:  8N$59DO^


The mission of The Sarasota Tiger Bay Club is: To promote community understanding of current political and social issues, through public discourse and the free exchange of ideas.  The Sarasota Tiger Bay Club is a non-partisan political organization.

Ready to step up?

Sarasota County Charter Review Board

Are you ready to step up?  You can file to be a Precinct Captain in your neighborhood.You need to file this FORM with the Supervisor of Elections by NOON on June 12th to qualify.

Remember, there is still time to qualify to run for local office.  

Charter Review Board - Free Running Seats

The Charter Review Board (CRB) is an elected body of 10 members, two members from each of the five county commission districts, who serve staggered terms of four years.The Charter Review Board reviews and proposes changes to the Sarasota County Charter which are submitted to referendum in accordance with the provisions of Article VI of the Charter. They serve without compensation.

The CRB meets two or three times a year. Here's the agenda for that meeting. The main business is a proposed change to citizen amendments to the Charter, requiring citizens to come before the CRB before it goes to the County. This proposal has been under the management of CRB member James Gabbert. Below is their last meeting from Jan. 15, 2020.

There is no fee to file to run for this seat. You can learn more here: 

Hospital Board  $25 filing fee

There are 10 seats on the Hospital Board and they are all held by Republicans. There are 4 positions up for election on the Sarasota County Hospital Board. Hospital districts are different than County Commission Districts. See map of districts here. 

Learn more about the Hospital Board here. If you have a business background, experience managing large budgets, or health care experience, please consider running for the Hospital Board. There is a $25 filing fee for this seat.

You can request a candidate packet from the Supervisor of Elections office if you are interested in learning more - 941-861-8600.