Sarasota now has two fake boards

A community's mental health isn't something you kick down the road - unless you're Sarasota County's Board of Commissioners. Local experts volunteered 526 hours to review and recommend the most valuable mental health services for our citizens -- only to watch Moran, Maio, Ziegler, Cutsinger and Detert punt -- incoherently. Carrie Seidman.

The same five Commissioners agreed there's no space west of I-75 left for affordable housing, then granted Pat Neal's request to dodge a formal commitment to build affordable housing east of it. Sarasota's moneybags developer apparently can't afford affordable housing -- details in The Sarasota News Leader.

This Tuesday, Nov. 29, the newly elected Sarasota School Board will meet to consider terminating the Superintendent - no reason given. Brennan Asplen has high marks for his performance. Karen Rose made the motion. "Asked about the motion following Tuesday's meeting, Rose continued walking past a Herald-Tribune reporter and declined to comment." 

To email all School Board members: schoolboardmembers@sarasotacountyschools.net

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Moran and Maio instigate undoing Sarasota's single member districts

Board of Sarasota County Commissioners

. . . the Sarasota County commissioners this week launched an initiative that could lead to the removal of the Single-Member Districts voting system from the Sarasota County Charter.

On a motion by Commissioner Michael Moran, seconded by Chair Alan Maio, the board members voted unanimously to ask the county’s Charter Review Board “to revisit” the Single-Member Districts Charter amendment that won voter approval on the November 2018 General Election ballot.

The next Charter Review Board meeting has been set for May 19, the county website says. It is to begin at 6 p.m. at the county’s Robert L. Anderson Administration Center, located at 4000 S. Tamiami Trail in Venice.  Sarasota News Leader April 22, 2021.

Reaction:

Editor:

The same overwhelming majority of Sarasota County citizens who voted to institute Single Member Districts will rise up again to defeat any effort to go back to the at-large system.  If Commissioner Moran is determined to spend our taxpayer money in an effort to undo something we taxpayers voted to do, then it must be asked: whom does he represent?  It surely isn’t the majority of voters in Sarasota County!

William C. Zoller
6375 McKown Road
Sarasota, FL 34240

“It sounds kind of insulting to say [county citizens] didn’t know what they were voting for." -- County Commissioner Nancy Detert 

“Single Member Districts for electing Sarasota County Commissioners passed resoundingly by voters of all political parties in a 2018 ballot amendment (59.84% vs. 40.16% NO) to make our County Commissioners more accountable to their constituents." - Kindra Muntz.

History of Single Member Districts in Sarasota County, Florida

“We’re able to work together,” Ziegler said of himself and his colleagues on the board. “I can’t say that’ll be the case years down the road.”  

Question: Do the county commissioners approve every development, no matter how much a proposal is opposed by residents?

A few days ago, as I approached that intersection, traffic was backed up at least a mile in every direction. Once the massive hotel and retail outlets are squeezed into the Siesta Promenade, I would hate to have to evacuate the key in an emergency.

What are the duties of county commissioners anyway, and whom do they serve?  James Medin, LTE from Herald Tribune

 

Which is the next rural farm to fall to Sarasota's developers?

 Few knew that an old horse farm sat right on Palmer Boulevard. Graceland, as this small acreage had long been known, was a reality before all the development east of I75. Gradually it became a patch of rural life nearly invisible within a network of roads, gated communities, and developer ambitions.

Now Graceland's gone, as the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners ignored the arguments of residents, and even of its own Planning staff.

Bye, bye Palmer Horse Farm and our Rural Heritage Lifestyle Tuesday afternoon four of our five Sarasota County Commissioners (Commissioner Detert voted NO) voted in favor of HORTON HOMES paving over our Rural Heritage Neighborhood with 46- Cluster homes!  It was extremely disappointing that Commissioners Mike Moran, Christian Ziegler, Al Maio and newly elected Ron Cutsinger chose to vote against the voices of local residents asking for denial of this rezone.  They also voted against their own planning staff recommendations that this land did not fit the criteria to be rezoned to 46-homes.   BYE, BYE  HORSE FARM A big thank you to all our Palmer East Neighbors who emailed the commissioners, zoomed in, attended, and gave excellent testimony at the meeting.   This loss is very disappointing to us all, but we will push forward and continue to be a voice for our rural neighborhoods asking/demanding our county government abides by  the zoning regulations of the 2050 Comprehensive Plan principles to protect the Rural Heritage Lifestyle and Open Vistas here. Contact Palmer East Group here. Welcome New Palmer East Neighbors

CONA Sarasota Forum Oct. 8: Commission Race and Single Member Districts

Update: Go here for video of the single member vote debate and condidate panels from CONA's October meeting.  Monday, October 8, 2018         -  general election forum  -  county commission races single member districts         All candidates competing on the general election ballot for our county commission districts have been invited to participate in the CONA forum on October 8, 2018 that also will address a ballot initiative of particular interest to county voters. The forum will be divided into two panels.                  The first panel will feature Jack Brill and Dan Lobeck in a discussion of an initiative on the ballot that voters will consider regarding a change of county government form, from at-large election to single-member-district election of commissioners.               The second panel will combine county commission candidates Ruta Maria Jouniari and Christian Ziegler of the district 2 race with Wesley Anne Beggs and Alan Maio of the district 4 race.        Written questions may be submitted in advance or at the meeting to be included, as time allows, following the questions posed by our moderator.           Candidates appearing on our ballots for any races are welcome to attend the social before the meeting in order to make contact with voters and to distribute literature and yard signs, even if not scheduled as a member of a panel for the forum. Information about initiatives appearing on the ballot also may be provided to inform voters.                   The meeting will open with brief neighborhood updates about their issues, including Chris Bales on Arbor Lake Preserve, Ben Cannon on Bath and Racquet Club, Sura Kochman on Siesta Promenade, and Tom Matrullo on the Celery Fields.                                                                             See www.conasarasota.org/meetings.html for more information.                 social 6:30 p.m. -  meeting 7:00 p.m.          neighbors helping neighborhoods since 1961                        anniversary party  -  honoring John McCarthy  -  November 5, 2018 make your reservation at the meeting ticket purchase information is on the 'contact us' page of our web site

CONA meetings are free and open to the public as well as members of the more than seventy associations the organization represents and its individual members. Unless otherwise noted, the meetings are held at the Sarasota Garden Club, 1131 Boulevard of the Arts in Sarasota, which is at the intersection of Tamiami Trail, south of the Municipal Auditorium. Parking and the entrance are reached from Van Wezel Way. Socials precede the meetings at 6:30 p.m., the meetings begin at 7:00 p.m.

Meet the candidates at the CONA Forum

Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations—CONA 

meet candidates at 6:30 pm and attend forum at 

7:00 pm Monday, July 9, 2018

_____ candidate forum _____ 

county commission district two race

Alexandra Coe, Ruta Maria Jouniari, and Christian Zeigler have been invited to participate in the CONA forum at 7 pm on Monday, July 9, 2018. They are all of the candidates qualified to run in the district two race for the county commission in the August primary. Voters elect all county commissioners, who are supposed to represent the entire county. Candidates run in the race for the district in which they reside.

The forum is free and open to the public. Written questions may be submitted in advance or at the forum to be included, as time allows, following the questions posed by our moderator.

_______ plus ______ 

meet qualified candidates for all local primary races

Qualified candidates for any scheduled local race are welcome to attend the 6:30 social before the 7:00 CONA forum in order to make contact with voters and to distribute literature and yard signs, even if not scheduled as a member of the panel for the forum. Because so few forums are scheduled, we are providing this opportunity for all local race candidates.

CONA election forums will be held each month through October at the Sarasota Garden Club 1131 Boulevard of the Arts see www.conasarasota.org/meetings.html for calendar dates and directions