All entries for June 2015
Sarasota on Monday to Consider Change in Election Cycle
Sarasota City Commissioners on Monday will consider asking voters if city elections should be rescheduled to coincide with state and national elections. The discussion was raised in early June by Vice Mayor Suzanne Atwell, who said voter turnout would be improved if city contests coincided with gubernatorial and presidential elections. She advocated having a first city election coincide with state primaries in late August and for runoffs to coincide with the general election in early November, and said elections should take place in even-numbered years. A change in election dates would require a change to the city charter. Critics of such a change say there is no guarantee turnout is city contests will increase, particular during the initial August election, and that city issues may take a back seat to other state and federal matters when it comes to volunteer interest and media attention. City Attorney Robert Fournier said he will bring the issue back before commissioners on Monday. A majority of the board could put a charter amendment up as a referendum, leaving the final decision to city voters. Fournier will ask commissioners on Monday whether they want an ordinance drafted that could do just that. If so, the matter would need to come back to the commission in a public hearing and approved before the referendum was scheduled for a citywide vote. Fournier said if commissioners do want an ordinance drafted, he would need to know when commissioners want the question to go before voters. Commissioners could schedule the election to coincide with another election, such as the primary election in August 2016 or the general election in 2016, or they could pay to hold a special election. And before the issue was put before voters, commissioners would also need to lay out a schedule for phasing the change in, Fournier said. Right now, two city commissioners are scheduled to have terms expire in May 2017 and the other three commissioners have terms expiring in May 2019. "I want to avoid truncating anyone's term," Fournier said. To do so, Fournier believes, could open the city up to a legal challenge. The matter has been handled differently in other cities. For example, when Bradenton moved its city elections from odd- to even-numbered years, the terms of council members and the mayor were extended by a year. 
Guiness World Records Recognizes Snooty as World's Oldest Manatee
Guiness World Records has now recognized South Florida Museum resident Snooty as the “Oldest Manatee in Captivity.” Museum officials say Snooty, who turns 67 in July, is widely recognize as the oldest Florida manatee in the world, citing information from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission that suggests the oldest aged wild Florida manatee ever 59 years old when it died. Typical manatee deaths are being documented before 15 years of age on average. The manatee’s birthday will be celebrated during Snooty's 67th Birthday Bash and Wildlife Festival on July 18 from 10am-2pm, with the animal’s actual birthday on July 21. CEO of South Florida Museum Brynne Anne Besio said: “Snooty is a one-of-a-kind animal. Not only does he make history every day as the oldest-known manatee in the world, but he also provides valuable insight into the health and life cycle of all manatees.”
Rissler Named COO at Benderson Park
Nicole Rissler will leave her position as Visit Sarasota County sports director to be the new chief operating officer for Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center, the nonprofit that runs operations for Nathan Benderson Park. “I am honored to have this opportunity to be part of an amazing team of leaders and staff that are doing outstanding things for our community,” said Rissler. “I am delighted to have been asked to be part of this incredible community park and to assist in leaving a legacy for many generations to come.” Rissler in her capacity as the county's sports commissioner has been deeply involved with Benderson Park before, working on behalf of Visit Sarasota County to land the 2017 World Rowing Championships. The move also shows a maturation at SANCA as it develops a permanent staff for an increasingly important sports venue. “We have been looking for the right candidate for more than a year and are very excited to have Nicole’s expertise to lift our organization to future greatness,” said Paul Blackketter, SANCA president. “Not only will she be able to sprint into the position, she will be a great addition to our team.” The COO comes in with 14 years of nonprofit experience and a master's in Sports Administration. Previous work includes jobs at the YMCA, American Red Cross and Lynn University. “Although a huge loss for Visit Sarasota County, we are thrilled for Nicole and know she will be an amazing asset to Nathan Benderson Park, and the SANCA team and our entire community,” commented Virginia Haley, president Visit Sarasota County.
SMOA: Surkis Steps DownIn a statement released this morning, former Sarasota Museum of Art (SMOA) President Wendy Surkis has announced she will be stepping aside and “passing the reigns” to Ringling College and previously... More »
Sarasota Hires Soccer Executive to Handle Homeless EffortsDoug Logan, a sports executive who served as CEO for Major League Soccer and USA Track and Field, has been hired by the City of Sarasota as director of Special Initiatives on Chronic Homelessness. "I'm... More »
SRQ speaks with the Grow The Dream Show teamEntrepreneurs love talking with colleagues about the nature of running a business, so why not record and broadcast those chats? That’s what the team behind the Grow The Dream podcast—Grow... More »
Football League to Headquarter in Southwest FloridaMajor League Football, a new nationwide football league, confirmed it will headquarter in Manatee County and launch its first season in Spring of 2016. Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, where a... More »
Sarasota to Consider November ElectionsSarasota Vice Mayor Suzanne Atwell asked staff to explore the possibility of holding city elections concurrent with November general elections. The city will bring information back at a later date, when... More »
Longtime Sarasota Finance Director DiesMayor Willie Shaw today announced that former Sarasota Finance Director Christopher Lyons had passed away. Lyons, a 25-year employee of the city, retired in 2012 for health reasons. During his time at... More »
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