When Daniel Keuther first moved to Sarasota County, he worked in real estate and development at Schroeder-Manatee Ranch. Now he wants to serve on the Sarasota County Commission and reign in the same developers who once paid his salary.

“I understand where SMR has tried to influence and use their power in Sarasota and especially in Manatee County, and it’s one of the reasons I no longer work there,” Keuther said. “I couldn’t stay because I repeatedly saw what was happening.”

He’s running now for the District 4 seat on the Sarasota County Commission, where Al Maio cannot seek re-election thanks to term limits. He faces Republican Joe Neunder in the district race on Nov. 8. 

For the record, the Democrat doesn’t consider himself an anti-development candidate but rather a proponent of smart growth. The district leans red, with roughly 12,000 more registered Republicans than Democrats. But Keuther feels his own platform closely aligns with Mark Hawkins, a Republican who pulled in 26.54% of the vote in an August GOP Primary, so there’s a chance to build a winning coalition in the election. About 3,537 Republicans voted for Hawkins compared to 9,760 who voted for Neunder in August.

As a real estate professional who has worked on the professional side with developers bringing housing stock to the market, and as a citizen who has pushed for timely controls on unbridled growth, Keuther believes his would be a balanced and thoughtful approach to handling land-use decisions at the county level.

“We need to use the county commission the way it was intended, to protect the citizens of Sarasota County and make sure development does occur and does benefit all of Sarasota, and it’s not just done to benefit the developers’ pockets,” he said. “We need to prioritize the environment, not take care of issues after they happen. We should make sure every decision has an ecological perspective to it.”

Keuther said he won’t treat the county comprehensive plan like scripture that cannot be changed. At the same time, he’s been upset at decisions, including a recent one to allow greater development at Old Myakka. He felt frustrated when he and 50 others spoke up about the project, told by county commissioners they wanted to hear the input of the public, but then an application as drafted by the developer won approval with no amendments. “That was the county commission accepting the feelings of the one over the 51,” he said.

Were he on the commission, Keuther said he would have demanded any expansion in development rights be accompanied by a plan to address the deficit of affordable and attainable housing plaguing the region right now. That needs to be a greater part of every decision.

Outside of discussions about growth and infrastructure, Keuther’s candidacy holds the power to make history in the region as Sarasota’s first openly gay county commissioner. He’s married to a Sarasota native, Dr. Ryan Suplee. 

“We plan to live out our lives here,” 33-year-old Keuther said. “We are passionate about the region.” 

The Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast today endorsed Sarasota County’s Penny Tax referendum citing multiple water quality and environmental protection projects as reasons to support its renewal this November. The group specifically referenced critical funding for environmental projects such as the Bobby Jones Golf Club Preserve when endorsing continuation of the one-cent sales tax. The historic Bobby Jones Golf Club, located in the city of Sarasota, contains nearly 300 acres of green space and serves as the habitat for over 45 species of birds and other wildlife species. Approval of the Penny Tax in November would provide an additional $5 million to include water quality improvements along with recreational amenities to support the Nature Park. Conservation Foundation also pointed to septic and sewer replacement projects as well as preserving the “water quality of our rivers, bays and beaches” as additional grounds for supporting the Penny Tax referendum that passed with over 66 percent of the vote the last time it appeared on the ballot. Drainage improvement programs in North Port, stormwater infrastructure upgrades in Venice, beach renourishment enhancements in Longboat Key and the restoration of multiple countywide water systems are just a few of the projects that would benefit from renewing the Penny Tax on Nov. 8. Last month, Common Cents for Sarasota County, a committee comprised of a bipartisan group of community leaders, launched its first campaign advertisement showcasing the benefits of the Penny Tax.  

The campaign advertisement video, entitled No-Brainer, can be viewed here.

If you are seeking a specialized, personal and comprehensive education for your elementary and middle school age daughters, then look at the programs offered by Just for Girls Elementary and Middle educational alternatives. There are spaces open for the current term. In addition to small class sizes and highly skilled educators, your daughter is also eligible for FREE Before and After School programs at the 3 JFG Leadership and Learning Centers, conveniently located in East Bradenton, West Bradenton and Palmetto. 

To learn more click here.

In the September 2022 edition of SRQ Magazine, we interviewed Dr. Chuck Fradley, Principal of Rowlett Academy as part of our In Conversation feature with educational leaaders about current trends in education. Below is an excerpt published in the magazine in which Fradley shares his insights with SRQ readers.

Dr. Fradley, when Rowlett was founded, was the original foundation around the Seven Habits philosophy and the Lighthouse philosophy and arts? Were those from day one, or have those evolved?

Rowlett has a very interesting background. The school actually opened in 2000 as a public charter school in Manatee County. The magnet draw was communication and arts, and the leadership at that point in time brought in the Seven Habits philosophy for our kids. Over the course of the years, it just got super strong. And then in 2014, the Manatee County School District was looking at making all their schools offer the same programs, which would've really hurt the programs that Rowlett offered. That's why we became a charter school– to continue to offer those programs. And hence, that's where the Lighthouse School designation came through. Every day, our kids get 30 minutes of what we call lead time, deal time--drop everything and lead. They work on different projects that make the community better or the school better. I get petitions all the time to do different things, so our kids are showing leadership in lots of ways. But yes, it's actually been since the school was a normal district school, and we've just been able to continue to fund it since we've gone charter. We had the autonomy to do so. As a district school, you had to do what you were told to do. As a charter school, I control where our resources go, and that's very important to us.  

To read the full article, click here.

Sarasota Orchestra announced the opening of single ticket sales today along with updates to its 2022-2023 season. Changes to programming include the addition of guest conductors Nicholas McGegan, David Alan Miller, Peter Oundjian, Byron Stripling, and Carlos Miguel Prieto. Sarasota Music Festival Music Director and renowned pianist Jeffrey Kahane will join Sarasota Orchestra musicians onstage for a program of sonatas. A new, special performance by the Sphinx Virtuosi, a self-conducted ensemble composed of 18 accomplished professional Black and Latinx artists, will take place in March 2023. The Orchestra has announced it will dedicate the 2022-2023 season in tribute to its late Music Director, Bramwell Tovey. 

To learn more click here.

As its longtime chief financial officer embarks on his retirement, All Faiths Food Bank has hired Timothy Taylor as its new CFO. Taylor brings extensive professional experience in finance, logistics, operations, and business analytics to his role with the area’s only food bank and largest hunger relief organization. In this position, Taylor will be responsible for providing leadership for the financial reporting and operations of the organization, including managing all day-to-day financial and accounting functions, recording, and reporting for the organization, in accordance with GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) and other regulatory requirements. He will work collaboratively with department leaders to create budgets and department reports, provide strategic direction, and support the mission of All Faiths. Taylor will also be responsible for the analysis of financial trends as well as managing IT. Prior to coming to All Faiths Food Bank, Taylor served the Director of Finance, HR & IT for Sun Bulb Company – Better-Gro (Arcadia, Fla.), CFO/COO of Premier Beauty Supply, Inc. (Lincolnshire, Ill.), Controller for Wurth Baer Supply Company (Vernon Hills, Ill.) and, most recently, as the Senior Director of Finance & HR for the Charlotte County Habitat for Humanity. Taylor is a member of the Institute of Managerial Accountants and the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks in Punta Gorda, and has served as a volunteer for the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Northern Illinois University and his Masters of Science in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign.

“Especially as the U.S. economy continues to be in turmoil – with higher costs for essentials such as food and gas impacting individuals and families as well as food bank operations – it is critical to have a professional with extensive experience and skills in the CFO role,” said Sandra Frank, CEO of All Faiths. “Timothy’s ability to not only manage the day-to-day financial operations but also to analyze budgets, financial trends and forecasts will be essential as we strive to stretch each and every dollar and maximize community benefit.” 

To learn more click here.

Daqone Tirene joined the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation as its first intern. Daqone Tirene was born and raised in Sarasota. At an early age, his teachers recognized that he was an excellent student and placed him in gifted programs, after school activities, and assigned him a mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters. As Daqone began to flourish in school, his success would be recognized by Take Stock in Children, who awarded him a scholarship for any Florida college in the fifth grade. He would go on to play football and basketball at Sarasota High School and Booker High School. While in high school, Daqone was a College for Every Student peer counselor, an AICE student, and he mentored other students. After graduating from Booker High School in 2017, Daqone played college football at Webber International University, a prestigious business school. Daqone is a sophomore at the State College of Florida, where he is earning his AA before transferring to a major university. A passionate writer, Daqone plans to major in Journalism. Growing up, Daqone sought to become the first in his family to not just attend, but to graduate from college, and he will. 

As Downtown Wellen nears completion, local artists have the unique opportunity to contribute their creative talents. Wellen Park and the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County have announced the Downtown Wellen Mural Project: a competition for local and regional artists to create large scale murals in Downtown Wellen, the central hub and social gathering destination nearing completion in Wellen Park. Wellen Park will feature three different mural sites throughout Downtown Wellen. The first mural will be prominently located along Wellen Park Boulevard, the main roadway into Downtown Wellen. The second and third murals will be located side-by-side on the building adjacent to Oak & Stone restaurant, and The Yard, Wellen Park’s food park and entertainment hub with retrofitted shipping containers, an open-air dining courtyard and a recreational area for all ages to enjoy. Local artists are invited to submit general concept ideas that follow predetermined themes. Ideas for Mural One should represent Wellen Park’s brand pillar, “Hub of Heartfelt Connections,” and be reflective of nature, as well as interactive. Murals Two and Three should focus on Wellen Park’s other two brand pillars, “Home to Fun Loving Lifestyles” and “Channeling the Waterside Vibe.” Interested artists can learn more about the project and apply online at sarasotaarts.org/downtown-wellen-mural-project. Interest forms submissions will be accepted until 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 7, and must include proposed mural sketch ideas and concepts, as well as samples of previously completed murals. For more information, email communications@sarasotaarts.org. To learn more about living at Wellen Park, call 941-960-7805, go to wellenpark.com or visit the Welcome Center at 12275 Mercado Drive in Venice, Fla. The Welcome Center is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Pictured: Wellen Park will feature three different mural sites throughout Downtown Wellen. The first mural will be prominently located along Wellen Park Boulevard, and the second and third murals will be located side-by-side on the building adjacent to Oa