County Commissioner Mike Moran spent most of the last decade on the Sarasota County Commission. But term limits prevent him from seeking re-election. The Republican still hopes to hold public office the next four years, though, as he challenges incumbent Tax Collector Barbara Ford-Coates for the constitutional office.

“I have started, owned, and operated a number of companies with hundreds of employees that specialized in high transaction, complicated tax services,” Moran said. “This along with my public service experience is a natural fit for the position of Tax Collector for Sarasota County.”

Before moving to Sarasota County in 2002, Moran owned a payroll, tax and insurance company in Michigan. He characterizes his background as a business owner as critical to his candidacy as he challenges an incumbent who has held her public office since 1972. The particular work gave him a critical background in software development and finance, but also made him understand entrepreneurship and the challenges faced by business owners.

But as he challenges an incumbent, he also said there are plenty of reasons voters should move past Ford-Coates.

“Mrs. Ford-Coates repeatedly says she is efficient in her operations. Some would agree that she is very efficient in ripping off the Taxpayers of Sarasota County,” he said. “For decades, Mrs. Ford-Coates has been over-taxing the residents of Sarasota County. By Florida law, Mrs. Ford-Coates is to only collect fees to cover the ‘actual costs’ to run the operation. Mrs. Ford-Coates is very proud of collecting these fees in excess of Florida law and she repeatedly calls it ‘profit.’  At our most recent budget hearing on June 19, 2024 she is quoted as saying, ‘if we were the private sector we would call it ‘profit.’”

As he challenges the only Democrat holding countywide partisan office in Sarasota, he said the office needs some conservative fiscal discipline.

He provided SRQ records showing she paid one employee more than $448,000 in a year, despite the employee having a salary closer to $165,000. Ford-Coates said a worker shortage led to that employee working 80 hours a week and she said it was appropriate to compensate him. That worker isn’t receiving the pay level anymore, but Moran said that practice only stopped after he made a records request about office payroll.

He also said Ford-Coates uses fee structures that charge 1.5% of total assessments, plus interest. Other counties assess far less — Charlotte County charges a flat $5 fee. Ford-Coates has said she only administers rates set by the county, and if consumers are charged extra, they receive refunds. More important, she said her office has the lowest per capita costs of any tax collector’s office in Florida. But Moran said the incumbent just took steps to increase the fee to 2%, the maximum allowed under Florida law.

Ford-Coates leveled criticism of her own at Moran. He in his private sector work administers a PACE program that has been sued by county tax collectors across Florida. He dismissed the criticism. “PACE does not use one penny of Taxpayer money,” he said, and asserted the program helps Floridians harden homes for hurricanes.

“Mrs. Ford-Coates has been in that office for 49 years,” he said. “She is a lifetime bureaucrat that is proud of getting awards from other lifetime bureaucrats. My wife and I were rewarded by seeing our employees make a meaningful salary, have good insurance, be able to pay their bills, save for college, and have some money left over to have a fun vacation. We don’t need a plaque from Amazon presented by a lifetime bureaucrat to feel accomplished.” 

Photo: Mike Moran

The Realtor Association of Sarasota & Manatee (RASM) recently held their General Membership meeting where President Tony Barrett presented Florida Suncoast Real Estate agents with their Florida REALTORS Honor Society Pins.  Brooke Mailloux was awarded her 2_year pin and Barry & Sherry Grooms owners of Florida Suncoast Real Estate, Inc., also were recognized, Barry is a 15-year recipient and Sherry is a 17-year recipient of this prestigious award.  As Florida Honor Society recipients, they have helped forge a business partnership with the Florida Association of REALTORS through dedication on a local, state and national level.  “Higher education undoubtedly plays a significant role in developing the skill sets necessary to meet the evolving demands of professionalism in the real estate industry. This accomplishment is just one way to be connected in our industry, but also to get the cutting-edge training, education and real estate industry information, that builds our business.” said Barry Grooms.You may contact these award-winning Realtors by visiting www.BuytheSuncoast.com.  

M3 Motivational Concepts is honored to announce that its President, Melissa W. Wandall, has been awarded the Peter K. O’Rourke Special Achievement Award at the Governors Highway Safety Association’s Annual Meeting. This esteemed recognition underscores Melissa Wandall's unwavering commitment, leadership, and profound impact in the realm of traffic safety advocacy over the past two decades. Melissa Wandall has been a trailblazer both in Florida and across the nation, spearheading critical initiatives for safer streets. Her relentless fight against red-light running and her dedication to memorializing those who have died or been severely injured in traffic tragedies have driven transformative change. Through her work, Melissa ensures that every life affected by these preventable incidents contributes to a safer future for all road users. Melissa's advocacy has transcended beyond raising awareness; she has been a catalyst for tangible change, and her passion and dedication have inspired communities and policymakers to prioritize traffic safety. The Peter K. O’Rourke Special Achievement Award is presented annually to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional achievements in highway safety. By joining the ranks of this distinguished group of recipients, Melissa reiterates her role as a leading voice in the movement for safer roads. For more information about Melissa Wandall and her impactful work with M3 Motivational Concepts, please visit www.MelissaWandallAdvocate.com or contact her directly at Melissa@MelissaWandall.com or 941-545-3359. 

Grapevine Communications, an award-winning marketing and communications agency with offices in Lakewood Ranch and downtown Sarasota, proudly announces that John Butzko has been named Partner, a first in the firm’s 22 years. Butzko, who serves as Executive Creative Director at Grapevine, oversees all communications initiatives, develops client strategies, and acts as the chief content creator for all platforms, including online, print, and broadcast media. His leadership and creative talent have significantly contributed to the agency's continued success. “We are thrilled and honored to name John Butzko Partner at Grapevine,” said Allison Imre, President and Owner of Grapevine Communications. “John has been an integral part of our agency's growth. He is a respected leader, a steady force, and one of the most talented creatives on the planet.” A graduate of the University of Central Florida with a degree in organizational communication, Butzko brings two decades of experience to his role. Before joining Grapevine, he spent 11 years as Lead Copywriter with Michael Saunders & Company, the region's largest luxury real estate brokerage. He joined Grapevine in 2013 as Copy and Public Relations Manager and has since been promoted to Director of Communications and later to Executive Creative Director. “Becoming a partner is a significant milestone for me, both personally and professionally, and something I’ve worked toward for a long time,” said Butzko. “It’s incredibly rewarding to take this step forward surrounded by such a passionate, talented team here at Grapevine. I’m excited about what we’ll accomplish together and how we’ll continue making a meaningful impact for our clients.” Throughout his career, Butzko has earned numerous industry awards for his work in print, brochure, newsletter, website and campaign copywriting. A resident of Venice, Florida, he enjoys life with his wife, Gentry, and their two daughters, Olivia and Adeline. 

Sarasota Memorial Nursing & Rehabilitation Center was recognized among “America’s Best Nursing Homes 2025” in national ratings released by Newsweek. SMH’s nursing home was one of three recognized in Sarasota this year. Nancy Cooper, Newsweek’s editor in chief, said the news organization partnered with respected global data research firm Statista to recognize 1,050 nursing homes of nearly 15,000 facilities across the 25 states with the highest number of facilities according to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data. The top nursing homes in each state were assessed and ranked based on four pillars: performance data, recommendations of medical professionals, accreditations and resident satisfaction. In addition to being nationally ranked by Newsweek, Sarasota Memorial’s Nursing and Rehabilitation Center has repeatedly been listed among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report and other independent quality rating organizations. Health systems and nursing facilities cannot opt out of these annual studies or pay for inclusion on the lists. Located at 5640 Rand Blvd., Sarasota Memorial Nursing & Rehabilitation Center is a 120-bed facility that offers short- and long-term skilled nursing and rehabilitation for people recovering from surgery, injury or illness. Its multi-disciplinary team cares for approximately 100 residents around the clock, 365 days a year. SMH also has been repeatedly ranked among the nation’s 50 best hospitals for specialized care in its hospital-based inpatient Rehabilitation Pavilion. 

Manatee County Natural Resources staff has welcomed the 100th relocation to its Gopher Tortoise Long-Term Recipient Site at the Duette Preserve. The relocation site, operated in cooperation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission since late 2003 has proved very popular with Gopher tortoises—a Keystone species in dry sandy-upland habitat whose burrows provide refuge to over 360 other wildlife species. Gopher tortoises and their burrows are protected by Florida State Law, Rule 68A-27 F.A.C. This first phase of the Duette Preserve Long-Term Recipient Site contains 452 acres of quality upland habitat suitable for a sustainable population of gopher tortoises. The relocation program has already allowed dozens of tortoises to be relocated to a safe and protected conservation land owned by Manatee County from public infrastructure projects and private entities in the county and Central Florida. The long-term protection of the gopher tortoises in the recipient site will allow this important species to increase in population size and provide refuge to hundreds of different animals in their burrows.
For more information on the Gopher Tortoise Recipient Site, contact Manatee County Natural Resources Department Ecological Program Manager Kathleen Barrett at (941) 742-5980, ext.1876. or kathleen.barrett@mymanatee.org. For more information on Manatee County Government, visit mymanatee.org or call (941) 748-4501. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @manateegov. 

The law firm of Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen, and Ginsburg, P.A., is pleased to announce that Meghan O’Connell has been inducted into the Young Lawyers Division with the Sarasota County Bar Association. Meghan is a litigation attorney with Icard Merrill, practicing in the areas of personal injury and general civil litigation. She received her J.D. from Stetson University College of Law, graduating magna cum laude. While in law school, she served as a senior associate for Stetson Law Review, competed on the nationally ranked Trial Team and Dispute Resolution Board, and participated in the Stetson Law Honors Program. Meghan received her undergraduate degree in legal studies with a concentration in advocacy from the University of Central Florida, graduating summa cum laude. The mission of the YLD is to integrate young lawyers into the legal profession by stimulating their interest in bar association activities, social and educational programs, public service projects, and providing young lawyers with a voice in the state and local bar associations. The SCBA’s Young Lawyer’s Division (YLD) offers numerous opportunities to network and volunteer in the Sarasota community. SCBA’s YLD has enjoyed tremendous success through its many programs and was recently selected as the Affiliate of the Year at The Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division Affiliate Outreach Conference. 

To learn more, visit.

Visit these Lakewood Ranch spas to get refreshed and revitalized, September 2024.

Read Here!