Video is also available below following the meeting. Hines lamented that redistricting has become so contentious, saying the controversy is overblown.. Sarasota, FL 34236 The county is advertising three maps for a Nov. 15 public hearing at which the commission intends to finalize new district boundaries. The county agreed to have consultant Kurt Spitzer and Associates draw alternative maps that sought to minimize disruption to existing boundaries. A train derailment near the Manatee-Sarasota county line has resulted in at least two cars on their side - florida.liveuamap.com 20 hours ago - 2724N 8232W A train derailment near the Manatee-Sarasota county line has resulted in at least two cars on their side Jump to map Sarasota, Florida #Florida #USA Show comments Also on Liveuamap.com PHONE: (941) 861-8600 The schemecould haveundermined Ramirez in a GOP primary by making it look like she supported Democrats. But its also notable that Ziegler is not up for re-election until 2022, so the boundaries for that district could be changed again after the 2020 Census to make it more Republican. District 1 would include a chunk of north Sarasota and a large swath of the middle of the county east of I-75 and south of State Road 72. He served as Vice Chair in 2022 and is serving as Chair for 2023. Commission Chair Charles Hines defended the process, which he said is the same approach taken with other issues that come before the commission. The University of Floridas Bureau of Economic and Business Research pegged Sarasota Countys 2018 population total at 417,442. District State's Attorney Ansonia/Milford Margaret E. Kelley Danbury . Finally a fifth district for South Sarasota County (Englewood and North Port).. In 2020 in order to take out Atkins to run against Neal's flunky in District 1, three Sarasota County Commissioners (Nancy Detert, Al Maio and Mike Moran) in a 3-2 vote embraced one of the most blatant, racist acts ever seen in Sarasota. Your signature is used to check vote-by-mail ballots, petitions and other election-related documents that require a valid voter signature. But Waechter insists that the map is a good product. I dont care who drew the map.. The similarity between Waechters map, the Miller map and others submitted by the public could be seen as evidence that there were no partisan intentions behind the redistricting effort. Ive been against redistricting and Im going to continue to be against it,Ziegler said. An active water sports enthusiast, Cutsinger enjoys scuba diving, fishing, boating and kayaking. Detert said shes not worried about the appearance of having someone with Waechters highly partisan and controversial background involved in crafting the map that commissioners might base their final product on. Ron Turner, Supervisor of Elections, Sarasota County EMAIL: rturner@sarasotavotes.gov OFFICE HOURS: M-F, 8:30 AM - 5 PM MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Cutsinger's three sons were born and raised here. Consultant Kurt Spitzer submitted three maps to county officials Monday. Sarasota Countys natural wonder and pristine beauty are what brought him to the area, and one of his top priorities will be to always safeguard our treasured environment assets. On November 15, Sarasota voters will learn which of three redistricting maps the Board of Sarasota County Commissioners accepts as the basis for the 2022 election. County staff estimated thatgap at9.1%. ESPAOL: (833) 912-1316, PHONE: (941) 861-3760 The first batch of maps drawn by a consultant hired to guide Sarasota Countys County Commission redistricting process does not radically reimagine the commission district boundaries, but instead tweaks them and keeps the same basic geography for each of the five areas. Sold: 4 beds, 2 baths, 2172 sq. Home size 1,625 sq. Each December, the Board elects one of its members to serve as Chairman and another as Vice Chairman for the following year. Rounds noted that nearly 60% of voters supported single-member districts in 2018, and a recent county opinion survey showed a positive sentiment among residents toward that electoral process. The County Commission preliminarily approved a change to its long-range growth plan last month that paves the way for a new Lakewood Ranch community of homes in eastern Sarasota County.. Although county staff estimated a district map produced in 2011 remained legally defensible, a consultant projection peggedthe difference between the largest and smallest districts at 12.3%. Waechters survey submission described the type of map hed like to see commissioners adopt. Its the concept, not the map, Detert said. He is a white, non hispanic male registered to vote in Sarasota County, Florida. County Commission (BCC) - District 1 - Michael A. Moran District 2 - Mark Smith District 3 - Nancy C. Detert District 4 - Joe Neunder District 5 - Ron Cutsinger Watch County Commission Meetings Commission Calendar Commissioners Email (Public Access Email) Proclamations and Certificates of Recognition Citizen Opinion Survey Redistricting + I didnt really give him any direction, Hines said. Ziegler said Waechters involvement doesnt change his opinion on redistricting. Code Enforcement (Development Services) Collection Sites (landfill) Compliance (and Ethics) Contact Center (one-stop for county information, 861-5000) The Board of Sarasota County Commissioners may be reached at commissioners@scgov.net, Commission Meeting - Human Services Workshop. 430 Kumquat Ct, Sarasota, FL 34236 is currently for sale. The most significant change may be a revision to two of the maps that removes a portion of Venice from District 3 so that the district consists entirely of North Port and some nearby unincorporated neighborhoods, an apparent nod to the desire among some in North Port for a district more likely to elect a North Port resident to the seat. He and his wife Alison moved from Michigan in 1973 and have owned several local businesses, including Rons Restaurant in Englewood, which they opened in 1974. The adopted 2019 map was based on a submission from resident Bob Waechter, former chairman of the Republican Party of Sarasota County another aspect of the previous redistricting effort that drew criticism. Their options include an incumbent (Jen Ahearn-Koch), a former president of the Rosemary District. The Sarasota County Commission voted 3-2 to accept the Waechter map which disenfranchised Atkins and thousands of other African America voters by removing them from the County Commission District 1 race in 2020. Sarasota Countyincorporated in 1921 and adopted a Home Rule Charter in 1971 in accordance with the state constitution and Floridalaw. Share & Bookmark, Press Enter to show all options, press Tab go to next option, Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), Phillippi Creek Septic System Replacement, Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, Proclamations and Certificates of Recognition, Transportation (Hurricane Evacuation Center), A Claim for Property Damage or Personal Injury, Commissioners Email (Public Access Email), FIND MY DISTRICT - Click to access the Commission District Locator App, Design Flood Evaluation: FEMA Lowering Base Flood, Health of the Bay: Midnight Pass and Future Openings, Indoor Sport Facility Design - Employee Shelter Opportunity, Review Opportunities for Increased Public Access to Preserve and Protected Lands. Regardless of which map the commission picks, Commissioner Mike Moran suggested the county would need to revisit the redistricting process every other year in perpetuity. There were other clues that the sarasotafactum@gmail.com address is associated with someone keenly interested in local politics, and leans Republican. The Democrat will challenge incumbent Commissioner and GOP leader Christian Ziegler. We dont want to hold large blocs of people out of voting for six, eight, 10 years, Collins said. To me its try and get the numbers as equal as possible and thats it, Hines said. Then two districts for central Sarasota County, North Central and South Central. As Sarasota County embarks upon an effort to redraw the map outlining district boundaries for commission elections, some officials are expressing hope the process will be more straightforward than it was in 2019. At a special meeting Oct. 20, the commission eliminated nine of the 11 citizen proposals, advancing only the Goodrich maps for further consideration. Moran and Maio did not respond to messages. He most recently served as Chairman of the Sarasota County Planning Commission, from which he stepped down to run for Sarasota County Commission. I dont want to put words in your mouth, are you suggesting that that bottom middle one would be the easiest I dont want to put words in your mouth on this are you suggesting that bottom middle one is the easiest one to get to zero or as close to zero? Moran said, referencing the Smith map and Spitzers assertion that it did the best job of evening out the population in each district. The public can watch the Board Meetings by viewing the Education Channel or the District YouTube Channel. From more than a dozen maps submitted by the public, the Board on October 26 narrowed down its choice to three. They are appointed by a state commission. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. ESPAOL: (833) 912-1316. Applications must be submitted by March 10, 2023. Copyright 2023 Observer Media Group Inc., All Rights Reserved. There is no basis to say otherwise, and it is an insult to the voters to tell us we made a mistake., Copyright 2023 Observer Media Group Inc., All Rights Reserved, Sarasota County redistricting sparks questions, concern, Sarasota County leaders hear criticisms of redrawn maps, Sarasota County Commission moves ahead with two redistricting maps, County selects redistricting map, targets repeal of single-member districts, Sarasota County commissioners settle on three redistricting maps, New district maps coming for Sarasota County, Despite public objections, county picks new district map, Commission considers redistricting, repealing single-member districts. He served as President of the Florida Association of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 2007, and received the 2009 AIA Florida Silver Medal in recognition of his years of leadership and service. If you see something on our website that is out of date please contact us. Ramirez later lost twice toGOPCommissioner Al Maio, who was heavily backed by development interests. Goodrichs maps propose a more significant deviation from the current district boundaries. It was 10 days later on Sept. 30 that Agood Citizen also filled out the survey and submitted a map that later was attributed to Adam Smith (a name shared with the Scottish economist who wrote The Wealth of Nations, who coined the phrase invisible hand and who is often called The Father of Capitalism) and came to be known as the Smith map.. Instead, contact this office by phone or The map I came up with is balanced, fair and, with some minor adjustments, meets the criteria set out by commissioners, Waechter wrote. The computer IP address associated with Waechters redistricting survey submission also was the same as the IP address associated with the survey submission that included the Smith map. I think highly of Christian Ziegler, Waechter said. Box 4194 Sarasota, FL 34230-4194 SARASOTA OFFICE Sarasota County Commission District 4 Republican primary candidates Mark Hawkins and Joe Neunder. 0000005077 00000 n [5] District Court of Appeal Workload and Jurisdiction Assessment Committee, Final Report and . ft. 3402 Austin St, SARASOTA, FL 34231 $425,000 MLS# O6056232 One or more photo(s) has been virtually staged. Map publi shed using ArcGIS 10.x by cohendri on Tuesday, March 19, 2019 LEGEND PRECINCT BCC Voting Precincts C OM IS N Supervisor of Elections One is derived from a proposal from Kurt Spitzer, the. County staff did not respond to a request for comment on its interpretation of redistricting requirements. Although some commissioners have stood by the decision to adopt a new map in 2019, critics said the population imbalance reflected poorly on the choice to redistrict without detailed Census information. The commissions last redistricting effort occurred two years ago, adopting a new map despite vocal objections from some residents. in writing. Weve got it pretty well in balance. The private conversations between commissioners and the redistricting consultant could generate more suspicion about the process. Two seemingly small proposed changes to Sarasota County School District policies caused a stir at Tuesday's School Board meeting, with several people opposing the changes because of safety concerns. Spitzer said he drew his proposal for new district boundaries in an effort to create adequate balance while still largely maintaining the 2019 map. Waechter said he did not draw his map to benefit Moran or Detert and did not speak to either of them or any other commissioner about it. County commissioners justified the 2019 redistricting by saying the previous district map, adopted following the 2010 Census, was out of date. If you do not want your email address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. After the meeting, Goodrich a lawyerat the Bentley Goodrich Kison law firm acknowledged his proposals were, in fact, drawn based on partisan considerations. The Herald-Tribune uncovered a number of clues that tied Waechter to the Smith map. With a 4-1 vote, the board voted to adopt Alternative Map 1-A, which was developed by the consultant. He was sentenced to three months of house arrest,two years of probation, 100 hours of community service and $5,000 infinesfor making campaign contributions to Democrats on behalf ofRepublican Lourdes Ramirez a slow-growth activist who has challenged developmentproposals. FAX: (941) 861-3770 We are now mandated to look at it every odd year. READ MORE: See the latest local and state politics news. Now, only voters who live within a district can cast ballots in that race. FAX: (941) 861-8609 Previously, all five commission seats were filled in countywide elections. I have no stock in Christian Ziegler, and it was absolutely not done with that in mind. in writing. All commissioners except Commissioner Mike Moran spoke with the consultant about the maps. Sarasota, FL 34236 He continues to serve as a leader in his church. When confronted by the Herald-Tribune with evidence that he was the mapmaker, Waechter first denied it. The email complained that the newspaper was focusing on Republicans use of political action committees, and not giving equal attention to Democrats. The county is advertising three maps for a Nov. 15 public hearing at which the commission intends to finalize new district boundaries. Voters knew what they were doing in approving single-member districts by a 60% vote in 2018, on a very simple and clearly worded ballot, Lobeck said in an email Tuesday. Meanwhile, it appears that District 2 would move from a Republican tilt under the current configuration to a Democratic tilt. In July, city commissioners preliminarily approved a decrease in the city's property tax rate. 1660 Ringling Blvd. ft. house located at 4523 Chase Oaks Dr, SARASOTA, FL 34241 sold for $785,000 on Feb 27, 2023. . Commissioner Nancy Detert was the lone vote on the commission to oppose the inclusion of the Goodrich proposals at a Nov. 15 public hearing scheduled for final adoption of a new district map. Civics 101; Comprehensive Plan; Traffic, water and air quality, and affordable housing are some of the issues he wants to focus on as a commissioner. If you made a vote-by-mail (absentee) request prior to the November 8, 2022 General Election, it has expired. I think he can too.. Sitting commissioners have been critical of the voter-backed initiative that allows each district to elect one representative to the county board, rather than voters countywide participating in the election for all five seats. Address, Phone Number, Fax Number, and Hours for Sarasota County Commissioner, a Commissioner, at Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota FL. The Herald-Tribune uncovered Waechters involvement in the Smith map by digging into public records and other clues. Call 311or941-861-5000 He has three grandsons and three granddaughters who are the pride and joy of his life. A third map based on a proposal from Spitzer largely seeks to adhere to the 2019 boundaries, while the Goodrich maps make more significant changes to the existing map. Former Venice City Council member Joe Neunder and home remodeling contractor Mark Hawkins. If single-member districts didnt exist, we wouldnt even be mandated to do these gymnastics, Moran said. The public can offer public comment in person or by emailing comments to the following email address the day before and the day of the meetings prior to the Board Meeting. City of Venice. He represents the Commission on the boards of the Economic Development Council of Sarasota County, Sarasota-Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization, West Coast Inland Navigation District, Nathan Benderson Park Conservancy, and Visit Sarasota. Asplen, who was the superintendent in Sarasota since 2020 and navigated the district through the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Ian, was forced out of his position by the newly-seated. mhsmith@scgov.net Im against the process in its entirety because I just dont think its necessary, Ziegler said. Waechter submitted proposed new boundaries for County Commission districts dubbed the "Smith map" anonymously through Sarasota County's online redistricting survey portal, and last. To me, that says maybe what you did in 2019 wasnt accurate, resident Pat Rounds said. This isnt just 2021, Moran said. rcutsinger@scgov.net Sarasota County 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, FL 34236 Call 311 or 941-861-5000 Collins said using the 2011 district maps in the 2020 election would have only been marginally less balanced than the redrawn maps the county adopted in 2019. This is based on an approved referendum by North Port voters. Commissioners began pushing to redraw the district boundaries after voters last November approved the single-member districts amendment to the county charter last year. Dividing that total by five indicates that each commission district should have roughly 83,488 residents. Thats a 12.26 percentage point spread between the least-populated and most-populated districts, as factored by looking at how many percentage points each district deviates from the ideal district. Property Appraiser District 1 is redrawn to cover much of the current District 2, stretching from the barrier islands to the mainland. Blackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated). Bob Waechter, the former Sarasota GOP chairman who was convicted of a misdemeanor charge stemmingfrom a political dirty trick, has been secretly working behind the scenes to craft new Sarasota County Commission district maps, including one that commissioners voted last week to incorporate into their deliberations. North Port voters could be inclined to favorhaving afellow city resident on the board for the first time in years. The first map adjusts the eastern and southern boundaries of District 2 while splitting most of the current District 4 into two separate districts, with Interstate 75 serving as the dividing line. Finalize new district boundaries the single-member sarasota county commission district map amendment to the November 8, General. Primary candidates Mark Hawkins and Joe Neunder evening out the population in each district state & # x27 ; Attorney. 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