Two more enter City Commission race

City Commissioner Dick Clapp now has an opponent in the spring election.

Restaurateur Paul Caragiulo today announced that he will run for the District 2 commission seat.

Also joining entering a city commission race is Diana Hamilton, who will run in District 3.

It’s the second City Commission campaign for each candidate.

Caragiulo ran for one of two at-large seats in 2009. He lost in a runoff to Suzanne Atwell and Terry Turner.
Hamilton also tried for an at-large seat, but lost that 2005 election.

“I want us to be more of a can-do government,” said Hamilton, a garden designer who lives in Laurel Park. “We say we’re open to business, but make it hard for (businesses).

She will face two other candidates, Shannon Snyder and Pete Theisen, who are vying for the District 2 seat Mayor Kelly Kirschner is vacating.

Caragiulo also is running on a platform of improving business conditions in Sarasota.

“I want to make this place more attractive (to businesses),” he said. “It’s very complicated and cumbersome to get something done here.”

Since he last ran for commission, the Caragiulo family opened a new restaurant, Owen’s Fish Camp, and plans to open another one soon, Nancy’s Bar-B-Q.

Contact Robin Roy at [email protected].