Younger hopes to put new candidates on the map

By Robin Hartill
| 4:00 a.m. September 14, 2011

Longboat Key
News

Longboat Key Town Commissioner Phill Younger at a Sept. 12 workshop proposed a change in the way Longboat Key is represented at the Town Commission.

To increase the pool of potential candidates, Younger suggested a revision that would give Longboat Key three districts, stretching from the north end of the island to the Sarasota-Manatee county line; the county line to 1930 Harbourside Drive and 2165 Gulf of Mexico Drive; and from that point to the south end of the island.

One commissioner would come from each of the three districts, and the remaining four seats could be at-large.

“It would not be an abandonment of the district concept, but rather a fine-tuning to address today’s realities,” Younger said.

Younger said districts should be drawn based on the number of voters rather than voter turnout.

Younger told commissioners at the workshop the town’s current system made sense in the past. The system in which five of the island’s seven commissioners are spread throughout the island, while the other two commissioners hold at-large seats, was thought to “(ensure) that representation was spread throughout the island and that no one enclave was over-represented,” Younger read from a pre-written statement.

However, Younger said that system restricts potential candidates.

“The reality is that the mandate severely limits the talent pool, as evidenced by the lack of contested races,” Younger said, noting his comments weren’t directed at any past or present commissioner. “Unfortunately, there have been incidences whereby the interest level in a given district is minimal to virtually non-existent, with well-qualified candidates outside of that district denied the opportunity to serve.”

Younger said he would like to see voters decide on the issue via referendum vote in March.

“What I’m trying to do is get the ball rolling on this,” he said.

Town Manager Bruce St. Denis agreed to put the issue on the agenda for a future commission workshop.