New commissioners speak out

At his first official meeting as the District 3 city commissioner, Stan Zimmerman didn’t hesitate to jump into the fray.

He didn’t hesitate to voice an unpopular opinion, or to stand as the lone dissenting vote, either. To begin Monday’s City Commission meeting, Zimmerman questioned the wisdom of adding a new playground — funded by a $127,000 private donation — to Causeway Park, located under the western end of the John Ringling Causeway Bridge.

“My first thing to talk about was why a playground should not be built,” Zimmerman said. “The very first vote we took was a 4-1 vote, me in the minority. There was no heartburn on my side.”

Zimmerman was one of two commissioners the City Commission appointed Nov. 19 to finish the five-month terms vacated by Paul Caragiulo and Shannon Snyder. At the time, the new commission stressed the importance of creating a harmonious atmosphere. For Zimmerman, that doesn’t mean he’s afraid to go against the majority.

Although he’s traded his traditional casual look for a jacket and tie, Zimmerman said that, as a commissioner, he’ll be bringing a what-you-see-is-what-you-get personality to the board.

Occasionally — and immediately, as it turned out — that personality might place him outside the majority. He delved into several topics Monday that otherwise would have passed without discussion, a move he attributed to his tendency to probe for more information.

In addition to the Causeway Park playground, Zimmerman also asked staff to provide additional information about the design of a seawall near O’Leary’s and the terms of the city’s lease with the Sarasota Garden Club. A subsequent vote on the seawall quickly placed Zimmerman in the minority again, but in his eyes, the discussions amounted to due diligence.

Zimmerman isn’t new to City Hall — he’s spent time over the past four decades covering the city as a reporter. Although the breadth of his focus must now expand, the career change still allows him to press for new information.

“I’m just curious,” Zimmerman said. “The position now allows me to ask questions.”

Up to speed
Eileen Walsh Normile, the other commissioner debuting Monday, shares some of Zimmerman’s natural curiosity — a daunting task when catching up on 700 pages of background information in less than two weeks. Immediately following her appointment, Normile said her focus was on studying for the next meeting.

Normile has developed a familiarity with procedural issues as the chairwoman of the city’s Independent Police Advisory Panel. Still, the first 12 days on the job included a whirlwind of new information.

“Now, I am a part of making decisions that are so important, and I really feel that,” Normile said. “It’s one of many reasons I’m trying to learn and know as much as I possibly can, because you really owe that to people.”

Normile, like Zimmerman, was the top choice of Vice Mayor Susan Chapman and Commissioner Suzanne Atwell when the appointments were made. Normile has been a leading advocate for the importance of collegiality among commissioners.

As she joins the board, Normile said, she doesn’t expect harmony will manifest itself in a series of 5-0 votes. Even as the group strives to work with greater cohesion, she believes individual commissioners bring strong, distinct points of view to the table.

“I can’t predict, but my guess is that this is not a lock-step commission — that’s almost a ridiculous statement,” Normile said. “It’s five citizens who will do what they think is right and best for the city.”

RUNNING MATES
Although their interim terms are up in May, Stan Zimmerman has already announced his intention to run for his seat in the spring election. More recently, Eileen Walsh Normile has also taken steps toward running: Although she’s made no firm commitment, she picked up the requisite paperwork to run for the District 2 seat earlier this week.

Whether their time on the board ends early next year or they become a fixture at City Hall, both new commissioners have committed to their new positions.

“I didn’t get into this just so I can write down I’ve been a city commissioner for five months on my resume,” Normile said. “I got into it because I really wanted to be of use.”