Carlton, Servian picked for budget oversight committee

Sarasota County will create a Budget Oversight Committee that will assist in budget-related issues.

The committee will be made up of prominent citizens who will review the county’s 2010 budget and make suggestions and criticisms.

Each county commissioner nominated at least one citizen to appoint to the board. The list includes:

• Robert L. Anderson, former county commissioner
• Kelly Caldwell, CEO and president of Caldwell Trust Co.
• Lisa Carlton, former Florida senator
• Harrison Fox, former staff member for U.S. House Budget Committee and U.S. Senate Finance Committee
• Robert Long, former Milwaukee Public Schools assistant superintendent
• Eric Resker, financial planner for AIMCO
• John Saputo, owner of Gold Coast Eagle Distributing
• Mary Anne Servian, former Sarasota mayor
• Richard Singer, retired economist
• Joseph Welch, builder

Commission Chairman Jon Thaxton came up with the idea to create the committee.

“We get criticism that we’re wasteful,” Thaxton said. “So, I thought those in the private industry might be able to see things in the budget that we didn’t. This is an all-star cast.”