Forum introduces City Commission applicants

With less than two weeks until two new individuals join the City Commission, Sarasota residents have largely only been able to judge the candidate pool based on the 14 applications submitted for the vacancies.

After Commissioners Paul Caragiulo and Shannon Snyder depart the board Nov. 18, as required when they ran for positions on the Sarasota County Commission, the remaining three commissioners will select two applicants to join their ranks Nov. 19; the terms expire May 15. A deeper look at three of those applicants was made possible at a candidate forum for the District 3 seat vacated by Snyder.

Hosted by the Alta Vista Neighborhood Association Oct. 27, the event also served as an opportunity to examine some areas of concern for residents. Although one candidate for the seat, Charles Senf, did not attend the forum, the other three applicants sounded off on development, budgetary issues and the ability of government to work effectively.

Shelli Freeland Eddie
• Attorney, The Freeland Eddie Law Group

• Served on the city’s Human Relations Board and Newtown Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board

• Sarasota resident for 12 years

Top priority:
• Encouraging collaboration — particularly with the county, addressing the powers of the city’s Human Relations Board, managing development and addressing homelessness issues.

Eddie stressed the importance of collaborating, both within city government and with others. She suggested more meetings with the County Commission, and sought to overcome the restraints of the Sunshine law to allow more communication between commissioners.

“I am here because I am a team player,“ Eddie said. “I am willing to serve and willing to work, and it takes new thinking to get things done.”

Eddie encouraged growth and the discovery of new revenue streams, but said current neighborhood environments should also be maintained.

“There needs to be a balance in growth so it doesn’t impede the normal landscape,” she said.

Maryellin Kirkwood
• Retired psychiatric nurse; owner of a self-publishing company

• Served on the city’s Human Relations Board

• Sarasota resident for 11 years

Top Priority:
• Spurring economic development throughout the city and maximizing existing assets.

Kirkwood was critical of the city and county’s economic development agencies and coordinators, arguing the city was still lacking skilled jobs capable of retaining and drawing younger people.

“We need to create a way to improve the skills of our workforce,” Kirkwood said. “We have too many young people who really will never be able to aspire to more than service industry jobs."

Kirkwood indicated an interest in re-examining how the city both generates and spends money. She encouraged re-examining the city’s leases as a possible revenue stream, and said city parks needed more funding.

“I think what we have to do is increase the revenue to the city,” Kirkwood said. “We need money to take care of what we already have.”

Stan Zimmerman
• Writer; former municipal journalist

• Served as president of the Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations

• Sarasota resident for 29 years

Top priority:
• Managing redevelopment and addressing budgetary issues.

Zimmerman said development is roaring back into to the city, and that the future of properties such as the proposed Walmart site at Ringling Boulevard and Lime Avenue would impact the Alta Vista area.

“All of these are issues that are going to confront this neighborhood almost immediately,” Zimmerman said. “We need to prepare on this. We need, as neighbors, to stay abreast of what they’re doing, because it’s our future they’re talking about.”

Zimmerman also described the city budget process as broken, criticizing the city’s move to use funds slated for post-employment benefits to balance the 2014-15 budget.

“That’s not the way you run your family, and that’s not the way you should run the city,” Zimmerman said.