Hopes keeps School District of Manatee County board seat

(Local election vote count at bottom of story)

School Board of Manatee County incumbent Scott Hopes will remain at the district’s helm.

Hopes, who currently serves as the school board’s chairman, edged former School District administrator Joe Stokes Nov. 6 with 51.62% of the vote compared with Stokes’ 48.38%.

“I’m ready to get back to work,” Hopes said from a celebration at the Blu Mangrove Grill in Palmetto. “The campaign was a distraction from what I’m trying to focus on, which is the needs of our classroom educators and a focus on student success and shoring up the finances of the district.”

Hopes, a businessman, said the district is in transition, with five top-level administrators, including the superintendent, chief financial officer and chief information officer, turning over within the last 12 months. Individuals are filling those posts in an interim capacity and the district will need to focus on its plan for future success.

“We have to continue to stabilize the organization and the district so our classroom educators can do their job,” Hopes said. “We are in the business of educating children. That is our core objective. Everyone other than the classroom educator is there to support the teacher in the classroom.”

The Florida Association of School District Superintendents and the Florida School Board Association will provide support to the district's effort to fill the spots as presentations by both organizations are scheduled for the Nov. 13 board.

Creating a strategic and financial plan for the school district will be critical for selecting the next superintendent. Former Deputy Superintendent of Curriculum Cynthia Saunders is serving as the acting superintendent.

“(The plan) will define for us what we need in experience, style and in success of a new superintendent,” he said.

From the Station 400 restaurant in Lakewood Ranch, Stokes thanked his family and volunteers for their support of his efforts to improve education in Manatee County.

“We were playing to win,” he said. “All of you need to hold your head high for the campaign we ran. I couldn’t have had a better team.

“I’m sorry I didn’t make it, but I want the board to be a success,” he said. “I wish Mr. Hopes well and all the board members can move forward.”

Voters also approved an initiative for School Board  members to be selected by voters within their respective districts rather than a countywide vote. The change will take effect in 2020. The referendum won with 51.38% of the vote.

Manatee School Board member Dave Miner, one of the proponents for the initiative, said the change will help remove the influence of “big money” on elections and give voters of each district more say in who represents them.

“It means that people in each district will have a more direct voice in the operation of the Manatee County School District,” Miner said. “Before, the voice of each person was diluted. There’s good reason 22 other districts in Florida find this is the fairest way to elect school board members.” 

On the county level, longtime at-large Commissioner Carol Whitmore, a Republican, retained her seat, earning 63.40% of the vote in a runaway win over challenger Candace Luther, a Democrat. 

Whitmore said this term she will focus on bringing unity to the commission and working to get the Florida Department of Transportation to move up a project design and engineering study for another bridge across the Manatee River. Funding for the study currently is not scheduled until 2023, but she hopes to have it advanced.

— Reporter Amelia Hanks contributed to this report.