Linde qualifies for commission seat

Country Club Shores resident Armando Linde has qualified to run as a candidate for the Longboat Key Town Commission District 1 seat.

Town Clerk Trish Granger informed Linde in an email Wednesday that her office received notification from the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Office that Linde's petitions are certified and he's the first official candidate to qualify for the March election. 

District 1 Commissioner Lynn Larson, who also lives in Country Club Shores, is departing in March after serving three consecutive two-year terms. Term limit requirements prevent Larson from running for the term.

It’s the second time Linde will attempt to obtain a Town Commission seat. Linde lost his bid for an at-large commission seat against challenger Irwin Pastor in March 2014.

Other seats up for election are the District 3 seat held by Vice Mayor Terry Gans, the District 5 seat held by Commissioner Pat Zunz and the at-large seat held by Commissioner Irwin Pastor.

Gans is filing for another term. Zunz, though, has chosen not to run for her final two-year term and her husband, Ed, is filing paperwork to run for her seat. 

Pastor hasn't made his plans known yet.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].