Longboat Key Town Commission chooses new attorney

There will be a new town attorney sitting at the far right of the Longboat Key Town Commission dais for the first time in 23 years.

At its Monday, May 6 regular meeting, the Longboat Key Town Commission selected Maggie D. Mooney-Portale of Sarasota-based Hankin, Persson, McClenathen, Cohen & Darnell as its new town attorney.

Portale was chosen over Robert K. Robinson of Sarasota-based Nelson Hesse by a 6-1 vote. Commissioner Pat Zunz did not vote in favor of the nomination. Zunz had suggested at a previous meeting the commission should perform another search for additional candidates.

The majority of the commission, though, picked Portale, citing both her experience and the institutional knowledge that comes with hiring an attorney from the same firm as outgoing attorney Dave Persson.

For more information, pick up a copy of Thursday’s May 9 Longboat Observer.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].