Sarasota County Commission — District 1: Fredd Atkins

Fredd Atkins knows his history.

That’s why it’s not surprising it took some outside support to get his County Commission campaign off the ground.

It’s been 46 years since a Democrat like Atkins won a seat on the board. Atkins himself has tried and failed twice before. At 64, he was well aware of the challenge he would face.

“There was a tremendous amount of hesitancy on my part,” Atkins said. “But I was overwhelmed by the encouragement I was getting from so many different people.”

After hearing initial overtures last year, Atkins ultimately agreed to seek the open seat. Now, with less than two weeks until the votes are counted, he’s leaving the past behind. This is its own race, with its own set of circumstances — and it’s an election he thinks he can win, drawing on his own history in Sarasota.

“It’s really rather simple,” Atkins said. “I’m the most experienced, the most knowledgeable. I’m homegrown. I’ve got an information reservoir of knowledge of this community that’s unapproachable by my opponent.”

“When you support and bring candidates to the County Commission that basically just rubber-stamp their requests, it’s appalling.” — Fredd Atkins

Atkins served on the Sarasota City Commission for 18 of the past 32 years, including three terms as mayor.

He’s facing Republican Mike Moran, who won his primary with 61% of the vote. Moran’s Republican challenger, Frank DiCicco, framed his opponent as a candidate beholden to the interests of developers; Atkins is using a similar strategy in the general election.

“The constituents of Sarasota County do not appreciate a few people dictating and dominating our developmental policies,” Atkins said. “When you support and bring candidates to the County Commission that basically just rubber-stamp their requests, it’s appalling.”

As a commissioner, Atkins said he would focus on adhering to county planning documents established before a downturn in the economy led to adjusted regulations. He calls the county’s investment in the University Town Center area and Nathan Benderson Park failures of accountability to the public.

He’s not anti-growth, he says, he just wants more public participation and less acquiescing to developers.

“We’re in a deficit of our accountability to the citizens that are here,” Atkins said.

Other insurgent candidates have used this narrative and failed to unseat a Republican. Still, Atkins thinks concerns regarding growth have gotten more pronounced in the past four years.

This year, a Sarasota County citizen survey showed that 28% of residents listed “population growth/new development” as the most important issue facing the county, comfortably the No. 1 response.

This year, a Sarasota County citizen survey showed that 28% of residents listed “population growth/new development” as the most important issue facing Sarasota County, comfortably the No. 1 response. Another 6% listed traffic and transportation.

Jono Miller, an Atkins supporter who lost a 2008 County Commission race as a Democrat, pointed out that the same report shows signs of satisfaction with the status quo. 97% of the residents surveyed said the quality of life in Sarasota is either “excellent” or “good.” Sixty percent of respondents said they trust county leaders to do the right thing for residents “most of the time” or “almost always.”

Even among those satisfied residents, Miller sees an argument for supporting Atkins: bringing a new perspective to a board often characterized as homogenous.

“He’s only going to be one vote,” Miller said. “His only ability to change policy would be to persuade other people he’s correct.”

“I respect the fact I have lost the last two races I ran for County Commission.” — Fredd Atkins

In the past, Atkins and his wife have done most of his campaign work on their own. He’s trying a new approach in that regard, hiring two New College students to serve as his campaign manager and field coordinator.

Jack Belk, the 19-year-old campaign manager, is green enough that he cites his high school debate team as part of his political resume. But he’s also worked for political campaigns such as Charlie Crist’s 2014 gubernatorial run. Atkins believes the students’ insight can help him avoid some past mistakes.

“I respect the fact I have lost the last two races I ran for County Commission,” Atkins said.

Belk sees himself working primarily as a facilitator. Atkins is the one with the institutional knowledge of the community; his staff just has to make sure the candidate is connecting with potential voters.

“My priorities are making sure everybody’s in the right spot at the right time — coordination and organization,” Belk said. “Fredd’s had this message for 30 years.”

Because Atkins is an established figure in the city of Sarasota, the campaign has shifted its focus to the southern part of the county. He positioned himself as a potential swing vote sympathetic to the needs of a rapidly growing region.

“North Port is on the rise,” Atkins said. “Sarasota County’s going to have to deal with it.”

Atkins is strikingly upbeat, not betraying any doubts he may have about his odds in November. Some people may look at the history of the County Commission and say he doesn’t have a chance. Atkins is looking at that history and saying change is overdue.

“I was born and raised here in Sarasota County,” Atkins said. “Forty-six years is long enough to have no discourse.”