Two enter Longboat Town Commission race

Three seats are expiring on Longboat Key Town Commission, including Mayor Ken Schneier’s as he won’t be running for re-election due to term limits.

Town Commission Districts 1, 3 and 5 will have open, non-partisan seats. Voters will choose who represents them locally in a March election, tentatively scheduled for the 10th.

As campaign season (and snowbird season) gets underway, two have filed their paperwork signifying they intend to run for a Town Commission seat.

Photo by Petra Rivera

Gary Coffin is running for reelection to retain his District 1 seat.

He said he was inspired to run for Town Commission the first time because of the people he met while working with Planning and Zoning. He is running for re-election to continue supporting the impressive work of town staff, he said.

Nick Gladding is also running for a Town Commission seat. Gladding, president of the Republican Club of Longboat Key and a member of the town’s Planning and Zoning Board, is running for Schneier’s District 3 seat.

There is no mayoral election as the position is selected with a vote by Town Commission after a new election.

Photo by Janet Combs

Gladding is a member of the Florida Bar specializing in environmental and land use law with an inactive status as he does not take on new clients. 

He has decades of experience in environmental advocacy. 

In 2008, former Florida Governor Charlie Crist appointed him to serve on the Florida Energy and Climate Commission. He is a former chair of Save Our Seabirds and is on the Research Committee of the Mote Marine Board of Trustees and President’s Advisory Board.

Gladding said Schneier encouraged him to run for the District 3 seat to replace him, thinking his experience in environmental law and advocacy would be valuable to the town.

Town Code states that commission terms are for three years and that commissioners cannot serve for more than six years unless there is a 24-month period where that person is not in office.

The deadline for candidates to file their intent to run for a Town Commission seat is noon, Nov. 17.