News Briefs

+ SKA expands online offerings for members
Siesta Key Association members will soon be able to manage their membership information and pay dues on the organization’s website, announced SKA President Catherine Luckner Oct. 4.

Current and potential SKA members can pay with credit cards and will be notified immediately of their membership. Luckner said the online membership feature would likely appear on the group’s website, siestakeyassociation.com, in three weeks.

+ Santa gets a new ride
The Light up the Village parade planned for Nov. 24 may have a new twist for St. Nick, if the committee planning the holiday event can get a boat for the unnamed actor behind the beard.

Committee member Kay Kouvatsos told colleagues that a local business offered to loan one of its boats to cart Santa Claus through the parade.

The event organizers are still looking for volunteers and sponsors to help support the event, which is expected to bring thousands of people to Siesta Key. For sponsorship information, call Roz Hyland at 349-2770.

+ Board to consider expanding commission
The Sarasota County Charter Review Board Oct. 16, will hear a presentation from local engineering consultant John Minder about adding two more Sarasota County commissioners and expanding the number of districts from five to seven.

The proposed charter amendment would designate the city of Sarasota and the city of North Port as Sarasota County Commission districts and group the town of Venice and the Palmer Ranch area as another. The remaining districts would be divided into populations of roughly 55,000 people, according to the meeting agenda.

Special Committee Chairman Matthew Fountain will present on another amendment mandating single-district voting, in which only the residents within a district elect their commissioner.

Meetings & Agendas
• Sarasota Tree Advisory Council: Mangroves — 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, Administration Building, A/B Conference Room, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota
• Sarasota County Commission joint meeting with city of Venice — 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, Venice Community Center, 326 S. Nokomis Ave., Venice
• School Board monthly work session — 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, Landings Administrative Complex, 1980 Landings Blvd., Sarasota
• School Board meeting — 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, Landings Administrative Complex, 1980 Landings Blvd., Sarasota