Strong mayor opponents step forward

A political group has stepped forward in opposition to the latest campaign for a “strong mayor” in Sarasota.

The Citizens Voice, originally formed in opposition to an earlier strong mayor proposal, reregistered earlier this month with the city as a political committee. The group is in favor of the current council/manager form of government, and against a proposal that would create a new city charter with an elected mayor position.

The group’s updated website argues in favor of maintaining the current charter, stating that all but three Florida cities with a population between 40,000 and 75,000 have a council/manager government.

“By separating administration and the legislative body, it avoids political influence and promotes merit-based governance,” the website states.

Bird Key resident Eileen Normile is serving as the committee’s chairwoman. In a post on the committee’s website, Normile argues against the idea of an “authoritarian” individual head of government.

“When your representative government doesn’t work as you’d like it to, you vote for new representatives,” Normile said. “But you don’t hand over all power to a single person who may, or may not, represent your interests.”

The website lists the following individuals as members of the committee:

• Cathy Antunes — vice president, Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations
• Del Borgsdorf — former executive vice president, Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce
• Elmer Berkel — former mayor and city commissioner
• Barbara Campo — member, Downtown Sarasota Condo Association
• Mollie Cardamone — former mayor and city commissioner
• Susan Chapman — current city commissioner
• Manuel Chepote — former member, city Charter Review Committee
• Richard Clapp — former mayor and city commissioner
• Robert Easterle — former president, Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations
• Kelly Kirschner — former mayor and city commissioner
• Barbara Langston — president, Amaryllis Park Neighborhood Association
• Arthur Levin — former member, city Charter Review Committee
• Jude Levy — member, Laurel Park Neighborhood Association
• Richard Martin — former mayor and city commissioner
• Eileen Normile — chairwoman, The Citizens Voice
• Kathy Kelly Olrich — vice chairwoman, Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations
• Lou Ann Palmer — former mayor and city commissioner
• Nora Patterson — current county commissioner, former mayor and city commissioner
• Carol Reynolds — member, Downtown Sarasota Condo Association
• Ronald Riffel — former chairman, city Police Complaints Committee
• Curtiss Schantz — treasurer, The Citizens Voice
• Gretchen Serrie — former member, city Charter Review Committee
• Candy Spaulding — District 3 representative, Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations
• Robert Windom — member, Salvation Army advisory board

Contact David Conway at [email protected].