TDC Takes No Action on Term Limits

Last week members of the Tourist Development Council were split on the issue of term limits for its members. A new Sarasota County policy now says county committee and board members can only serve three successive terms. If an individual took a term off, they could be reelected for another three terms.

On Sept. 15 TDC chair, and county commission chair Nora Patterson brought up the issue because the new policy affects longtime TDC member Tony Swain. He’s been on the TDC for 25 years, and his term expires Oct. 30.

Patterson said when the commissioners voted on the policy it wanted to get fresh blood into many of the committees.

“It was put in place a number of years ago, [but] it’s very hard sitting as the county commission to say to the county, 'We don’t want your service anymore,' ” she said. “We just, at the time, were looking to allow some other people to have that same input.”

TDC members serve four-year terms and are appointed by county commissioners. Patterson suggested that maybe now is not the time for turnover on the TDC.

North Port City Commissioner and TDC member David Garofalo said non-elected TDC members should not be subject to term limits because of the “institutional knowledge” that many of its longstanding members have.

“I would be against the board imposing term limits on this board for the nom-elected officials because the institutional knowledge is so vast,” he said. “[I] Think we’d be doing a disservice to the county citizens.”

Garofalo motioned to recommend to the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners to not impose term limits on the TDC. The motion failed, however, after a 4-4 vote.

Fellow TDC member Bob Waechter said while the timing is unfortunate, term limits can be good for the county. He motioned to have the TDC take no action until after the county commission makes its reappointments. That motion, too, failed on a 4-4 vote.

No action was taken at last week’s meeting. The TDC and county commission have a joint meeting scheduled for Oct. 26.