Local Government
The Sarasota Record
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Sarasota — your local wire.
Sarasota — your local wire.
Local Government
Latest reporting from the Local Government desk.
Local Government
Latest reporting from the Local Government desk.
Local Government
Latest reporting from the Local Government desk.
Local Government
Lynette Herbert takes over as Sarasota County health officer
The Sarasota County Commission confirmed Lynette Herbert as the county's new health officer on Aug. 25, replacing 15-year veteran Chuck Henry who retires Sept. 30.
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Local Government
Glover, Brandt advance to Nov. 3 Sarasota school board runoff
Democrat-backed Jimmy Glover and Republican-backed Heidi Brandt will compete Tuesday, Nov. 3, for the Sarasota County School Board District 1 seat vacated by Bridget Ziegler, with Brandt distancing herself from the outgoing conservative majority's policies.
Sarasota, FL
80°F
Sunny
Feels like 95° · 7% rain
SatMostly Sunny93°F38%
SunMostly Sunny92°F76%
MonMostly Sunny92°F81%
TueMostly Sunny92°F83%
WedMostly Sunny91°F72%
ThuScattered Showers And Thunderstorms91°F68%
FriIsolated Showers And Thunderstorms90°F60%
Local Government
Lynette Herbert takes over as Sarasota County health officer
The Sarasota County Commission confirmed Lynette Herbert as the county's new health officer on Aug. 25, replacing 15-year veteran Chuck Henry who retires Sept. 30.
Local Government
Glover, Brandt advance to Nov. 3 Sarasota school board runoff
Local Government
Sarasota County opens $100M administration center east of I-75
Sarasota, FL
80°F
Sunny
Feels like 95° · 7% rain
SatMostly Sunny93°F38%
SunMostly Sunny92°F76%
MonMostly Sunny92°F81%
TueMostly Sunny92°F83%
WedMostly Sunny91°F72%
ThuScattered Showers And Thunderstorms91°F68%
FriIsolated Showers And Thunderstorms90°F60%
Local Government
Lynette Herbert takes over as Sarasota County health officer
The Sarasota County Commission confirmed Lynette Herbert as the county's new health officer on Aug. 25, replacing 15-year veteran Chuck Henry who retires Sept. 30.
Local Government
Glover, Brandt advance to Nov. 3 Sarasota school board runoff
Local Government
Sarasota County opens $100M administration center east of I-75
Sarasota, FL
80°F
Sunny
Feels like 95° · 7% rain
SatMostly Sunny93°F38%
SunMostly Sunny92°F76%
MonMostly Sunny92°F81%
TueMostly Sunny92°F83%
WedMostly Sunny91°F72%
ThuScattered Showers And Thunderstorms91°F68%
FriIsolated Showers And Thunderstorms90°F60%
Local Government
Buchanan wins SD-22 GOP primary, faces three-way November race
State Rep. James Buchanan won the Senate District 22 Republican primary on Tuesday, Aug. 18, with nearly 78% of the vote, setting up a November three-way race against Democrat Lew Wasserman and NPA candidate Martin Hyde for the seat representing all of Sarasota County.
Local Government
DeNiro unseats Neunder in county commission primary; Smith holds District 2
Retired Sarasota Police Sgt. Jim DeNiro defeated incumbent Commissioner Joe Neunder in the District 4 Republican primary with 53.33% of the vote, while Commissioner Mark Smith held his District 2 seat against challenger Kristina Sargent in Tuesday's Sarasota County election.
Local Government
Ahearn-Koch, Entler, Harshman advance in city commission primary
Incumbent Jen Ahearn-Koch, neighborhood advocate Flo Entler and commercial real estate broker John Harshman advanced from the five-way Sarasota City Commission primary on Tuesday, Aug. 18, eliminating two candidates and setting up a November general election for two at-large seats.
Local Government
SRQ, city to pay local artists $7K each for postcard project
Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport and the city's Public Art Committee will pay four local artists $7,000 each to create collectible postcards for travelers, with a competitive call for entries opening this fall.
Local Government
Sarasota bed tax tops $4 million in June for first time
Sarasota County's bed tax collections hit $4.38 million in June 2026, a 15.6% year-over-year increase and the first time June has crossed the $4 million mark, driven by a 42% surge in Airbnb revenue and nearly 146,000 visitors spending $148 million in the county.
Local Government
10-story Ringling plan, $3.5M Van Wezel grant on Monday agenda
Sarasota's City Commission will consider Benderson Development's request to add three stories to the former county building at 1660 Ringling Blvd. and accept a $3.5 million state flood mitigation grant for the Van Wezel at its Monday, Aug. 17 meeting.
Local Government
Sarasota early voting tops 7,300 ahead of Aug. 18 primary
More than 6,300 Sarasota County voters have cast in-person early ballots ahead of the Aug. 18 primary, with early voting continuing through Sunday at six locations.
Local Government
Longboat Key awaits $29.7 million from FEMA as hurricane recovery drains reserves
Longboat Key has received just $316,319 of the $29.7 million it is owed by FEMA for hurricane recovery nearly two years after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, forcing the town to delay street repairs and consider a millage increase.
Local Government
Sarasota's zoning code still blocks flood-damaged homeowners from elevating
Six months after Commissioner Liz Alpert asked the city manager to investigate, Sarasota has not put home-elevation zoning relief on a commission agenda, leaving barrier-island homeowners blocked from FEMA-funded flood mitigation that 11 neighboring Gulf Coast jurisdictions have already enabled.
Local Government
Sarasota halts downtown parking program after merchant revolt
The Sarasota City Commission voted 5-0 on Aug. 11 to suspend the expanded downtown parking ordinance after nine hours of merchant testimony about 25-40% business declines, with a public open house set for Aug. 24 at City Hall.
Local Government
Sarasota names 12-year city employee as HR director
Dominique Anderson, a 12-year City of Sarasota employee who rose through the ranks of the Human Resources department, has been appointed permanent HR director after six months as acting director.
Local Government
Nokomis Beach left with one lifeguard tower after lightning strike
Sarasota County Parks and Recreation removed the lightning-destroyed lifeguard tower at Nokomis Beach North on Aug. 7 and says there are no plans to replace it, leaving the beach with a single tower during peak summer.
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©2026 The Sarasota Record
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©2026 The Sarasota Record
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