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Sarasota CRA unanimously appoints Danny Preston to Newtown advisory board
Summary
At a special session of the Sarasota Community Redevelopment Agency, commissioners unanimously appointed Danny Preston to fill a vacancy on the Newtown CRA advisory board; staff said one additional seat will open in December.
The Sarasota Community Redevelopment Agency unanimously appointed Danny Preston to the Newtown CRA advisory board at a special session that followed a City Commission meeting.
Wayne Appleby, economic development manager and staff to the Newtown CRA, told the agency there was one current vacancy after Richard Harris resigned and that two applicants — Danny Preston and a Ms. Johnson — both live in the CRA area and are qualified. Appleby said an additional vacancy will arise in December when Alexander Chow’s term expires and he is not eligible for reappointment.
Appleby said, "You have 1 vacancy as a result of Richard Harris's resignation when he left town. You have 2 applicants this morning. They both are qualified." He added that staff can hold the application of the person not selected and return in a couple of months.
Commissioner Ullrich nominated Preston for immediate appointment. Commissioner Erin Koch said she had reviewed both applications but had only spoken with Preston; she said she prefers to appoint people she has met and was not comfortable nominating Ms. Johnson without a conversation. Koch said she had called Johnson but did not reach her. The vice mayor said she supported moving forward with one appointment while holding the second application and encouraged the candidate to speak with commissioners.
Commissioner Bati said she personally knows Ms. Johnson and described her as highly qualified, but also said she had not discussed the application with Johnson and supported appointing Preston. During discussion another commissioner noted the second seat, if filled now, would require a specific qualification related to architecture or building experience; that commissioner preferred to see additional applicants or to speak with Ms. Johnson before filling that seat.
Following the nomination and a second on the motion, commissioners voted unanimously to appoint Danny Preston. The vote was announced as passing unanimously.
Appleby told commissioners staff would retain the unselected application for possible consideration when the other vacancy opens in December. After the appointment the CRA adjourned its special session.
The appointment fills the immediate advisory-board vacancy created by Richard Harris’s resignation; Alexander Chow’s seat will open in December and is not eligible for reappointment, staff said.
