No other nominations offered
On a unanimous vote, the Sarasota County Commission this week reappointed Siesta Key businessman Michael Holderness and retiree Leon Thibeaut of Sarasota to the county’s Tourist Development Council (TDC).
Both their terms will be in effect through October 2029, a county staff memo said.
Holderness will retain a seat reserved for a collector of the county’s Tourist Development — or, “bed” — tax, which is charged on rentals of accommodations for six months or less time, as indicated in the memo.
Thibeaut will keep a seat set aside for a Council member involved in the tourism industry, the memo noted.
As the Tourist Development Council’s webpage explains, that advisory board “recommends tourism policy to the County Commission and oversees the use of tourist development tax revenues, pursuant to Florida law. The TDC discusses factors affecting tourist development, local culture, and beach maintenance and restoration, as well as the needs of the tourist industry.”
The Council has 13 seats; members serve four-year terms.
Holderness appeared during the Open to the Public portion of the commission’s regular meeting on Sept. 24, which was held in Sarasota, to request reappointment to the advisory council. “I’m committed to doing a good job for our community,” he told the board members.
As The Sarasota News Leader has reported, Holderness is one of the owners of Siesta Key Beach Resort and Suites in Siesta Village; his firm, Beachside Management, handles rental properties on the Key.
Commissioner Mark Smith, a Siesta Key resident, nominated the two men for reappointment. No board member suggested an alternative nomination for either seat.
The vote for Holderness and Thibeaut was 4-0, as Commissioner Ron Cutsinger was absent from the Sept. 24 meeting.
Holderness first won appointment to the Tourist Development Council on Aug. 27, 2024. The vote was 3-2, with then-board Chair Mike Moran having nominated him.
Commissioner Ron Cutsinger joined Commissioner Joe Neunder in voting that day for Sean Altice of Sarasota, whose application said he is the chief operating officer and co-owner of Altez Vacations in Sarasota. However, then-Commissioner Neil Rainford and Commissioner Smith joined Moran in supporting Holderness.
Holderness served out the remainder of the unexpired term of Steven Cavanaugh, also of Siesta Key, who had resigned from the TDC. Holderness’ initial term is effective through October, a county staff memo noted in advance of the August 2024 meeting.
In applying for the Council seat last year, Holderness had provided county staff two letters of recommendation One was from then-state Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota; the other, from “Dr. Beach,” Stephen Leatherman, an internationally known professor and director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University.
In seeking reappointment to his seat, Holderness attached to his application a letter from U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, a Sarasota County Republican.
Steube wrote, “A Sarasota native and third-generation Realtor, Mr. Holderness has spent nearly 20 years advancing tourism and real estate in our region. Through his leadership at Siesta Key Beachside Villas and his active role in revitalizing local resort properties, he has demonstrated a deep commitment to enhancing Sarasota’s visitor experience while honoring the community’s character.”
Steube added of Holderness, “His daily engagement with travelers, property owners, and local businesses gives him valuable insight into tourism’s economic and cultural impact. He understands the importance of smart growth and would bring practical, boots-on-the-ground perspective to the TDC’s work.”
In Thibeaut’s application for reappointment, he noted that he already has served two four-year terms on the Council. He wanted to “continue [his] contribution to the community,” he added.
Further, Thibeaut wrote, he has more than 20 years of experience in business development, “including international, start-ups, Fortune 1000 in Technology and Healthcare (sic).”
The only other application the commissioners had in their packet for consideration on Sept. 24 had been submitted by Tina Landry of Siesta Key. She noted that she is retired and is serving as a volunteer in various capacities. For example, she pointed out, she has been working for two years at the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce’s Visitor Center; and she has spent six months collecting red tide samples for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
In response to the application question about why she wanted to serve on the Tourist Development Council, Landry wrote, “As a deeply invested Siesta Key resident, I am eager to join the Tourism Advisory Council to ensure our community’s voice is central to tourism development. My extensive volunteering, particularly with local initiatives, has provided me with valuable insights into balancing visitor experience with resident quality of life.”