Meeting to begin at 7 p.m. at Sarasota Garden Club
The Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood Associations (CONA) has invited the candidates for the District 2 County Commission race to appear at a forum set for 7 p.m. on Monday, July 9, CONA has announced.
The candidates are Republicans Alexandra Coe and Christian Ziegler, who will meet in the Aug. 28 primary, and Democrat Ruta Maria Jouniari.
“Voters elect all county commissioners, who are supposed to represent the entire county. Candidates run in the race for the district in which they reside,” a CONA news release explains.
“The forum is free and open to the public. Written questions may be submitted in advance or at the meeting to be included, as time allows, following the questions posed by our moderator,” the release adds.
CONA election forums will be held each month through October, the release notes.
Qualified candidates for any scheduled local race are welcome to attend the social at 6:30 p.m. before the meeting begins at 7, the release continues. They are welcome “to make contact with voters and to distribute literature and yard signs, even if not scheduled as a member of the panel for the forum [that evening],” the release says.
“Representatives of organizations proposing amendments and referenda on the fall general election ballot also may attend the social to inform voters,” the release adds.
The July 9 meeting will open with brief neighborhood updates about various issues, the release points out. Speakers and topics scheduled are as follows: Chris Bales on Arbor Lake Preserve, Ben Cannon on Bath and Racquet Club, Sura Kochman on Siesta Promenade and Tom Matrullo on the Celery Fields.
CONA holds its sessionsat the Sarasota Garden Club, which is located at 1131 Boulevard of the Arts in Sarasota. The building is at the intersection of Tamiami Trail, just south of the Municipal Auditorium. The parking area and the entrance are reached from Van Wezel Way.
See www.conasarasota.org/meetings.html for more about CONA.