Ziegler named vice chair
The Sarasota County commissioners have selected Alan Maio, who represents District 4, as their chair for 2021 and Christian Ziegler, who represents District 2, as vice chair.
The decisions came during the board members’ annual planning retreat, which they conducted on Dec. 11.
Commissioner Nancy Detert, who represents District 3, will serve as pro tem.
Typically, the commissioner who wins his or her colleagues’ vote as vice chair for a new year becomes chair of the board the year after that.
“The chair presides at commission meetings and represents the board during ceremonial functions,” a news release explains. The vice chair assumes duties for the chair if the chair is unavailable. (Commissioners do joke from time to time about the fact that the vice chair also is responsible for “running the clock” during public hearings, to ensure speakers do not exceed the time allotted for them under board meeting rules.)
The positions are effective Jan. 1, 2021.
“I am delighted to steer the county into a new year and continue supporting our community through this time,” Maio said in the release.
Maio first was elected to the commission in November 2014; he previously served as chair in 2016, and he was vice chair this year and in 2015. He won re-election to the board in November 2018.
He is the incoming chair of the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority, the release points out. Among his other community and civic association activities, the release adds, he has been chair of the Sarasota County Planning Commission and a commissioner of the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department.