Sarasota County Commission
Commissioner Carolyn Mason
District 1 Carolyn Mason was elected to the Sarasota County Commission in 2008. She previously served on the Sarasota City Commission from 1999 to 2003, and as Mayor from 2001 to 2003. Mason has been employed by Habitat for Humanity Sarasota and by the Salvation Army, where she was director of family support and intake manager. She is a member of the Newtown Front Porch Neighborhood Revitalization Council and is a former chairman of council. She has served as chairman of the Sarasota County Neighborhood Grants Advisory Committee and as a member of the Florida Historic Preservation Advisory Committee. Mason also has served as vice chairman of the Urban Administration and Transportation Committee of the Florida League of Cities, and as a member of the Southwest Florida Health Planning Council, the City of Sarasota’s Civil Service Board, the Community Action Agency Board, the Children and Youth Services Advisory Council. Her awards include the Human Development Award for Community Service by the Westcoast Center for Human Services, the Woman of Color Award, the NAACP Freedom Award, the “She Knows Where She's Going Award” from Girls Inc. and the Freedom Fighter Award, Southern Christian Leadership Conference Manatee/Sarasota Chapter. Mason was born in Sarasota and has three children and 13 grandchildren. She is a graduate of the Sarasota Community School. CONTACT COMMISSIONER MASON: 1660 Ringling Blvd. Sarasota, FL 34236 (941) 861-5344
Commissioner Joe Barbetta
District 2 Joe Barbetta was elected to the Sarasota County Commission in 2006 and is currently the vice chair of the commission. An attorney, he is admitted to the New York and Florida Bar and also admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court. Barbetta is a former member and chairman of the Sarasota County Planning Commission, serving on that board for 14-1/2 years. He is also a member of the Sarasota County Bar Association, Urban Land Institute, Sarasota County Civic League, Sarasota Tiger Bay Club, Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Florida Planning and Zoning Association, Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy, Friends of the Myakka River, Republicans for Environmental Protection and League of Women Voters. Barbetta is also a member of the Environmental Law Institute and a member of the Congress for New Urbanism. CONTACT COMMISSIONER BARBETTA: 1660 Ringling Blvd. Sarasota, FL 34236 (941) 861-5344
Commissioner Shannon Staub
District 3 Party: Republican Family: 1 Son Education: B.A., St. Andrews Presbyterian College, Laurinburg, N.C. Shannon Staub was elected to the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners in 1996 and was re-elected in 2000 and 2004 without opposition. She is up for re-election this year, 2008. Ms. Staub is currently the Chair of the County Commission, the Chair of the Peace River Water Authority and represents the Commission on the Criminal Justice Commission. She also chairs the Community Health Improvement Program (CHIP) and is a member of the Veterans National Cemetery Committee. CONTACT COMMISSIONER STAUB: 1660 Ringling Blvd. Sarasota, FL 34236 (941) 861-5344
Commissioner Nora Patterson
District 4 Nora Patterson was elected to the Sarasota Board of County Commissioners in 1998. Commissioner Patterson also represents the county and chairs the Sarasota County Tourist Development Council. She serves on the Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Airport Advisory Board, the West Coast Inland Navigational District, and the Early Learning Coalition. In addition, she holds a seat on the Board of Directors of United Way, the Jewish Family and Children’s Services and a member of the Tampa Bay Regional Transit Authority. Mrs. Patterson has been appointed to serve as a member of the Community and Economic Development Steering Committee of the National Association of Counties and currently is a member of the Property Tax Work Group of the Florida Association of Counties. CONTACT COMMISSIONER PATTERSON: 1660 Ringling Blvd. Sarasota, FL 34236 (941) 861-5344
Commissioner Jon Thaxton, CHAIR BOCC
District 5 Jon Thaxton is recognized as one of Southwest Florida’s preeminent advocates for protecting our natural environment. He was an early critic of failed growth management policies and offered viable alternatives that would preserve Sarasota’s natural, economic and social amenities. Jon’s commission appointments include the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council, Regional Water Planning Alliance and the National Association of Counties Growth and Land Use Committee. Jon has been awarded the 1,000 Friends of Florida State Growth Management Award and was twice awarded the Nature Conservancy’s Grassroots Activist of the Year. In 1996, Jon was featured in National Geographic for his work in preserving endangered species. CONTACT COMMISSIONER THAXTON: 1660 Ringling Blvd. Sarasota, FL 34236 (941) 861-5344