Protect Siesta Key

08/31/2026

Coming Up at C**A: Understanding the November Ballot
Join us Tuesday, September 8 starting at 6 p.m. at Gulf Gate Library for a discussion of important issues voters will see on the November ballot.

Guest speakers:
• Jon Thaxton — Land Conservation / Environmentally Sensitive Lands Referendum
• Longboat Key Commissioner BJ Bishop — Property Tax Amendment

C**A Board Member Susan Schoettle will also provide an overview of the state amendments and local initiatives appearing on the November ballot.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Come learn what will be on your ballot and bring your questions!

08/24/2026

BCC NEWS — An Important Agenda Item Missing From the Tom Knight's Rundown

Commissioner Tom Knight highlighted several important issues coming before the County Commission this week, but one controversial item was missing from the list.

On Tuesday, Agenda Item #49 is the proposed Siesta Key land swap.

The County will vote on whether to exchange public land at 162 Beach Road, purchased in 2017 for $1.4 million with voter-approved Neighborhood Parkland funds, for three Gulf-front lots the County previously appraised at approximately $90,000 total — while also paying an additional $400,000 as part of the settlement.

This is about more than settling one federal lawsuit. It raises a much bigger question: Can land purchased with taxpayer-approved funds for neighborhood parkland and preservation later be used as currency to settle litigation?

That precedent should concern every Sarasota County taxpayer. We should not create a path where someone can sue the County and potentially obtain public land as part of a settlement.

I will be at Tuesday's meeting as President of Protect Siesta Key to defend 162 Beach Road and the integrity of the Neighborhood Parkland program.

Some may blame County administration or the legal team for not making the funding history of this property clear earlier in the process. But the commissioners know now.

They should reject this settlement and allow the federal lawsuit to return to court rather than sacrifice land purchased with voter-approved Neighborhood Parkland funds.

08/17/2026

Sarasota County Facts Now Calls Its negative attack Ads “Parody.” Were You Fooled?

For weeks, Sarasota County Facts (Local Government Accountability Institute) presented themselves as legitimate government watchdogs while repeatedly attacking County Commissioners Joe Neunder and Mark Smith.

Now that the Florida Trident has exposed what they were really doing, they call it “parody.”

They used AI-generated political content to falsely portray candidates as saying or doing things that never happened.
That's not accountability. That's political manipulation disguised as a watchdog organization.

Voters deserved to know who was really behind these attacks and that what they were seeing wasn't real.

Developers depend on voters to believe their lies. Hope you were not fooled by these 'organizations'.

Read the Florida Trident investigation.

The Florida Trident archived LGAI's open "war room" before 153 files vanished - brochures, memes and AI images backing two Sarasota County Commission challengers.

08/16/2026

Early Voting yesterday with Joe Neunder, Sarasota County Commissioner, Fire Fighters, and Michelle Pozzi.

08/14/2026

Has a Live Local Developer Gone Too Far by Subpoenaing Commissioner Tom Knight’s Wife?

Sarasota County is being sued by developers seeking to use the Live Local Act to build higher-density, taller apartment projects in areas currently zoned rural, residential single-family, and Open Use. There are 18 proposed Live Local projects across the county that could potentially add thousands of housing units—approved administratively by staff rather than through a public hearing and vote by the County Commission.

One of these developers has taken the unusual step of suing not only Sarasota County, but individual County Commissioners, including Tom Knight, Joe Neunder, and Mark Smith, over actions taken as elected officials at public meetings.

The County and Commissioner Knight are fighting that. Motions have been filed seeking to dismiss the commissioners individually from the lawsuit, arguing that the proper defendant is the County—not individual commissioners performing their official duties.

Commissioner Knight retained his own attorney, and the legal battle has already taken some interesting turns. The developer sought to disqualify Knight's attorney and later backed away from that effort.

Now the developer has subpoenaed Tom Knight's wife, Tracy Knight.

For me, that crosses a line.

The court has not yet decided whether these commissioners should even remain individual defendants. Why subpoena a commissioner's spouse before that fundamental issue is resolved?

The motions seeking to dismiss the individual commissioners are expected to be addressed soon. At the very least, I believe the developer should have waited for the court to rule before dragging a commissioner's wife into this litigation.

I don't know the developer's motive, but from where I sit, it feels more like intimidation than a legitimate land-use dispute.

Commissioners should be able to cast votes at public meetings without wondering whether their spouses will be pulled into litigation because a developer doesn't like the outcome.

This is going too far.

08/08/2026

Protect Siesta Key endorses Joe Neunder for County Commission District 4.

07/10/2026

Join C**A next Tuesday at 6:00 PM at the Gulf Gate Library for our Emergency Preparedness meeting.

Hear from Sarasota County Emergency Management on how to prepare before, during, and after a disaster. I'll also share the lessons I learned firsthand navigating insurance claims, FEMA, and working with contractors after the 2024 hurricanes.

The preparedness skills you'll learn aren't just for hurricanes—they can help you respond to tornadoes, severe storms, flooding, and other emergencies.

Everyone is welcome!

06/27/2026

Celebrating 250 Years of Freedom. Celebrating Our Community.

From all of us at Protect Siesta Key, thank you for being part of a community that cares.

May your Fourth of July be filled with family, friends, beautiful sunsets, spectacular fireworks, and gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy.

We are celebrating all week!
Happy Independence Day, and please celebrate safely!

ProtectSiestaKey.org

06/22/2026

Protect Siesta Key was founded to protect our community from overdevelopment.

After reviewing the county candidates and their records, the PSK Board of Directors recommends Mark Smith (District 2) and Joe Neunder (District 4) for County Commission.

We support their efforts to:
✅ Oppose mega-hotels on Siesta Key
✅ Protect the Celery Fields from overdevelopment
✅ Support the Gulf Gate Golf Course acquisition for flood mitigation and open space
✅ Oppose apartment development in Rural Lands (Live Local Act)

Their opponents have campaign signs on properties owned by a mega-hotel developer seeking Comprehensive Plan changes for mega-hotels on Siesta Key. I think it's pretty clear where they will stand on that issue.

These recommendations were approved by the PSK Board and are based on issues important to our members and community.

Learn more about our recommendations at:
ProtectSiestaKey.org/Elections2026

06/16/2026

When it comes to elections, I look at the whole picture. No single endorsement, donation, mailer, or issue determines my vote.

I consider a candidate’s background, public statements, community involvement, voting record, supporters, endorsements, and overall track record. I want to understand not just what they say, but what they have done and who they associate with.

I also recognize that no candidate is perfect. The question is not whether someone is flawless, but whether they are the best choice to serve and represent our community.

Ultimately, voting is about gathering information, asking questions, and making the best decision based on the full picture. I want to support the candidate I believe is best for our community.

Make sure your vote counts on August 18 Primary!