During its final meeting of the year, Manatee County Commissioners elected Betsy Benac, an at-large County Commissioner first elected in 2012, as Chair of the Board of County Commissioners for 2017. District 4 Commissioner Robin DiSabatino was elected the County Commission’s First Vice Chair. District 2 Commissioner Charles Smith will serve as Second Vice Chair of the County Commission. Commissioner Vanessa Baugh was elected Chair of the Manatee County Port Authority. Newly elected District 1 Commissioner Priscilla Whisenant Trace will serve as First Vice Chair of the Port Authority. Commissioner Smith will serve as Second Vice Chair of the Port Authority. Commissioner Carol Whitmore will serve another term as the Commission’s Tourist Development Council representative and chair. District 3 Commissioner Stephen Jonsson will serve as Third Vice Chair of both the County Commission and the Port Authority.

Manatee County Commission