Mayor Bill Shearon isn't a very powerful mayor, unable to fire department heads or to hire new ones without commission consent, but colleagues on the Bradenton Beach City Commission are upset at how he has used the little authority he holds, and now may get rid of him because of management disputes. For three weeks now, politics in the 1,100-person municipality has centered around Shearon's leadership, and a week from today, city commissioners will likely establish rules on how to force a city official to forfeit their office.

"I haven't been formally accused of anything," Shearon said. "Nobody has told me directly what I am doing wrong, besides just saying they don't like my management style, and that makes it all pretty difficult."

Problems began when Ward 1 Commissioner Jack Clarke on Sept. 16 drafted a list of concerns and raised the spectre of forfeiture. There is no procedure to do that in the city charter, other than a statement of forfeiture must be declared by a majority of remaining commissioners. At its Oct. 16 meeting, the City Commission is expected to take up the issue through a resolution and establish a procedure both for forcing out a mayor and, in the event the issue comes up, other commissioners. Details, though, are still being hashed out. 

Clarke wrote that his trust of the mayor "has eroded over the past 300 days as I have seen nothing but failures, disrespect, outbursts, and problems." He would not comment further for this article.

Shearon was elected in November, defeating incumbent John Shaughnessy. Shearon's term lasts just two years and he will face re-election in November 2015, assuming he isn't ousted. He hasn't decided yet if he will pursue re-election either way.

Regardless of the outcome of this tiff, officials acknowledge the affair has called into question the effectiveness of the city charter, which already is scheduled for an overhaul in December. "According to the League of Cities, we are one of the only remaining cities in Florida with this type of government, and it does not seem to be functioning well at this time," said City Clerk Gia Lancaster.

Bradenton Beach runs by a true commission form of government, meaning the mayor and four city commissioners all vote on policy matters but also all hold some executive powers as well. The mayor oversees city administration but cannot direct staff, only department heads. He cannot fire department heads on his own, only suspend them for three days, something he has never done. The city commission did fire a city clerk earlier this year, five months after her hire.

Most Manatee County cities have a strong mayor form of government, where the mayor is elected and serves as the city's chief executive; Bradenton has a hybrid form of mayor who also sometimes casts votes on policy. In Sarasota County, all municipalities have a commission-manager form of government, where a hired manager oversees day-to-day business at City Hall while the commission or council sets policy. 

Shearon said he would like to "just be mayor," meaning he would favor holding the administrative mayor title while a professional manager led the city, but he acknowledged a budget issue there. Bradenton Beach has a smaller budget than a city like Sarasota, where City Manager Tom Barwin was offered a $175,000 contract to move to Florida and run City Hall, for example. In Waldo, an Alachua County city with a similar population to Bradenton Beach, City Manager Kim Worley earns $52,000 a year. 

Sarasota is experiencing a renaissance in the appreciation for its built environment. Some may see this fascination as trendy but throughout history, art and architecture have enlightened the human experience and helped shape civilization. This philosophy has always resonated in our community, which was first influenced by John and Mable Ringling’s love affair with the art, architecture and gardens of Italy and Europe. Later, a pioneering group of gifted young architects converged on our growing city in the middle of last century and developed a regional architectural vocabulary known today as the “Sarasota School of Architecture.”

The Center for Architecture Sarasota recently celebrated its one-year anniversary and began the renovation of its future home in the heart of downtown, a building designed in 1960 by two members of the elite who helped found the Sarasota School of Architecture movement. The Center is an important addition to our non-profit community and has been instrumental in bringing to the area the University of Florida CityLab-Sarasota, an architecture graduate program dedicated to providing these students with direct involvement with community projects.  Along with housing this program, the Center will serve as a destination for both residents and visitors to learn about our built environment and celebrate it through public education, preservation efforts, lectures from international experts and gallery events.  The Center for Architecture Sarasota will also act as a catalyst for innovative design, urban planning and land use in our own community.  The goal of the organization is to bring together academia, practitioners, outside experts, government officials and the community-at-large to ensure that Sarasota continues to be a place known for its beauty, integrity and support for the creative community in which it thrives.

This month we share ideas, insights and stories from the Center for Architecture Sarasota, an SRQ Story Project partner. 

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Sophie’s, the new luxury restaurant opening within Saks Fifth Avenue at The Mall at University Town Center, announced its new team. The Sarasota-based team includes General Manager Felicia O’Brien and Assistant General Manager Mark Resnick, who will be responsible for the restaurant’s day-to-day operations and overall management, along with Executive Chef Dianna MacPhee and Sous Chef Richard Potts who will be in charge of culinary development and management.  

Sophie's

William W. Merrill III, a senior shareholder at Icard, Merrill, Cullis, Timm, Furen and Ginsburg, has been named the 2014 Lawyer of the Year for Administrative/Regulatory Law in the Tampa area (including Sarasota and Bradenton) by The Best Lawyers in America. As one of the oldest and most respected peer review publications in the legal profession, Best Lawyers produces its annual list based on nearly four million confidential evaluations of lawyers by their peers across the country. A single lawyer in each practice area representing each community is further honored as a Lawyer of the Year. 

Icard Merrill

The Capital Grille, known nationally for its dry aged, hand-carved steaks and extensive, award-winning wine list, will open in Sarasota on Oct. 17.  Located at University Town Center, The Capital Grille, which prides itself on professional, attentive service an in atmosphere of relaxed elegance, will be open seven days a week. 

The Capital Grille

Carrying strictly nontoxic health and beauty items with carefully curated product lines and focusing on sustainable and ethical small (and owner-operated) businesses, Wild Ginger Apothecary recently opened its doors for business in the Gulf Gate Shopping Village. Products are small batch, local when possible, handcrafted and sourced from nature.  A green-friendly interior with all repurposed building materials echoes the Wild Ginger philosophy. 

Wild Ginger Apothecary

The inaugural Bal Masqué Gala ushered in a magical evening of glittering masks, sweeping gowns and handsome tuxedos on stage and off at the Sarasota Opera House this past Saturday. A stunning aerial performance by members of the Circus Arts Conservatory dazzled guests as they entered the space. Viewed from the Opera House mezzanines, the acrobats and Sarasota Orchestra brass quintet set the mood for an enchanting evening with additional performances by Fuzion Dance Artists, Jami G and the Sarasota Cuban Ballet. Guests enjoyed an assortment of enticing bites prepared by Fête catering. The Bijou Bellini, Limone Rosmarino, and Tempesta Perfetta signature cocktails featured Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Siesta Key Rums. Beautiful works of art filled the silent auction tables featuring artists Olan Quattro and Michele Penn. Bal Masque photos are online at CLICKSRQ,  the magazine's online gallery. 

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