Commissioner Turner Won't Seek Re-election

City Commissioner Terry Turner will not return to City Hall this year because of family and business obligations, Turner announced in a letter Thursday.

Turner is up for re-election in March with Mayor Suzanne Atwell. Both hold at-large seats, voted in citywide. The entirety of Turner's letter is below.

Four people have already filed to run, according to the Sarasota elections page:

• Richard Dorfman
800 N. Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34236
(941) 320-5937

• Linda E. Holland
617 Gillespie Ave.
Sarasota, FL 34236
Phone: 941-313-0201

• Kelvin Lumpkin
5378 Royal Palm Avenue
Sarasota, FL 34234
(941) 266-2072

• Pete Theisen
2155 Wood Street B4
Sarasota, FL 34237
(941) 365-9439

Atwell has not filed, but is expecting to run and told Patch recently that she "loves this job."

Here is Turner's letter:

Friends and family have been asking me, “Are you going to stand for reelection?”

I deeply appreciate their loyalty and willingness to support my candidacy and, because the city is at a critical juncture, I do feel a continuing obligation to serve. 

However, family and business obligations require my time and attention.  Experience has shown that I cannot give these obligations the attention they deserve while serving the citizens as a city commissioner. 

I, therefore, have made the decision that I will not stand for reelection.

The city faces very challenging long-term financial problems.  It urgently needs commissioners equipped to meet these challenges---commissioners with board or management experience in large, complex organizations; commissioners with a solid grounding in finance and budgeting; commissioners  who are familiar with land use regulation and the many other operational activities of the city; and commissioners with open, flexible, creative minds.

Our city needs strong, qualified candidates! It is my hope that with an early announcement of my intent not to run, there will be time to encourage qualified candidates to enter the race who might not have wanted to challenge a sitting commissioner  

I intend to continue to be an actively involved citizen, and I wish to thank the citizens of Sarasota for having given me the opportunity to serve this wonderful city.

Terry L Turner