History of the Sarasota County Civic League

The Sarasota County Civic League, Inc., was incorporated with the State of Florida on December 10, 1959. The initial directors included twenty-one involved local citizens, including John D. MacDonald, Janis H. Palmer, W.T. Robarts, Herbert P. Field, Dallas W. Dort, and W.E. Burquest. Eighteen other members also signed the initial Articles of Incorporation. The original directors were appointed to one, two, or three years terms to start an annual rotation system. Today the Civic League Board continues that same rotation system for a fifteen member board, with five directors usually elected each year. Past presidents of the Civic League include Karen Rushing, Mary Kumpe, Marjorie West, Jack West, Dan Bailey, John Lewis, Karen Matteson, Joan Collier, Tom Hopkins, Claudia George, Gerry Keane, Lee Byron, Jim Toale, Wendy Hopkins, Bob Fournier, Susan Chapman, George MacFarlane, Adam Tebrugge, Dick Ulrich, and Alan Roddy.

The Civic League continues to hold monthly membership meetings for breakfast or lunch, with programs that range from candidate forums, to State of the City or State of the County address from their respective leaders, to updates on emerging political and social issues that affect the citizens of Sarasota County. The Civic League began its Candidate Evaluation Program in the early 1980s, initially in concert with the Taxpayers Association. Since then, the Program has been a consistent function of the League during each election cycle. For each race, a panel of five League members rates the qualifications of each participating candidate, after reviewing written material submitted by the candidates and after conducting a series of interviews using standardized questions. All participating candidates are asked to sign the Civic League's "Pledge Against Negative Campaigning." The League then publishes the qualifications ratings and indicates which candidates have signed the Pledge.

Compiled by Jim Isbell