Polarizing figure should not serve on Sarasota County School Board committees

Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·4 min read
1
Eric Robinson, a former Sarasota County School Board member, is now on its finance committee, in addition to its audit committee.
Eric Robinson, a former Sarasota County School Board member, is now on its finance committee, in addition to its audit committee.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Robinson creates conflict on School Board

Sarasota County School Board Chair Karen Rose recently nominated former School Board Member Eric Robinson to serve on the board’s finance committee, although he’s already a member of the audit committee.

As an attorney with 20-plus years of corporate governance experience, I raised the issue of conflicts of interest and ethical considerations with Rose and the School Board. With no discussion of those issues, the School Board voted to appoint Robinson.

Sarasota County School Board members Karen Rose, left, and Bridget Ziegler listen to public comments Tuesday evening, Dec. 12, 2023, after the school board members approved a resolution calling on Ziegler to resign.
Sarasota County School Board members Karen Rose, left, and Bridget Ziegler listen to public comments Tuesday evening, Dec. 12, 2023, after the school board members approved a resolution calling on Ziegler to resign.

Write to us: How to send a letter to the editor

Sitting on both committees, Robinson may be called on to review or utilize work he developed or approved as a member of one committee while working as a member of the other committee. It doesn’t take a genius to see the potential for conflicts of interest.

Robinson is also Rose’s campaign treasurer.

In 2018, a series of released text messages revealed that while sitting on the School Board, Robinson worked with then-Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight to ensure the school district would pay a higher amount for security services. With ethics like this, why is Robinson serving on any school board committees?

Sarasota County has a plethora of retired finance professionals – why does Rose need Robinson on both committees? The optics of this appointment are appalling but unsurprising.

It’s time for transparency on our School Board.

Lisa Schurr, Sarasota

Save home of early Sarasota developer

SOS time again for residents, snowbirds and those who want to save Sarasota’s historical buildings to show up April 1, at 9 a.m., at the Sarasota City Commission meeting when a developer will plead his case to get rid of the 1912 McAlpin House.

Supposedly, he can’t incorporate this house into a 3.1-acre high-rise development between Pineapple and Orange avenues.

The McAlpin House is significant because of who built it and how it was built. George McAlpin built the original sidewalks and seawall in Sarasota in the early 1900s. A concrete magnate, he used his pioneering rusticated blocks for the house’s structure.
The McAlpin House is significant because of who built it and how it was built. George McAlpin built the original sidewalks and seawall in Sarasota in the early 1900s. A concrete magnate, he used his pioneering rusticated blocks for the house’s structure.

The McAlpin House is irreplaceable due to George McAlpin’s unique use of “rusticated” concrete blocks. McAlpin worked with Owen Burns to develop Sarasota, doing much of the concrete work.

This house is in good condition and it could be used as a museum showing “the building of Sarasota 100 years ago” – or as a coffee cafe for those living nearby.

Sarasota history is important for future generations!

Nancy DeForge, Nokomis 

Replace Scott with Mucarsel-Powell

Before we know it Election Day 2024 will be here and our choices loom large. I wholeheartedly support Debbie Mucarsel-Powell’s bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Rick Scott.

Debbie's story of resilience and service resonates deeply with me as a 96-year-old first-generation American and Korean War veteran. Her dedication to our shared values epitomizes the American dream.

Debbie's track record of public service, from nonprofit work to her role at Florida International University, demonstrates her unwavering commitment to improving the lives of Floridians through accessible health care and education.

In contrast, Scott's history is marked by self-interest and disregard for ordinary Americans. His shady business practices and record of prioritizing tax cuts for the wealthy over vital social programs like Social Security and Medicare highlight his detachment from our struggles.

Moreover, Scott's extreme positions on issues like abortion rights and gun violence prevention threaten the rights and safety of Floridians.

Arnie Moskowitz, Sarasota

GOP resists immigration reform

For as long as Joe Biden has been president, a comprehensive immigration bill has been before Congress.

Yet it has never gotten out of committee. Why? The answer is both simple and repulsive.

The Republicans do not have a single issue on which to campaign.  They are on the wrong side of Medicare, taxing fat corporations and billionaires, veterans’ affairs, prescription drug prices, common-sense gun control, infrastructure investment, gender identity, women’s bodily autonomy and a host of other issues and initiatives.

Migrants living on the north embankment of the Rio Grande hold hands during a prayer as they await to be processed by Customs and Border Protection in El Paso, Texas. Some of the migrants have been at the encampment on the river for more than eight days, waiting to surrender to immigration officials. Tuesday, May 9, 2023.
Migrants living on the north embankment of the Rio Grande hold hands during a prayer as they await to be processed by Customs and Border Protection in El Paso, Texas. Some of the migrants have been at the encampment on the river for more than eight days, waiting to surrender to immigration officials. Tuesday, May 9, 2023.

But with immigration reform they have a plan: “Stop immigration reform from becoming enacted.” By stopping immigration reform, they have manufactured a campaign issue.

By refusing to act on immigration reform. the Republican Party is allowing the damage and difficulties we read and hear about in the media.  They don’t care who gets hurt, who dies, who is left in immigration purgatory.  All they care about is a manufactured campaign issue.

Please remember this when you vote.

William Tucker, Punta Gorda

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: School Board's appointment of toxic figure is a bad look for Sarasota