Manatee County accepts applications for Animal Services Advisory Board

MANATEE -- Manatee County has reopened the application period for residents interested in serving on the Animal Services Advisory Board.

Applications to be on the board, which makes animal policy recommendations to the Manatee County Commission, are due Oct. 3.

There are six openings on the seven-member board, which hasn't met in nearly a year.

Terms for six members of the board have expired or the member has resigned. The last Animal Services Advisory Board meeting was in November.

The county commission was to appoint five new members and approve an amended resolution for the Animal Services Advisory Board, but the issue was pulled from the agenda the day before the meeting after concerns arose about certain people not being listed as potential appointees.

Another opening occurred when Laurie Crawford, president of the nonprofit Animal Network, resigned Wednesday.

"We received concerns from several people who said they submitted applications," Deputy County Administrator Karen Windon said earlier this week.

Bill Huchison, interim director of Animal Services, said all 14 applications received on the agenda were included for consideration.

"I processed every one that I have," he said.

The applications came from: incumbents Lisa Barnott, Luke Berglund, Charles Hamilton and Jean Peelen; and LaVonne Bower, Anne Bridges, James Cooper, John Marble, Joanna Maza, Susan O'Day, William Oser, Tejbir Sandhu, Katie Wiehl and Jessica Zemanek.

According to the news release, "applications submitted within the past year will be considered, and anyone who applied for the board within the past year does not need to resubmit an application."

Applicants must have a background in one of the following:

Organizations, agencies or volunteer associations in Manatee County whose primary objective is animal rescue, care and handling.

One veterinarian who represents all the veterinarians of Manatee County.

A business organization, marketing skills, financial management or supervisory experience.

Applications for the four-year appointments can be found at mymanatee.org/advisory_boards.

Claire Aronson, Manatee County reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7024. Follow her on Twitter@Claire_Aronson.

This story was originally published September 26, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Manatee County accepts applications for Animal Services Advisory Board ."