‘We are crossing a bridge.’ Baugh survives new attempt to dump her as Manatee commission chair
Choosing instead to begin a healing process, the Manatee County Commission again declined to remove Commissioner Vanessa Baugh from her position as chairman of the board.
Baugh has come under fire from fellow commissioners and residents after she participated in putting together an exclusive pop-up COVID-19 vaccination site in Lakewood Ranch. Most recently, the Bradenton Herald reported on text messages that show Baugh was interested in using the event to boost Gov. Ron DeSantis ahead of a 2022 re-election campaign.
But on Tuesday, most of the board decided to leave that incident in the past and try to focus on other Manatee County issues.
Commissioner Carol Whitmore, who previously vowed to ask Baugh to resign at every meeting, made the motion to remove Baugh as chair Tuesday afternoon. Even Whitmore’s allies declined to support the motion.
“This is not a game and people need to realize this. We have to focus on county business,” Commissioner Reggie Bellamy said. “Wherever we are right now, can we please not go through this again next Tuesday, next Thursday or next Friday?”
“I’m exactly where Reggie is,” Commissioner Misty Servia added. “I believe it would have been best if Commissioner Baugh stepped down from chairman, but the vote wasn’t there to do that and I respect that. I don’t want to keep opening the wound over and over.”
Bellamy and Servia previously supported the attempt to remove Baugh as chairman. Baugh was able to hold onto her title after she was joined by her conservative allies — commissioners James Satcher, Kevin Van Ostenbridge and George Kruse.
If the board stands any chance of being productive, commissioners said they need to get away from personal attacks and focus instead on policy decisions.
“I think that we are crossing a bridge here. I thank Bellamy and Servia for your desire to move us forward. I hope it’s sort of a new day starting today,” said Van Ostenbridge.
Baugh also defended her desire to remain in the role, reiterating that she believed she did the best she could by securing 3,000 vaccines for Manatee County residents.
“The reason it keeps coming back is because we’re going into 2022,” said Baugh, implying that the issue of vaccines has become politicized in the run-up to the 2022 gubernatorial campaign. “For those that are upset with me over it, I also heard from many who thanked me for it because it allowed for 3,000 more to get vaccinated. The bottom line is I would not go against the governor in any way, shape or form.”
Residents have protested Baugh’s involvement in that pop-up site, as well as a priority list of five residents that Baugh created to receive the vaccine — herself included. Baugh has also become the subject of a criminal investigation, as well as an ethics complaint.
In response, Whitmore said her motion didn’t stem only from Baugh’s decision to limit the Lakewood Ranch site to two zip codes. She said she also wanted Baugh to step down over accusations of mistreating staff and giving them improper orders.
“I would stop bringing this up if I could see the behavior changing of our chair. I have seen and heard of our chair directing our staff and telling them what to do over something that we haven’t voted on yet. I’ve seen employees crying,” Whitmore said before withdrawing her motion. “If I keep seeing that, I will keep bringing this up. People are afraid not to do whatever they’re being told. That’s not how we work.”
At the end of Tuesday’s meeting, Baugh said she was grateful for the board’s support and looked forward to tackling important issues throughout the rest of her yearlong term as chairman of the board.
“I thank all of you for the faith you are showing me and I appreciate it. As I always do, I will try to be a good chair for you in this position,” she said. “I’m hoping we can all come together and work together as we should to make decisions for the county and staff.”
