Manatee County residents can apply to serve on Children's Services Advisory Board

MANATEE -- After a child advocate was abruptly removed from the Manatee County Children's Services Advisory Board last month, the county is accepting applications to fill the vacancy.

Applications to be the child advocate, who is not affiliated with any agency receiving county funds, are due by 4 p.m. Dec. 2. The term ends Sept. 30, 2018.

On Oct. 12, Jennifer Radebach, one of five child advocates on the board, was removed after a County Attorney's Office investigation of an alleged conflict of interest as two organizations she had been or is affiliated with have received county funds through the Early Learning Coalition, which receives funding through the children's services tax.

Child advocates cannot receive county funds for the organizations they work with or represent, per county ordinance.

According to a news release requesting applications, "employees, owners or voting board members of agencies that receive funding from Manatee County or individuals that contract with agencies that receive county funding are not eligible to serve as a child advocate on this advisory board." All applicants must be residents of Manatee County.

The Children's Services Advisory Board, which advises and makes recommendations to the Manatee County Commission, meets at 3 p.m. the third Wednesday of each month March through May. The board meets weekly during the annual program funding review process.

Applications can be found at mymanatee.org/advisory_boards.

Information: Call 941-749-3030.

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

This story was originally published November 18, 2015 at 5:10 PM with the headline "Manatee County residents can apply to serve on Children's Services Advisory Board ."