Baugh remains chair of Manatee Commission after vaccine event controversy. Readers react | Letters to the editor
Manatee government is leaderless
Manatee County, let’s check in with our morally and fiscally conservative Gang of Four. To be exact, we are talking about county commissioners Vanessa Baugh, Kevin Van Ostenbridge, James Satcher and George Kruse. So, how are they doing? Let’s see.
They are terminating a popular county administrator without cause. Payout to Cheri Coryea: $204,000.
They plan to offer the job to a yet-to-be-named candidate temporarily, then search for a permanent replacement. Search and hiring costs: thousands of dollars.
The newest of the four, Kruse, Satcher and Van Ostenbridge, got sworn in, then immediately set about upgrading their county offices with leather sofas, a recliner and a shiplap accent wall. Cost: $17,000.
Two days after he was sworn in, Satcher bounced a $10 check to the state for his commission certification fee.
Kruse, who admitted, in a public commission meeting, to cheating on his wife, accused another commissioner of extortion.
Van Ostenbridge who ran on a platform of transparency, called for the county administrator to be terminated in a meeting where the subject was not even an agenda item.
Not to be outdone is Baugh, who was elected chairman of the commission and vowed to “drain the swamp.”She bypassed the countywide lottery COVID shot system, which had been approved by the board, to get a pop-up vaccination site for ZIP codes in her Lakewood Ranch district. She put herself and friends on a VIP list to be vaccinated. This stunt became national news and late night talk show fodder.
On Feb. 18 Baugh, Satcher, Kruse, and Van Ostenbridge were served subpoenas by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The FDLE requests all forms of communication for possible Sunshine Law violations over the effort to fire Coryea.
On Feb. 23 the Manatee Sheriff’s Office announced it will conduct a criminal investigation into whether Baugh broke state laws when she arranged the exclusive Lakewood Ranch vaccination clinic. Florida statute 112.313 prohibits a public servant from using his or her office for political gain.
So to recap, the four have mired Manatee County government in a leaderless swamp. They have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on unnecessary expenses. They have been accused of breaking multiple state laws. They have made Manatee County a national joke.
Manatee County, have we had enough?
Chris Kotchi
Bradenton
Trust in Baugh is gone
I thought I had left political chicanery and elitism behind when I moved to Bradenton last year. Manatee County Vanessa Baugh has shown me my mistake.
I signed up for Manatee County’s vaccine lottery on Jan. 7 and was assured like everyone else that it would be a fair process, that we should just wait to be contacted. Nearly two months later I have still not been contacted. But if I had moved to Lakewood Ranch instead, I would be vaccinated by now.
Ms. Baugh calls her actions a lapse in judgment. Fine, but It is also a breach of public trust. It tarnishes the county and belies its pledge to be fair. She blames “petty partisan politics” for fueling calls for her ouster. I find that insulting. I don’t know what party she represents, I just know she does not represent me or my neighbors. I think it is selfish of her to remain in her job. It shows she’s still thinking of herself, as she did when she put herself on the VIP list.
We all make mistakes. Ms. Baugh may be a nice person and deserve forgiveness. But her trust is gone and she reflects poorly on the county. She should show some self respect and resign.
William Carlos
Bradenton
Baugh is ‘shameful’
Mrs. Vanessa Baugh, Manatee County commissioner:
The events surrounding the Manatee County vaccine distribution during the weeks of Feb. 7 and Feb. 14, 2021, culminated in your public apology for sending out an email retained in public record. This abject failure to support the health and safety of Manatee County citizens through ethical channels is shameful.
The prioritization revealed may be an ethics violation as it usurped the fair and balanced lottery system already in place. Your apoloy was framed around a communication error, not the plain fact that your prioritization actions, regardless of the governor’s support, may result in serious illness and death for those not priortized in a list fabricated outside of distribution guidelines.
Like many other Manatee County citizens, I am requesting two action items. First, is your immediate resignation, Mrs. Baugh. Your decisions may have negatively impacted the health and safety of Manatee County citizens and can result in more serious illness and death.
Second, I am requesting the commissioners to file a complaint with the Florida Commission for Ethics to investigate Mrs. Baugh’s actions and test to see if the Sunshine Amendment was violated. The Republican Party is the party of law and order. The Republican Party always holds to account those who violate ethical policies. Commissioners, I know it may be difficult to take such action with a peer. But I trust you will always put Manatee County citizens first and do the right thing.
As we move forward, the urgency of now cannot be understated. Manatee County cannot afford an unethical stratgey that priorities potential voters and donors over the health of other citizens. I look forward to seeing Manatee County senior leadership refocusing on clear, ethical and objective fact-based steering that keeps the health and safety of Manatee County citizens foremost.
Kristian Korner
Bradenton
‘Government at its worst’
Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh knew exactly what she was doing and showed her true colors in doing so. Distributing vaccine to a favored few can best be describer as disgusting. Her abuse of government office also landed our county unfavorably in the national news, including NBC Evening News’ segment on COVID “cheaters.”
She cannot be trusted and should resign, as should her cohort, our thin-skinned governor who continues to use vaccine distribution for political gain and public relations. These two, along with “Cancun” Cruz are prime examples of government at its worst.
Garry Metcalf
Bradenton
Commissioner Baugh must resign
Vanessa Baugh, your arrogance is astounding!
The way you conducted yourself in the recent commission meeting was atrocious! I have never seen such an uncaring, selfish and condescending attitude you displayed toward the citizens of Manatee County. You do not care about your constituents, except for the very select friends and donors to your campaign. It is a very poorly kept secret that you along with the recently elected three stooges were bought and paid for by Carlos Beruff who gives you four your marching orders.
Who can remember when a sitting commissioner was under investigation for a possible criminal act and also serving as the chairman. The so-called apology you issued was so blatantly insincere, patronizing and condescending that i am surprised your nose did not grow. The haughty way you delivered the apology turned into an absolute abomination!
The fact that you cannot see or will not face the fact that you no longer have any credibility on the commission and beyond further demonstrates your lack of acceptance of this very obvious situation. You could not even make the smallest gesture for your transgression by stepping down as chairman. No, you and your other three paid employees/commissioners of Carlos Beruff, while expressing faint outrage at your actions, voted in lockstep to keep you as our pathological lying chairman. What kind of a leader behaves in the manner you do and expects to lead the commission with any kind of effectiveness? Certainly not you.
I am betting you think this whole thing will blow over and you will continue to function in your usual dishonest, ineffective and immoral manner. The calls for your resignation are growing louder and will not go away. Do yourself and all Manatee county citizens a favor and resign now!
Neal Hamilton
Bradenton
Cut Baugh some slack
I met Vanessa Baugh many years ago at a fund-raising event for a local nonprofit organization. She and her husband own a jewelry store in Lakewood Ranch and I, at the time, had a disc jockey business. Over 20 years I donated my disc jockey business to many nonprofit fund raising events. I was impressed that at the majority of these events Vanessa had donated jewelry to help raise funds for these nonprofit organizations. I am sure that her donations amounted to many thousands of dollars.
When she decided to run for a county commission seat, I met with her at a restaurant in Lakewood Ranch and shared with her some of the things she would be facing. I have always had a concern that business owners would get involved in local politics. The county commission would not be her only responsibility. She would become a member of the Port Authority, which is a business and having people with a business acumen would be the best case scenario. Various county commissioners become representatives on many boards, i.e.; the Sarasota Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization, tourism, water management, etc. Then there would be invitations to attend many different kinds of events.
Being a county commissioner is a very time consuming position and she would be “stretched thin.” Being a county commissioner is no “cake walk.”
I, like many citizens, have signed up with the county’s vaccine program. I was disappointed that the governor, local business leaders and Vanessa designated thousands of vaccines be distributed to specific zip codes. However, even though I was disappointed, I am willing to cut the people involved some slack, especially Vanessa. I have a tendency to cut any commissioner some slack. They have so many responsibilities, are pulled in so many directions that they deserve forgiveness.
George Mendez
Bradenton
This story was originally published February 25, 2021 at 10:29 AM.