The Longboat Key Town Commission removed Police Chief Al Hogle from the Acting Town Manager role after accusing him of improperly handling an employee grievance filed against Planning and Zoning Director Monica Simpson.

Longboat Key Commissioners decided by a vote of 6-1 to name Deputy Sarasota County Administrator Dave Bullock the next town manager. After a week of debate over how fast the town should proceed and whether Bullock would in fact be an interim manager rather than a permanent manager, Bullock was the clear choice

Against my better judgment I was convinced to attend yet another special meeting of the Longboat Key Town Commission. I thought that this annual event for the approval on second reading would be a routine approval of millage rates and budget for the coming year

Too fast, too slow, just right. It is a Goldilocks dilemma of timing for the Longboat Key Town Commission when it comes to selecting a new town manager. And as in all uncertainties — it causes fear, vacillation, criticism, self-doubt and worry about doing what is right

When Vice Mayor Dave Brenner found himself outside looking in, having been given the boot from his post on the P&Z Board, he vowed he would “take back the town” — and he did. After putting together a slate of candidates, pushing out long-timers like Lee Rothenberg, making life uncomfortable for sitting commissioners Bob Siekmann and Gene Jaleski and in effect, forcing their resignations

If the Longboat Key Town Commission ratifies a contract signed today by Sarasota Deputy Administrator Dave Bullock, he is Longboat Key’s hire for a one-year interim town manager

Those of us old enough to have been involved with WWII remember the newscaster, Gabriel Heatter, who would review the war news for the day

Fourteen years of diligent, responsible, loyal and excellent service means nothing to the recipients of that service. The work performed by Bruce St. Denis, the town manager of Longboat Key, has been washed down the drain by five commissioners who can’t appreciate what they already have, but who want to assume complete control of all facets of the government of Longboat Key

Last evening I witnessed an interesting spectacle at the end the Town Commission meeting, in the form of an emotional reaction by the commissioners to the perceived mistreatment of Commissioner Lynn Larson at the hands of a guest columnist in the Longboat Key News, and thus by extension to the editor of the paper, Steve Reid

Regardless of what happens in the lawsuit between Murf Klauber and his former or quite possibly once again partners, we will not see The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort that we have known in the past