Candidate Evaluations 2008

Sarasota County Civic League
Candidate Evaluation Programs

The Sarasota County Civic League is a non-partisan civic organization dedicated to an engaged and informed community. The Candidate Evaluation Program (CEP) is a public service program of the Civic League. Candidates are evaluated through written information submitted by the candidate and a panel interview. Each candidate receives a rating designed to indicate the degree to which the candidate possesses the qualifications needed to serve in the position sought.

The rating scale was revised in 2007 and ratings are as follows:
Exceeds Qualifications (EQ)
Meets Qualifications (MQ)
Limited Qualifications (LQ)
Did Not Participate (DNP)


As of August 18, the Sarasota County Civic League has issued the following results from the Candidate Evaluation Program:

All participating candidates signed the Civic League’s Pledge Against Negative Campaign Advertising.

Florida Senate District 23
Morgan Bentley- Exceeds Qualifications
Nancy Detert- Exceeds Qualifications
Michael Grant- Did Not Participate

Florida House of Representatives District 69
Laura Benson- Exceeds Qualifications
Keith Fitzgerald - Exceeds Qualifications
Horacio Lemus IV- Did Not Participate

Sarasota County Sheriff
Larry Dunklee- Exceeds Qualifications
DaveGustafson- Meets Qualifications
Thomas Knight- Exceeds Qualifications
Curtis Lavarello- Meets Qualifications

School Board
Millicent Puleo- Exceeds Qualifications
Caroline G. Zucker- Exceeds Qualifications

Tax Collector
Donna Clarke- Meets Qualifications
Barbara Ford-Coates- Exceeds Qualifications

Hospital Board At Large Seat 1
William N. Jensen- Did Not Participate
Thomas Towler- Did Not Participate

Hospital Board At Large Seat 2
To Be scheduled

Hospital Board Central District Seat 1
Dave Couch- Meets Qualifications
Bruce DiGiovanni- Did Not Participate
Teresa Carafelli- Meets Qualifications

Hospital Board Northern District Seat 1
Richard C. Merritt- Meets Qualifications
Jean-Noel Prade- Did Not Participate