Banker seeks new title

The businessperson-runs-for-elected-office trend continues to proliferate.

The latest is longtime Manatee County banker Charlie Conoley, running for the District 3 seat of the Manatee County School Board. His opponents are incumbent Dave Miner and Misty Servia, a planning department manager with King Engineering Associates. Conoley tells Coffee Talk he pays especially close attention to how the board handles fiscal matters, and it could use more people who are well qualified, not just well meaning.

“With a $780 million budget,” asks Conoley, “Do we want people with no financial experience making decisions?”