Business and government: The week ahead

Get ready for a very busy week in government as local officials gorge on meetings with some hefty agendas before taking a break for Christmas and New Year's.

Tourist Development Council

The Manatee County Tourist Development Council meets at 9 a.m. Monday at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. The council will deal with a request for funding from the Ringling International Arts Festival, requests for event funding, monthly reports and a sales update. They'll also hear about the German market, domestic public relations and get the June to August visitor profile, as well as a report on trust fund balances and capital projects.

Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization

The MPO will meet at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the Sudakoff Center at New College, 5700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. In addition to official reports, there will be the election of the 2009 officers and MPO representatives, and committee appointments. There will be action on FDOT's Tentative Five Year Work Program, a report on the MPO's federal certification by the Federal Highway Administration and a review of the MPO's legislative positions and policies, and a report and analysis on the utilization and viability of roundabouts at various locations.

Manatee County School Board

The School Board will meet at 5:45 p.m. Monday at the School District's headquarters, 215 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton. The board will deal with several employee issues; receive reports on charter schools, Rachel's Challenge and student progress; receive a check from the Manatee Educational Foundation; consider the proposed site of the Manatee Technical Institute; and deal with the Myakka City Elementary School renovation.

Manatee County Commission

The County Commission will meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Manatee County Administrative Center, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, with a very long agenda. Time certain items include a 9:30 a.m. item on the Ringling International Arts Festival, a 9:45 a.m. item on the 69^th Street East and Erie Road intersection design, an item on canal dredging in the Warner's East and West Bayou and an item on the Schroeder-Manatee Ranch map amendments. There will also be elections for chairmen and vice chairs for the board and other government bodies.

Manatee County Port Authority

The Port Authority will meet from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday at Port Manatee Intermodal Center, 1905 Intermodal Circle, Palmetto.

Other government meetings

• The Value Adjustment Board Special Magistrate meets on Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Fountain Conference Room at the Judicial Center.

• The Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority meets from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday in the County Commission Chambers.

• The Bradenton Downtown Development Authority will meet at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in the City Council Chambers, 101 Old Main Street, Bradenton.

• The Bradenton Planning Commission will hold a workshop at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the City Council Chambers.

• The Bradenton Central CRA Joint Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at the Central CRA Building, 302 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton.

• The Palmetto Planning and Zoning Board meets at 6:15 p.m. Thursday at Palmetto City Hall, 516 Eighth Ave. W., Palmetto.

• The Anna Maria City Commission will hold a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Anna Maria City Hall, 10005 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria.

• The Bradenton Beach Planning and Zoning Board will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Bradenton Beach Commission Chambers, 107 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach.

• The Longboat Key Code Enforcement Board meets at 10 a.m. Monday at Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road, Longboat Key.

• The Longboat Key Planning and Zoning Board meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Town Hall.

• The Longboat Key Town Commission will have a regular workshop at 2 p.m. Thursday at Town Hall.

Business

New stories today in The Bradenton Times tell about Teltronics' new headquarters and the appointment of U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan to the Friends of Panama Caucus.