DeSantis picks Bradenton broker with building industry ties to replace Commissioner Baugh

Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed Raymond Turner to fill a vacancy left by Commissioner Vanessa Baugh’s resignation from the Manatee County Commission.

Turner, of Bradenton, has served on Manatee County’s Planning Commission since November. Baugh announced her sudden resignation from the board in June, noting that she intended to spend more time with her family.

DeSantis announced Turner as Baugh’s replacement in a Wednesday evening press release. Starting Tuesday, Aug. 1, Turner will represent District 5, which includes Lakewood Ranch and parts of East Bradenton, on the Manatee Board of County Commissioners.

“I’m honored to be appointed by Governor DeSantis. I will do the very best job I can to serve the people of Manatee County,” Turner said in a statement Thursday afternoon. “After orientation, I look forward to hitting the ground running to keep Manatee County free, our economy thriving, our taxes low and our quality of life ever-improving.”

The governor’s office said Turner is a real estate broker and owner of Turner Services, LLC, and Turner Real Estate Network. Turner is also the secretary of the Manatee Sarasota Building Industry Association. Other commissioners, including Baugh and Mike Rahn, have ties to the BIA as well.

“Born in Australia, educated in England and Canada. Ray was fortunate to experience such a diverse upbringing,” the Turner Real Estate Network website says. “Ray began his Real Estate Career in 1991 selling custom homes and soon after transitioned into many facets of the industry including Real Estate Finance, international marketing and executive management.”

In a Wednesday evening Facebook post, Commissioner Van Ostenbridge welcomed Turner to the board.

“We are excited to have him on board, and his appointment by Governor DeSantis speaks volumes about his expertise and achievements in mortgage banking and real estate,” Van Ostenbridge wrote. “These valuable assets will undoubtedly benefit District 5 and the entire county.”

Baugh announced her resignation in a June 16 email to her fellow commissioners.

“One thing I have come to realize is that one of the most important things in life is family,” Baugh, 69, wrote at the time. “This week has reinforced that it is time to take care [of] my husband, children and grandchildren and to be a bigger part of their lives.”

The county will host a swearing-in ceremony for Turner on Tuesday morning, at the beginning of a public workshop meeting at 9 a.m.

Turner is expected to serve out the rest of Baugh’s term, which ends in 2024.