Another Sarasota official resigns

SARASOTA — A top Sarasota County official resigned July 21, the second high-ranking resignation in the county in the past four days.

County officials, however, say the latest resignation, of communications director Susan Scott, wasn't linked to the purchasing scandal discovered earlier this year that has already cost 10 people their jobs. “I can say 100%, it has nothing to do with that,” Interim County Administrator Terry Lewis told the Sarasota Observer, the Business Review's sister paper.

At one time Scott was the deputy county administrator, where she was the third-highest ranked county official behind current Deputy County Administrator Dave Bullock and former County Administrator Jim Ley, who resigned in May. Scott was demoted to director of communications last year.

Scott's resignation follows Jeff Seward, the county's chief financial planner, who resigned Monday amid concerns about his role in the procurement scandal.