Should North Port leave Sarasota County?
Posted 02-21-2013 at 10:57 AM by StepHome941
Back in 1959, the City began life as "North Port Charlotte". It was the northern, or Sarasota County portion, of Port Charlotte. In 1974, the people who lived here at the time voted to drop the "Charlotte", and rename the City as simply "North Port".
For decades, North Port was the red-headed stepchild of Sarasota County, abused at worst, ignored or forgotten at best, but always disregarded. In 2000, at the time of the previous census, only 22,000 people lived here, the southern most City of what was then the "Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice" metropolitan statistical area. But during the past decade, the population of the City grew to nearly 60,000 residents. Sarasota County could choose to continue to ignore us, but as far as the official designation goes, the region was renamed "North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota", a slap in the face to Sarasota, as well as Venice.
In 2009, the old North Port City Commission, in a 50/50 partnership with the County, purchased Warm Mineral Springs, for 5.5 million dollars. The newly elected City Commission (please see my first blog entry) decided that it was in the City's best interests to sell our 50%. In response, the County Commission yesterday offered to pay the City 2 million dollars ($750,000 less than the 2009 purchase price), and as part of their "offer" demanded that the City de-annex the Springs area, but not before we spend millions of dollars running water and sewer lines to it. This in a City where most homes do not have water or sewer!
Which begs the question, what should be the North Port Commission's response to this cynical and snide "offer"? It's my opinion that the City should tell the County thanks, but no thanks, and vote to de-annex the entire City from Sarasota County, and join Charlotte County instead. It makes logical sense, in that we are adjacent to Port Charlotte, and as you drive down most of the main streets in North Port, you go into Charlotte County. Chamberlain and Toledo Blade become Charlotte County when you pass Hillsborough Blvd. Cranberry becomes Cornelius at US 41. The Racetrac gas station at Cranberry and 41 is actually half in Sarasota County and half in Charlotte County. And, as a final thought, it's quite possible that the Denise Amber Lee tragedy could have been prevented had North Port been part of Charlotte County. As the 911 call was made, the driver went from one county to the other, with the call diverted to Charlotte, while the North Port police, and a precious life, was lost in the process.
It's time for the New Commission to do the right thing and for the City to flex her muscles. Instead of fighting with Sarasota County, we should just say goodbye.
For decades, North Port was the red-headed stepchild of Sarasota County, abused at worst, ignored or forgotten at best, but always disregarded. In 2000, at the time of the previous census, only 22,000 people lived here, the southern most City of what was then the "Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice" metropolitan statistical area. But during the past decade, the population of the City grew to nearly 60,000 residents. Sarasota County could choose to continue to ignore us, but as far as the official designation goes, the region was renamed "North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota", a slap in the face to Sarasota, as well as Venice.
In 2009, the old North Port City Commission, in a 50/50 partnership with the County, purchased Warm Mineral Springs, for 5.5 million dollars. The newly elected City Commission (please see my first blog entry) decided that it was in the City's best interests to sell our 50%. In response, the County Commission yesterday offered to pay the City 2 million dollars ($750,000 less than the 2009 purchase price), and as part of their "offer" demanded that the City de-annex the Springs area, but not before we spend millions of dollars running water and sewer lines to it. This in a City where most homes do not have water or sewer!
Which begs the question, what should be the North Port Commission's response to this cynical and snide "offer"? It's my opinion that the City should tell the County thanks, but no thanks, and vote to de-annex the entire City from Sarasota County, and join Charlotte County instead. It makes logical sense, in that we are adjacent to Port Charlotte, and as you drive down most of the main streets in North Port, you go into Charlotte County. Chamberlain and Toledo Blade become Charlotte County when you pass Hillsborough Blvd. Cranberry becomes Cornelius at US 41. The Racetrac gas station at Cranberry and 41 is actually half in Sarasota County and half in Charlotte County. And, as a final thought, it's quite possible that the Denise Amber Lee tragedy could have been prevented had North Port been part of Charlotte County. As the 911 call was made, the driver went from one county to the other, with the call diverted to Charlotte, while the North Port police, and a precious life, was lost in the process.
It's time for the New Commission to do the right thing and for the City to flex her muscles. Instead of fighting with Sarasota County, we should just say goodbye.
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