Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

Sarasota/Manatee recent grants

For the full list:

https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/new...-hospital-gala

Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation raised $1.4 million at its 7th annual Hospital Gala at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, on January 6, 2024.

The Haven recently received a $50,000 grant from the Gould Family Trust Foundation at Gulf Coast Community Foundation for a Culinary Training Academy with Rise Up Café. The program, “The Culinary Academy: Empowering Through Experience!,” is designed to provide individuals with disabilities the opportunity to gain valuable on-the-job experience and training in the dynamic and rewarding field of food service.

[wondermint2]

What You Need to Know About Sarasota's Growth Management (Event)

https://www.srqmagazine.com/srq-dail...wth-Management

For four consecutive years in our annual Sarasota County Citizen Opinion Survey, county residents say growth and development are their top concerns. From Siesta Key to Lakewood Ranch Southeast, changes to our Comprehensive Plan and other growth management policies are impacting our communities.

The League of Women Voters invites you to attend an informational event at Gulf Gate Library, 6 p.m., on January 24. about growth and the planning process and how citizens are getting involved.

Presenters include Lourdes Ramirez, the president of Siesta Key Community, and Susan Schoettle, a former assistant county attorney and president of Keep the Country.

Lourdes will discuss her organization’s legal victories over two large hotels on Siesta Key. She will also discuss the current challenge Siesta Key faces due to proposed changes to Sarasota’s Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Code (UDC), which could also affect the entire county.

Schoettle will provide a brief overview of the community planning process in Florida and Sarasota County and how the protections they provided have changed since the latest Comprehensive Plan was adopted.

Both Ramirez and Schoettle will discuss recent and ongoing development issues and projects in Sarasota County and explain how citizens countywide can get involved and provide input to the planning process.

What You Need to Know about Sarasota’s Growth Management, Jan. 24, 2024, 6 p.m., Gulf Gate Library, 7112 Curtiss Ave, Sarasota.

To register click here:

https://www.lwvsrq.org/content.aspx?...club_id=324628

[wondermint2]

Free ways to get fit and stay healthy in Sarasota

From beach yoga to high-intensity training at The Bay, the city has something to offer fitness seekers of all stripes.

For full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...lthy-sarasota/

Each week, adults need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle strengthening activity, according to the current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.

The start of a new year means another chance to achieve the guidelines and be the best version of yourself. Fortunately, Sarasota offers numerous opportunities for fitness experiences that allow you to enjoy the outdoors without denting your wallet.

[wondermint2]

This is an opinion piece from Mollie Cardamone (former city commissioner and current member of the endorsement committee of CityPAC).

Performance appraisals for City Commission

A former city commissioner encourages residents to make sure the commission is serving the public good.

For Full article:

https://www.yourobserver.com/news/20...ty-commission/

Under the city of Sarasota charter, the business of the city government is, first and foremost, serving the public.

That is why the public sits at the top of the organizational chart, followed by the City Commission as a body, and the charter officials (city manager, city attorney, city auditor & clerk).

In 2024, the residents of the city of Sarasota will have the opportunity to render their appraisals of the three district city commissioners (Alpert, Arroyo and Battie) at the voting booth.

Through the annual performance appraisal process for charter officials, city commissioners have the opportunity and responsibility to give thoughtful and constructive feedback, ask questions, identify problems, and provide direction.

Commissioners are forbidden by charter from directly communicating with staff without the city manager’s permission.

But, as the elected stewards of the public good, the city commission is invested with investigatory powers.

Given the disingenuous mischaracterizations by the planning staff of the scope and consequences of recently proposed zoning text amendments related to bars and nightclubs, these are the questions I would recommend the City Commission direct the city manager to explore, and answer:

[wondermint2]

Road closed for 3 weeks in North Port for seawall repairs

https://winknews.com/2024/01/14/road...awall-repairs/

The City of North Port is taking care of its seawalls and sidewalks. The city announced a road closure that will last for three weeks starting Monday.

Pan American Blvd. will be closed between Merrill Street and Safford Terrace, said the city. construction will focus on repairing the seawall and sidewalks along Jeffery Lake.

Motorists can use Biscayne Drive as a detour.

[wondermint2]

Venice Bicyclist Critically Injured After Being Hit By Car At Laurel Road And US 41 Saturday

https://www.justicepays.com/news/ven...us-41-saturday

Florida Highway Patrol has reported that a serious accident occurred Saturday afternoon involving a bicyclist and a sedan.

The crash began as an 81-year-old man from Englewood was driving a sedan on US 41 in the left lane and approaching the intersection with Laurel Road.

As the sedan was approaching the intersection, a 65-year-old man from Venice Florida was riding a bicycle and began to head eastward across US 41 in an attempt to cross US 41.

At 4:07:00 PM, the Venice man rode his bicycle into the left lane and entered the path of the oncoming sedan.

The front of the sedan impacted the bicyclist severely injuring him.

First responders transported the man to an area hospital where they listed him in critical condition.

FHP has stated that the accident remains under investigation.

[wondermint2]

Sarasota School Board returns to session

For full article:

https://www.newsbreak.com/sarasota-f...rns-to-session

SARASOTA — With school back in session, the Sarasota County School Board has slated its first meeting of 2024 for Tuesday.

A brochure of new year legislative priorities, released last week by the board, includes topics ranging from funding for teachers' salaries and a new farming/agriculture center to mental health school resources and adding a comprehensive learning program to Sarasota-Manatee's Holocaust Education Center.

While there is no mention of Rep. Fiona McFarland, R-Sarasota, or her latest bill that calls for an "under-16" social media ban, most Board members already agree for how the bill could benefit students.

[beach43ofus]

^^^translation...the right people have not been paid off yet.

Downtown's already filled with "canyons" so what's one more?

[wondermint2]

Venice council cell phones to be audited as part of Sunshine Law consent agreement

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/new...df26f126&ei=36

Members of the Venice City Council will turn in their cell phones to a third party on Jan. 16 for an audit, as part of a 2020 judgment won by De Novo Law Services to settle a 2018 suit that alleged the city violated the Sunshine Law because it could not properly produce text messages in response to a public records request.

Council members will not have access to their cell phones until the audit is complete.

That settlement order resolved the second public records suit involving the city and Michael Barfield – who is now best known as the director of public access for the Florida Center for Government Accountability, which also publishes the Florida Trident web site.

That judgment cost the city $45,321 and included clauses that called for the city to conduct audits of cell phones issued to elected officials by a third-party vendor to ensure all public records are being properly stored, archived and maintained.

“The audit function is something we insisted on in the last one to provide some teeth,” Barfield said. “Instead of us doing this again and again, let’s figure out a way to avoid having to come back to court and waste city taxpayer money.”

[wondermint2]

State consolidation study limited to AMI

For full article:

https://www.islander.org/2024/01/sta...imited-to-ami/

It might be hard to see the big picture when the puzzle lacks an important piece.

But Bradenton has not received an information request from the Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability regarding its Anna Maria Island consolidation study as of Jan. 12, according to the city’s public information office.

OPPAGA is a research arm of the Florida Legislature that supports the Legislature by providing data, research and analysis that assist budget and policy deliberations.

Last year, the five-member Manatee County Legislative Delegation unanimously backed state Rep. Will Robinson Jr., R-Bradenton, in calling for an OPPAGA study into the potential consolidation of the island’s three municipalities.

The study began last November with OPPAGA information requests sent to the island cities with 15 questions, many of which required information and documentation for the past five fiscal years.

It came with a Dec. 8, 2023, response deadline.

OPPAGA included a question that posed three possibilities for the island municipalities’ futures:

- All three cities are consolidated into one new city on the island;
- All three cities are incorporated into the city of Bradenton;
- All three cities remain incorporated municipalities on the island and work to consolidate existing services where that makes sense.

Despite the fact that one of the options would involve consolidation into the city of Bradenton, OPPAGA as of Jan. 12 had not requested information from the city.

Robinson has said that potential consolidation would be intended to save taxpayer money, but the city of Bradenton’s 5.8351 tax rate dwarfs the 2.05 rates in Anna Maria and Holmes Beach, as well as the 2.3329 millage rate in Bradenton Beach.

Bradenton’s tax base covers its fire department, while Anna Maria Island is served by a separate entity, West Manatee Fire Rescue District.

Island consolidation into the city of Bradenton, therefore, would lead to higher costs — and duplication of some services — for island property owners.