Sarasota & Manatee Counties news thread

[wondermint2]

Sarasota celebrates completion of water plant rehabilitation project

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/to...ct/ar-AA1jzXMv

Sarasota County marked the completion Monday of Phase 2 of the $52 Million rehabilitation of the Carlton Water Treatment Facility, at the T. Mabry Carlton Reserve off of Border Road near Venice.

The facility, which uses a process called electrodialysis reversal to transform groundwater pulled from wells at the T. Mabry Carlton Reserve into drinking water, opened in the mid-1990s.

[wondermint2]

Election Day in Manatee County? Yes, but races were already decided. Here are the winners

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/el...rs/ar-AA1jy1QK

Other cities in Florida and around the country had elections on Tuesday, but you couldn't find any polling sites open in Manatee County.

As an off-year election cycle, the only races took place on Anna Maria Island for public positions in the cities of Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria. And the races in those cities were uncontested, so elections weren't needed, according to the Supervisor of Elections Office.

"In all three cities, the number of candidates that filed equaled the number of seats that were open," Scott Farrington, Manatee County's assistant supervisor of elections, wrote in an email. "None of the island cities placed any resolutions on the ballot, so there is no need for an election ... and we will not have any polls open."

Because each race has already been decided, here's who automatically won Manatee County's 2023 elections:

[wondermint2]

Realize Bradenton Launches Made in Manatee Marketplace

For full article:

https://www.srqmagazine.com/srq-dail...ee-Marketplace

Realize Bradenton, a nonprofit organization that builds community and promotes economic prosperity, has launched a new online marketplace for Bradenton Market vendors and Downtown Bradenton businesses to come together to sell products and services. Made in Manatee provides these small businesses the opportunity to expand their reach, and makes it easy to promote and buy online.

The Made in Manatee marketplace was created to connect the community with local businesses, strengthen business resiliency online, and cultivate the local economy. By shopping locally online, customers can meet and support Manatee businesses more frequently and conveniently, from the comfort of home, find businesses on the site they may not know about yet, or connect with businesses they’ve always wanted to try.

Local businesses have been building their Made in Manatee storefronts for holiday shopping. New shops and products will continue to be added so customers are encouraged to check back frequently to see all that Made in Manatee has to offer. The current list of available categories to shop include apparel and accessories, art, books, food and beverage, health and wellness, home and garden, pet supplies and toys and games.

[wondermint2]

State initiates AMI government study

For full article:

https://www.islander.org/2023/11/sta...mi-govt-study/

A state study that could steer the fate of Anna Maria Island’s governance is underway.

P.K. Jameson of the Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability wrote Oct. 31 to the three island mayors announcing that OPPAGA is studying the potential consolidation of the three municipalities.

“As directed by the Legislature, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability is reviewing the potential benefits of consolidating municipal services and government structures for Anna Maria Island,” Jameson wrote. “OPPAGA expects to begin this review immediately.”

[wondermint2]

Two stops coming to the Bay Runner trolly

https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/11/0...runner-trolly/

Two more stops are being added to the Bay Runner Trolly route this month.

Starting Wednesday, Nov. 8 the stop at Sunset Drive/Golden Gate Point will return, after its suspension during FDOT construction, and a new stop will be added near Bird Key Park at John Ringling Boulevard/Bird Key Drive.

The Bay Runner is a very popular transportation system between downtown, St. Armands Circle and Lido Key, with well over a quarter of a million riders during the first 18 months of operation.

For a route map and to learn more visit www.SarasotaBayRunner.com

[wondermint2]

What’s Going on at the Corner of Fourth Street and Cocoanut Avenue?

A new mixed-use project, that’s what, with roughly 2,000 square feet of floor-level retail space and 60 condos.

For full article and artist renderings:

https://www.sarasotamagazine.com/hom...istrict-condos

The Gallery, a new collection of 60 condos spanning five levels with a sixth-floor rooftop, is coming to the now-cleared corner of Fourth Street and Cocoanut Avenue, just south of the Sarasota Modern Hotel, north of Fruitville Road and a few blocks from the bayfront.

The land was purchased from Tso Sara Reopp LP for $3,754,100 in June of this year, and the look of the new project is in line with others that have recently popped up in the neighborhood, like Zahrada II (designed by the same architectural firm) on the same street.

[wondermint2]

Sarasota pauses controversial restaurant-bar-nightclub zoning change amid public pushback

For full article:

https://www.newsbreak.com/sarasota-f...ublic-pushback

A controversial change to the city zoning code is headed back to the drawing board following a decision from the Sarasota City Commission.

The commission voted unanimously to take a step back on the zoning text amendment that would change the definitions of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs at its meeting Monday, citing lingering questions and concerns to address. The decision came after more than an hour of public comment mostly protesting the amendment, which some fear would clear the way for more bars downtown.

City staff proposed the amendment to clarify the definitions of certain establishments, citing confusion among local business owners regarding the labels they fall under. While current definitions of local businesses are tied to state guidelines and largely relate to the kind of food and liquor licenses they possess, the amendment would instead classify them by day-to-day criteria like hours of operation, outdoor use, and sale of food.

[wondermint2]

Bayfront Park splash pads and playground gets updates

https://www.mysuncoast.com/2023/11/0...outputType=amp

The City of Sarasota announced some new updates to the Bayfront Park splash pads and playground.

Crews tested and calibrated the new splash pad system to ensure the water features are spraying at the correct height and direction. The new system is designed to require less on-site maintenance, with the ability to check the chemical levels remotely via the internet.

Crews are also working to complete irrigation and landscaping around the playground area and install new sod around the park.

Thanks to overall project cost savings, two additional shade sails will be installed, plus 15 concrete tables and benches (three handicapped accessible), ten benches for seating at the pavilion as well as 60 feet of wall seating surrounding the splash pad. With these additional amenities, the playground and splash pad are now projected to open in early 2024.

[wondermint2]

Local Job Opportunities: Sarasota County Job Fair on Nov. 9 at Robarts Arena

For full article:

https://original.newsbreak.com/@us-u...-robarts-arena

Sarasota County is planning a job fair on Thursday, November 9, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Robarts Arena, Sarasota. The event will present job openings in various county departments including Public Utilities, Solid Waste, and Fire/Emergency Services.

Interested individuals are advised to pre-register for the event and bring their resumes. They will get a chance to interact with hiring managers and county staff, potentially securing a job offer.

Sarasota County provides its employees with on-the-job training, tuition reimbursement, and certification programs. It also offers a comprehensive benefits package. This includes health, dental, vision, and life insurance, as well as short-term and long-term disability benefits.

The county also runs wellness and mental health programs for its employees, underlining its commitment to employee well-being.

Sarasota County is a part of the Florida Retirement System. For more details about the job fair, available positions, or online application, individuals can visit scgov.net/jobs or dial 311.

Visit here for more details:

https://www.scgov.net/Home/Components/News/News/5670/23

[wondermint2]

Once No. 1, Sarasota drops again on U.S. News & World Report's best cities to retire list

For full article:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/on...st/ar-AA1jBuXx

Sarasota landed in the Top 20 places to retire in a U.S. News and World Report this week and was ranked as one the best cities in the country for retiree living, falling in ranking for a second year in a row.

Landing in the 18th-best city for retirees for 2024, Sarasota scored an overall score of 6.8 out of 10 according to the report which was released this week. The largest factor in its declining ranking could be the steady decline in housing affordability around the region. This year's report noted that Sarasota's median home price remains slightly higher than the national average at $387,630, which comes into play for many retirees on limited budgets and incomes.

Sarasota's home affordability was a factor in its 11th-best place to retire in the nation in its 2022-23 ranking last year too. The city's ranking was highest in 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when U.S. News and World Report ranked Sarasota the best city for retirees in the nation.