Siesta Key,  and Longboat Key

Local Issues 2004
Return to Front Page

$500,000
A judge set an unusually high bail for the man who allegedly aimed his car at Rep. Harris. The real question should be any person who pulls that kind of stunt isn't in his right mind. Perhaps a psychological exam is in order and no bail release at all.

* Tiger Bay Club members hear debate on access to public records via the internet. The Florida courts squashed your rights to internet access to public records and asked a committee to study the issue. You can send your views to

No room at the Inn...
When a hurricane  nears usually the first to evacuate to shelters are mobile home owners. If and when a next wave of evacuations occurs the shelters could be full. Collier County in a move to stem the tide will discuss putting forth to the state legislature a bill that would require mobile home parks to build their own shelters. The measure would help alleviate the need for taxpayers to have to pay for additional shelters.

Our beachhead
The Sarasota City Commission is debating how to restore Lido Pavilion. A volunteer committee spent a year and a half coming up with ideas and listening to input. Money is always the issue. Some are in favor of restoring it others don't want to commit to it. Next to Island Park, Lido Pavilion is one of the most sanctimonious historical locations in town. It is also a pivotal recreation area. One would think it only prudent to invest in this prime piece of property.

* Sarasota County purchased  all of the water companies in our area. Now the infrastructure is in need of major work. What will the cost be we asked Sarasota County. The water in the street is from a broken water meter.

* The future of historic Sarasota H.S. which is 78 years old, has many options:  a charter middle school run by the Sarasota Military Academy,  and Visitor's Center, a Sarasota County History, a Sarasota Museum of Art, artists' live-work spaces, an adult high school, and for-profit proposal for affordable housing. The Sarasota School Board will make the final choice.

Great job
 The Sarasota County Emergency Management Department has had an active time over the past month or so. With 3 hurricanes to deal with, evacuations and assisting other counties and cities that were crumbled by the hurricanes their job has been mammoth. Whether and when to call for evacuations is a tough call. In all instances this year they reacted in a timely manner. They didn't cry wolf to early nor to late. Luckily there were no mass evacuations. No area could handle a mass evacuation without bottlenecks. Kudos to Greg Feagans and his staff.

* Sarasota Memorial Hospital limits admissions as nursing shortage causes staffing problems.

* At least 40 birds have become sick or died from what
local experts think is a toxic overdose from our environment. The Bird Man's Sanctuary is treating most of them on Longboat Key. Many of the birds have been found sick on the Longboat Key Club golf course.

* Area grows by more than

50,000 new residents in the past  three years, wowzer. Sarasota population grows to 347K people, holly molley. Detroit, Cincinnati and St. Louis had a 4% or more decrease in population. Gilbert, AZ led the pack with a 32% increase.

Cell phones not

In the infinite wisdom of 'lets study the matter' Florida turned over to the Florida Highway Patrol the issue of 'does cell phone usage contribute to auto accidents', duh:) Well, the answer to the study should have been obvious when this month a person driving and talking on a cell phone crashed into two Florida Police cars. Distracted? You can bet your police cars on that.

Protect the rich
The privileged and the moneyed sometimes seem to get better treatment. Or so goes the planned enhancement of a Casey Key Park. County planners want to put a gate up on the public park to keep the public from using the park at night. No other parks have gates. And this park has a boat ramp that needs access for boaters 24/7.

 Is it millions or cents?
How cents turns into $300 million dollars. At least that is what Sarasota County Administrator Jim Ley has to say about how your cents helps to pay for $300 million dollars of roadwork. We wouldn't call it cents. We would call it hundreds of millions of dollars that is going to help pay for the growth we have been experiencing.  Click here for Jim's 'common cents'.

Sarasota County grapples with obnoxious signage along U.S. 41. At the same time a panel wants to make it a designated scenic highway.

State pays for gas tank spill at Mr. CB's.

Parts of Beneva Rd. are like a broken trail but aren't scheduled to be repaved until 2005

After centuries of not enforcing the sale of  fireworks in Florida government wants to get serious about banning them. The owners of this store in Sarasota have seven stores.

* DEP head reverses his staff's decision and disallows 2,000 acre OMC phosphate mine in Manatee County. The DEP head followed the same conclusions as a judge who said that the original DEP ruling was a disgrace. The phosphate mine stood to pollute the Peace River. Bravo to the Judge and the DEP head

* Manatee County says they want $3 million in unpaid water bills from Sarasota County. Sarasota County left some water valves open and exceeded the contract usage amount by 2 million gallons. Thus Manatee County is owed the $3 million impact fee. OK where is the $3 million dollar water valve man

* The Missing: 1,000 students did not return to Charlotte County schools after Hurricane Charley. No one knows where they are going to school.

Ya think
If local officials and  businesses are going to worry that people won't come to our area because of a hurricane perception than they should go spend a winter up north, again. As we predicted after 9/11 people still came to vacation here when the snow and cold weather came around. We even came up at that time with the idea that everyone who lived here should email their friends and relatives and invite them to our area. Ya know what....it was a good tourist season. (Although overseas tourism was down).

$450,000
designer funds
Sarasota County wants to enter into a 3 year contract with a private company to help them plan their offices and buildings. I guess the county  doesn't  have the staff or expertise to handle those type of services

Rewarding failure.....
It is as if he has a magic flute and spell bounds his
audience. Ironically his name is Piccolo and he has been on board as the SRQ airport manager for the past 9 years of the airports failing life. Who else could receive a compensation package of near $200K and the prospects of a house while the ship sinks and falters. As one resident put it 'how do you reward failure?'. The final irony is that the airport board is worried that they won't be able to keep him. What? If he is so great why hasn't he moved on? And to boot he lives in Clearwater, not the area that pays his salary.  The airport board wants to sign him up for another five years of failure. Why not put him on 60 day notice. The airport couldn't do any worse without a manager.
 * Tampa International Airport passenger count increases double the national with over a 12% increase in passengers this year so far in 2004.

* "Water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink." Our Town 50 proposed to Sarasota County two years ago to increase their reservoir water storage capability instead of tapping our aquifer. Now the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority is considering the same idea.

Better than puppies
The cable industry is barking up the wrong

tree when they claim cable TV is "better than puppies". Before you know it they will be telling us cable is better than chocolate or a massage or your child. It's enough to make you want to drop cable service.

Hurricane expo that was canceled due to the unexpected arrival of hurricane Charley will be this Saturday. Call Sarasota County to find out where:) They refuse to post it to our Community Events calendar so the public can be better informed. They say they want to 'brand their info'. Are we talking brand flakes, GM, Microsoft or ? Since when did county government become a brand. It's a government monopoly  that is created to serve the public not create a brand.

* June was a hot month for real estate. In Sarasota

home sales were up 66% while home prices are up 30% from a year ago. Prices in Naples were up 42%.

Letters to the Editor

War Zone - no enforcement?

War zone, a battlefield, etc. are a few of the words that can describe the  beautiful 51/2 mile stretch of Siesta Beach on the evening of the Fourth of July.   A metamorphosis took place as the sunset slowly dipped into the Gulf of Mexico.  It set the stage for all the psuedo-pyrotechnical experts to emerge from their hiding places and return to their childhood past.   

There are laws and consequences for those who drink and drive, and for those who use guns carelessly, but in this case, a law (ordinance) not allowing the use of dangerous fireworks in Sarasota was in place, but no enforcement for those who broke the  law.

The Herald Tribune reported on the following day that no arrests were made with the new law in place, making it  sound as if not one citizen  came close to breaking the law.  That article is one reason for this letter to the editor. Did the officials who were responsible for the law or those enforcing the law  have their heads buried in the beautiful white Siesta Key sand?????

I am writing this letter a week later as I heal from the severe second degree burns  caused by some drunken merrimakers on what was to be a very enjoyable evening with my family at Crescent Beach.  Burns were sustained  in the upper and lower portions of my arm and my four year old granddaughter suffered burns on the side of the face and shoulder.  (Paramediics log will verify this accident).   

My questions are:  Where were the enforcement officials all evening as these illegal fireworks were being set off by hundreds of people up and down the beach?  Were they overwhelmed at the numbers of people that had them?  Were there not enough enforcement personnel on duty to control the crowds?

An officer came by on a three wheel motorcycle to see why the paramedics were called. We showed him who was firing the fireworks and told him that they had boxes of them placed openly on the sand.  A few wonderful people  offered assistance and were willing to be witnesses  against those setting off the fireworks, but it appears that nothing was followed up on after I left for treatment in the ambulance.

When will these adults who drink and  want to play with these dangerous toys grow up? 
A wonderful evening was destroyed by a few. 
Jerry Strzempka
           Sarasota, Florida

Jim Ley, Sarasota County Administrator responds.

* Woman charged with child abuse at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. Why didn't this information come out sooner?

No more gates
Sarasota County didn't question the planning staff's plan to disallow developments that are gated. What? The most popular new developments are all gated and residents will tell you they bought there because they were gated. We think the issue of gates needs another review.

* Manasota 88 to join Manatee County in suing to stop development on Perico Island.

* 98% of Sarasota County Fire Fighters say they lack confidence in head of department. 6/04

You can't park in this county park parking lot if you are going to leave the park. Or so the sign would lead you to believe. Why? Maybe Casey Key residents (where the park is located) don't want you walking along their roads only in their park? Or is it that the county and residents want to cut down on the patrons of a restaurant across the street from parking there and walking over? Sounds like too much big brother?

Smoke from FPL's plant blows south, as seen from I-75. Some say their pollution causes smog in our area.

* Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Lemon Bay,  and the
Manatee River all fell into waterways with higher than desirable pollution according to a state report issued this week.

* Sarasota County residential garbage rate may decrease by pennies while commercial rates go up. County looks at extending $100 million dollar contract.

* Bartow sexual harassment.

Three officials in the state Department of Transportation's District 1 office here, including top boss Ricky Langley, have resigned due to a sexual harassment investigation.

Langley, 37, supervised 880 workers in Polk and 11 other southwest Florida counties.  Also resigning were Michael Williams, 37, district director of production. Maryemma Bachelder, 35, public information director, resigned Friday. The department is investigating a complaint that Langley "conducted a sexually hostile work environment."

* Sarasota County will charge almost $10,000 in impact fees for new homes if new road fees go into place.

Sarasota County Fiscal Sustainability
 Sarasota County is facing serious budgetary pressures, according to a noted economist. Find out what he recommends as a remedy in this report.
 
  (WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2004) scgov.net - Sarasota County is facing serious budgetary pressures during the next four years, according to Hank Fishkind, a noted economist hired by the county to make recommendations on how to handle those pressures. Fishkind says some of those pressures are:
 
 costs rising rapidly because
 transportation capital improvements
 public safety, especially the sheriff's operations
 general government contract and benefits
 cultural and recreation programs
 revenue growth is slowing because
 state and federal grants are dwindling
 commercial construction slowdown in 2000-03 is impacting ad valorem revenue
 Some of Fishkind's recommendations include:
 
 continue to focus on cost controls
 invest in technology, not in staff
 exert more control over funding for public safety  especially sheriff
 review Capitol Improvement Project for transportation
 use more debt to free up general fund revenues
 review timing for capital spending on parks, recreation, and culture
 Orlando-based Fishkind & Associates are financial consultants specializing in real estate analysis, market research, feasibility studies, fiscal impact assessments, financing, expert witness testimony, and Econocast, Florida's economic forecast.
 

Florida makes new
driving lanes
In an unprecedented move Florida lawmakers have designated 3 different driving lanes. The right hand lane will be for tourists, those who can't turn their necks and bad drivers. The middle lane will be for average drivers. The left hand lane will be for those who know how to drive and want to drive at the legal speed limit. Of course this 3 driving lanes trivia is only a wish list that we wish was true. Maybe Detroit or Japan will come up with cars that drive themselves at the legal speed limit thus making for smooth traffic flow. It is near impossible to time U.S. 41 lights when half of the drivers impede the flow of traffic:) But we sort of like the 3 driving lanes concept.
 

Don't question us
Manasota-88 is a 30 year old non-profit organization that has defended our local environment against phosphate mining that pollutes our waters and many other issues. We may not totally agree with all of their positions. However, we believe Sarasota County Attorney Jorge Fernandez decision to sue  ManaSota-88, one of its officers, Glenn Compton, and Myakka City resident Becky Ayech for opposing the county's 2050 development plan is uncalled for.

 Jorge Fernandez should have consulted with the Sarasota County Commissioners before taking it upon himself to file a law suit of this magnitude. As Commissioner Jon Thaxton pointed out, this type of law suit could have tremendous repercussions in sending out a very harsh message to the residents of Sarasota County. Will big brother sue you if you question his decision?

This NASA satellite picture shows contrails (exhaust from  airplanes over the Southeast). Scientists think these trails may form cirrus clouds that are responsible for the 1 degree rise in our atmosphere.

* New study to show that Sarasota County lost almost 100,000 trees between 1976 and 1985. What about 1986 to 2003?

* Sarasota Memorial Hospital goes into the health
insurance business and will offer small companies health insurance at a 40% savings. You can't make more than $23,275 for one person, $31,225 for a family of two and $39,175 for a family of three. 

* Bradenton's Island Middle School ex-Exec. Director claims board changed grades of friends.

* Sarasota - Bradenton Airport says they had encouraging words with at least five new airlines to service the airport.

* Venice woman bit by dog is told she doesn't need rabies shots by ER physician. Health department refutes that.

Venice debates how to develop 125 acres by the airport with a marina and YMCA.

* Manatee County Sheriff says he will issue alert when a child is reported missing. Most local law enforcement would wait 24 hours before even investigating a missing teenager.

* Venice Police Department says they need to do a better job with paper work in order to get accredited.

* Manatee County residents to vote March 9th to decide if they want to raise sales tax in order to buy more environmental land.

* Judge Dakan rules that Sarasota County legally re-opened garbage bidding by not awarding contract to Waste Management.

* Another motorcyclist is killed in Sarasota. He was riding his new Harley bike without a helmet. The rider on the left is wearing a helmet.

* Florida has the highest  ballot passage rate for citizen initiatives. 76%. Gov Bush and state legislators want to stop citizen ballots. What does that tell you?

* Sarasota County to drop Chamber and start it's own "Economic Development" Division? We'll find out in January if its so.

* 40 uncovers stretch of I-75 south of Clarke Road headed to Venice has extreme amount of accidents. Experts think its the asphalt when it gets wet.

* Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Harry Lee Anstead put a stop to access to public records over the internet on Tuesday. The order will be in place for 19 months to allow a committee to come up with some suggestions on how to handle public information.

* New report shows Sarasota County has high rates of , domestic violence, colorectal lung, breast cancer,  and , melanoma based on a  study released by the Sarasota Community Health Improvement Project. For more info contact: Cassie Grove at 365-8751.

* Graduation rates in Manatee county go from 56% to 74% after schools raise attendance age to 18 from 16. Bravo to the school system, Sheriff Charlie Wells and John McKay who were responsible for initiating the change

* Sheriff Balkwill wants to take over Sailor Circus under the PALS program. The school district currently runs the circus.

Water, Water..no where
Sarasota County has taken over (bought) most if not all of the private water districts. What they have taken over is a conglomeration of water service companies that need millions of dollars of infrastructure. Water/sewer rates used to be around $35 per month. They are now approaching $60 per month. The county wants to raise rates again. Perhaps the issue is not whether the county should have bought the private water companies but whether they should have been paid to take over this ailing systems. If water rates continue to rise some will be paying as much for water as they do for electric. Water is free:) but not in Sarasota County.

OK the word is out in this Gulf Gate Woods subdivision....the speed limit is 25. Next we'll see if law enforcement backs it up?

* Dr. Louis Robison, interim principal of Booker Middle School, passed up for Sarasota School Superintendent. Why?

Local esthetics
Sarasota County Commissioners want to enhance the appearance of the county. They have taken up issues such as stricter commercial signage and whether to make Wal-Mart type stores produce two different style buildings if they want to have two or more stores in the county. These concepts are very admirable. The signage issue is long overdue. (See our local issues page). However, there is something about telling a company they can't have all their buildings look alike that just doesn't sit right.

* Manatee water supply to Sarasota will drop from 14 million gallons a day to 5 million gallons a day. The contract for water will last until 2025. What then? We'll let you know.

* Sarasota County wins $3,000,000 in reduced water fees it owed Manatee; Manatee County wins 4 million gallons back a day of water that  it owed Sarasota County. Everybody smiles :) The extra $3 mill Sarasota owed was from the county leaving a valve open that consumed extra water. Was it really water down the drain?

* So what took the SHT so long to ban handgun sales in their newspaper? A murder. Common sense would have told anyone that promoting the sale of guns would facilatate murder. E-Bay has banned the sale of gun's for years and they are only eight years old. The SHT is over 50 years old. Next question is why do they carry adult escort ads?

* Sarasota Memorial lays off 21 workers for a total of 42 layoffs. The savings will amount to over $3 million dollars.

* Venice looks to set up it's own EMS service and drop using Sarasota County. Economy of scale would dictate that wouldn't be a smart move.

* Almost a million dollars for "Homeland Security" in Sarasota County? Sarasota County will have to decide if they will match Federal funds to support the grant. 

Do we want more high rise condos or houses blocking views?