BRIEFS From BARWIN

BRIEFS from BARWIN From the Desk of Sarasota City Manager Tom Barwin November 6, 2015 PHOTO OF THE WEEK The City of Sarasota was proud to sponsor the CareerSource Suncoast Job Fair this week held at the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex.  The entire gymnasium was filled with over 60 local employers actively looking to hire qualified individuals from the Sarasota area.  The fair attracted many job seekers including LaVerne Boatwright, a City of Sarasota resident, pictured here.  We caught up with her at the HH Staffing Services booth as she presented her resume for consideration for employment as an administrative assistant.  Employment opportunities are vital for our community and we greatly appreciate CareerSource Suncoast and District 3 City Commissioner Shelli Freeland Eddie facilitating this job fair.  Best wishes to everyone who participated!    MEETINGS NEXT WEEK Police Officers' Pension Plan Board of Trustees Special Meeting Mon., November 9 - Noon City Hall - Commission Chambers Agenda St. Armands BID Tues., November 10 - 8:30 a.m. City Hall - Room 109 Agenda Joint City Commission Workshop Tues., November 10 - 6 p.m. City Hall - Commission Chambers Agenda General Employees' Pension Plan Board of Trustees Special Meeting Thurs., November 12 - 8 a.m. City Hall - Commission Chambers Agenda Fruitville Road Streetscape Enhancement Thurs., November 12 Session I:  10 a.m. Session II:  2 p.m. Details  City Career Opportunities   Dir., Parks and Recreation General Manager, Purchasing   Maintenance Mechanic II     Police Officer, 2nd Class Procurement Specialist III    Traffic Signal Tech I Treatment Plant Operator Apprentice  Treatment Plant Operator C       Windows System Administrator                           Click here for all job descriptions  This Week's Items to Know: 1. Master Lift Station #40 - Rehabilitation    Rehabilitating a master lift station isn't a particularly glamorous project, but nevertheless it's very important to our infrastructure.  So, I was pleased to visit Master Lift Station #40 recently and inspect the end result of a $1.1 million rehabilitation. Originally constructed in 1958, this aging master lift station was ready The interior of the newly rehabilitated Master Lift Station #40.    for an overhaul. The project included a full wet well rehab, installation of three new 60 horsepower pumps (capable of pumping 2,500 gallons per minute), new electrical panels, and a new instrumentation system for monitoring operations.  Located at 8th Street and Lime Avenue, Master Lift Station #40 handles 15 percent of the overall wastewater flow in the city.  Three intermediate-sized lift stations carry flow to this facility, as well as 14 smaller lift stations which service the surrounding neighborhoods.  The service area includes Glen Oaks Estates, Glen Oaks Manor, Glen Oaks Ridge, Glen Elyn, Fairway Oaks, Lake Ridge, Park East, Poinsettia Park and Ramblewood.  In addition, it also serves Bobby Jones Golf Club and Ed Smith Stadium.   As one of just seven master lift stations in the city, Master Lift Station #40 is an integral part of the infrastructure and these improvements will help ensure the proper flow and disposal of wastewater. The rehab is impressive -- and it's expected to add 25-30 years of operational life to the facility.  What was particularly impressive about this project is that it was completed without interruption to daily activities in the surrounding neighborhoods.  Kudos to Utilities Director Mitt Tidwell and his staff for working diligently to maintain ongoing operations. Utilities employees Steve Topovski, Verne Hall and John Chapman.      2. Veterans Day - City Offices Closed Nov. 11   City administrative offices will be closed next Wednesday, November 11 in observance of Veterans Day.  Garbage, yard waste and recycling will all be collected as usual.  The City's recreational facilities -- Bobby Jones Golf Club, Lido Pool, and Robert L. Taylor Community Complex -- will be open with regular hours. Please join us for the annual Veterans Day parade starting at 10 a.m. at Main Street and Osprey Avenue.  This year's theme is 'When Duty Calls'.  A ceremony will follow immediately afterward at Chaplain J.D. Hamel Park.  The keynote speaker will be retired U.S. Army Col. Stephen D. Cork.  He served in the U.S. Army for 27 years.  Notably, here in Sarasota, Col. Cork was instrumental in the creation of the Sarasota Military Academy.  3. PBS NewsHour -  A production crew from PBS NewsHour Weekend spent several days in Sarasota this week learning how we as a city and community are addressing the chronic homeless issue.  I spoke at length about what we experience daily on our streets and how the collapse of the mental health system across the country has led to more mentally ill individuals living untreated on the streets.  Increased federal and state funding is a critical component of solving the chronic homeless issue here and in many cities around the nation. Talking with PBS NewsHour correspondent Karla Murthy while associate producer Laura Fong and producer Sam Weber set up equipment for the interview in my office.    PBS also spoke on camera with SPD Chief Bernadette DiPino and rode along with one of our Homeless Outreach Teams to experience firsthand how our street mental health case workers interact with the chronic homeless.  They build a rapport with individuals by being respectful and kind while continually offering help via available social services and benefits for housing, substance abuse programs and mental health assistance. We appreciate PBS taking the time to travel from New York City to provide America with a snapshot of how Sarasota is responding to this challenging issue in a compassionate way.  The segment is tentatively scheduled to air Saturday, November 14 on PBS television stations across the country, including our local affiliate WEDU. It also will be posted on the NewsHour website.  We'll let you know when we know more. 4. Bobby Jones - New Tournament!   After receiving many requests from senior golfers for a senior men's better ball tournament at Bobby Jones Golf Club, staff is enthusiastically launching the event this month.  The first-ever Men's Senior Better Ball Championship will be held over two days the weekend of Nov. 21-22. The tournament is open to all males 50 and older. Registration is underway now through the end of business on Monday, November 16.  The entry fee is $190 per team.  For more details click here. Thanks to our dedicated staff at Bobby Jones for taking on this additional tournament.   With the combination of high interest for this new event and the beautiful fall weather in Sarasota, we're sure it will be a success!        5. Mayors' Feed The Hungry - Food Drive The annual Mayors' Feed The Hungry Thanksgiving Food Drive will be held Nov. 10-19.  And, once again the City of Sarasota will accept food donations at two locations:  (1)  City Hall - 1565 First Street  (2) Sarasota Police Headquarters - 2099 Adams Lane.    All donations must be non-perishable and in non-glass containers.  The items collected throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties will be taken to Ed Smith Stadium on Nov. 20, sorted, and then given to local food pantries for distribution to families in need. For more information on the food drive click here. 6. 3rd Annual Trunk or Treat - Best Yet!   With so much going on in Sarasota, Halloween probably seems like a distance memory, but we're pleased to share with you that our 3rd Annual Trunk or Treat event at Robert L. Taylor Community Complex last week was our best yet!  Over 200 children had fun playing Halloween themed games, jumping (and jumping!) in a bounce house, and collecting buckets of candy from friendly faces stationed at a variety of decorated car trunks.  Thanks to everyone who participated and helped make this a fun family-friendly event, including officers with the Sarasota Police Department who mingled with the children and handed out gobs of candy, as well as firefighters with the Sarasota County Fire Department who allowed little trick-or-treaters to experience the inside of a fire engine.  And, a big thank you to the staff at RLTCC for expanding the event and including more games for the kids -- well done! Enjoy some video highlights of Trunk or Treat assembled by Senior Communications Manager Jan Thornburg:   2015 Trunk or Treat      Upcoming Events  Buzz Prize Expo Ed Smith Stadium   Fri., November 6      9 a.m. - 11 p.m.  Details Vintage & Collectibles Fair Municipal Auditorium  Sat., November 7:  10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sun., November 8:  10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Ferraris on the Circle  St. Armands Circle Sat., November 7 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Details Giving Hunger the Blues  Hillview Street Sun., November 8 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Details Veterans Day Parade & Ceremony  Main Street - Starts at Osprey Avenue Wed., November 11 10 a.m.   Veterans Day Parade:  Nov. 11, 2015  Jazz in the Park  Fredd Atkins Park Thurs., November 12 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.                       Van Wezel:  Shows on Sale Now!  Executive Director Mary Bensel with Ringo Starr at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. The following is a list of shows through February 2016.  To view the entire Van Wezel season visit www.VanWezel.org  Yes Wed., November 11 - 8 p.m. Tickets Lewis Black:  The Rant is Due:  Part Deux Fri., November 13 - 8 p.m. Tickets Cirque Dreams ~ Holidaze Sat., November 14 - 8 p.m. Tickets  Straight No Chaser will be at the Van Wezel on Nov. 19. Straight No Chaser Thurs., November 19 - 8 p.m. Tickets Creedence Clearwater Revisited Sat., November 21 - 8 p.m. Tickets Dave Koz Christmas Tour 2015 Fri., November 27 - 8 p.m. Tickets Craig Ferguson:  The New Deal TourTues., December 1 - 8 p.m. Tickets Daryl Hall & John Oates Wed., December 2 - 8 p.m. Tickets Kenny G  Thurs., December 3 - 8 p.m. Tickets Women of Ireland ~ Celtic Angels' Christmas  Thurs., December 10 - 8 p.m. Tickets Carrot Top  Sat., December 12 - 8 p.m. Tickets Bowzer's Rock & Roll Holiday Party  Sun., December 13 - 7 p.m. Tickets A Christmas Carol  Wed., December 23 - 7 p.m. Tickets  Moscow Ballet:  Great Russian Nutcracker Mon., December 28 - 3 p.m. & 7 p.m. Tickets The Producers Wed., December 30 - 8 p.m. Tickets Black Violin will be at the Van Wezel on Jan. 12, 2016. The Ten Tenors Thurs., December 31 - 7 p.m. Tickets Salute to Vienna New Year's Concert Sun., January 3, 2016 - 7 p.m. Tickets Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story Tues., January 5, 2016 - 8 p.m. Wed., January 6, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets  Ron White Thurs., January 7, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Black Violin Tues., January 12, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Jim Witter - The Piano Men II Wed., January 13, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Catskills on Broadway Thurs., January 14, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Lisa Lampanelli Fri., January 15, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Air Supply Sat., January 16, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Paul Anka Sun., January 17, 2016 - 7 p.m. Tickets Air Supply will perform at the Van Wezel on Jan. 16, 2016. DL Hughley Mon., January 18, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets 42nd Street Wed., January 20, 2016 - 8 p.m. Thurs., January 21, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Wynonna & The Big Noise: Stories & Song Sun., January 24, 2016 - 7 p.m. Tickets ABBA Mania Mon., January 25, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Renee Fleming with the Sarasota Orchestra Wed., January 27, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons Thurs., January 28, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Dancing With The Stars:  LIVE! Dance All Night Tour Fri., January 29, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Joshua Bell Sat., January 30, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Yanni Tues., February 2, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Masters of Illusion - Believe the Impossible Thurs., February 4 - 7:30 p.m. Tickets The Book of Mormon February 9 - 12, 2016:  8 p.m. Sat., February 13, 2016:  2 p.m. & 8 p.m. Sun., February 14, 2016:  1:30 p.m. & 7 p.m. Tickets Neil Berg's 107 Years of Broadway Wed., February 17, 2016 - 2 p.m. & 8 p.m. Tickets Michael Feinstein and his 17-Piece Band Thurs., February 18, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Patti LaBelle Tues., February 23, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Moscow Festival Ballet - Cinderella Wed., February 24, 2016 - 7 p.m. Tickets The Beach Boys Thurs., February 25, 2016 - 7:30 p.m. Tickets   Vince Gill & Lyle Lovett will perform at the Van Wezel on Feb. 26, 2016. Vince Gill & Lyle Lovett Fri., February 26, 2016 - 7:30 p.m. Tickets Kristin Chenoweth Sat., February 27, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets Josh Groban Sun., February 28, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets The Australian Bee Gees Mon., February 29, 2016 - 8 p.m. Tickets To purchase tickets over the phone call 941-953-3368 or stop by the Box Office at 777 N.Tamiami Trail.  For a complete schedule of events, visit www.VanWezel.org. Thanks for reading this week's edition.  If you'd like to receive Weekly Briefs directly to your inbox click 'Join Our Mailing List' below or send us an email at CityNews@SarasotaGov.com.  Tom Barwin City Manager 941-954-4102 Forward this email

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