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From the Desk of Sarasota
City Manager Tom Barwin
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Photo of the Week
Looking over the lily pads at Payne Park toward the Sarasota Police Department Headquarters...and reflecting upon a good week in our special city. SPD was just honored with a significant international award for community policing. More on that below in Weekly Briefs!
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City Career Opportunities
Application Developer
Commission Reporter
Equipment Mechanic I
Facility Maintenance Tech
General Manager Parks & Recreation
Golf Course Attendant
Inventory Technician
Landscape Maintenance Tech I
Manager, Accounting & Payroll Systems
Police Officer, 2nd Class
Rec Attendant
Refuse Equipment Operator
Senior Records Specialist
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This Week's Items to Know: |
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| SPD Community Policing Award For the past four years, the SPD has focused on advancing partnership policing strategies, which strive to establish great relationships and build trust between officers and citizens. Through regular interactions and
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| SPD Chief Bernadette DiPino accepting the 2016 IACP-Cisco Community Policing Award. |
sharing experiences, residents and police officers break down barriers and help create a safe community for everyone. By working together to prevent crime and apprehend criminals when a crime does occur, the community is safer. In fact, serious crime has been reduced by over 23 percent over the past four years.
We're proud to announce SPD's dedication to partnership policing was honored last weekend by the most recognized professional policing organization in the world -- the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). SPD was one of just six finalists to be recognized with the prestigious 2016 IACP-Cisco Community Policing Award for outstanding initiatives to enhance partnerships and safety.
Chief DiPino accepted the award at the annual IACP conference on behalf of the entire SPD and the Sarasota community. This is a significant achievement and we greatly appreciate residents' interest in working with SPD to build trust and maintain an open, honest dialogue.
With this recognition, SPD's initiatives are a model for best practices for other law enforcement agencies throughout the world. Well done, Chief DiPino, the entire SPD team, and residents -- congratulations!
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2.
| Public Art - Finalists Three finalists for the new public art piece at the future roundabout at Ringling Blvd. and Orange Ave. have been announced -- and one is a local artist.
After lengthy discussion and review of the 164 submissions, the Public Art Committee narrowed the finalists to:
1. Jorge Blanco - Sarasota, FL
2. Brad Connell - Lexington, KY
3. Nnamdi Okonkwo - Fayetteville, GA
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| The three finalists will make presentations to the Public Art Committee on Nov. 1. |
Each of the three finalists will make a 45-minute presentation to the Public Art Committee regarding their submission on Tues., Nov. 1 at City Hall. The meeting is open to the public and community input will be heard prior to deliberations and voting. The Committee's recommendation will go to the City Commission for final approval.
This is the first of what is expected to be many Calls to Artists as we begin to execute plans to improve traffic flow through intersection roundabouts, many of which will include public art.
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3.
| LS 87 Update - Water Line Installed Via horizontal directional drilling, a new 24-inch water main was successfully installed under the Hudson Bayou this past weekend. This marks an important milestone for the Lift Station 87 project. Now, crews are starting to tie it into existing water mains. Before the new main goes into service, it will be flushed, pressure tested and disinfected to meet all water quality and health safety regulations. Ultimately,
it will provide enhanced reliability for drinking water service for many years to come.
Kudos to the LS 87 project team for successfully completing this initial part of the project. Next, crews will begin preparing for the microtunneling phase.
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The water main, a total of 880-feet, was staged on Osprey Ave. just
prior to the horizontal directional drilling. |
On Oct. 25th, the project team will hold a meeting at 1:30 p.m. at the City Hall Annex to provide an update on traffic patterns on Osprey Ave. and also to discuss the landscape plans for the LS 87 building. For a meeting agenda click here.
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| Vendor Forum - Nov. 9 Those who currently do business with the City or want to in the future are invited to attend a Vendor Forum next month hosted by the Procurement Division. We're looking at ways to streamline the procurement process and would like to get input from vendors.
The informational forum will be held Wed., November 9 at 9:30 a.m.
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| A Vendor Forum will be held on Nov. 9. |
During that time, staff with the Procurement Division will discuss some procedural changes to help make the process more efficient for everyone.
If you're interested in attending, please RSVP by Mon,. October 31. To RSVP click here. After an approximate number of attendees is determined, the meeting location will be decided and announced. Please share this information with those who may be interested.
We appreciate David Boswell, who recently took over procurement responsibilities for the City, for being proactive and reaching out to the business community. Whatever we can do to incorporate best practices while adhering to state government purchasing laws is a win-win for all.
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| Big Mama's Collard Green Fest - Oct. 22 Eat Local Week will kick off with a brand new event presented by the Newtown Farmers Market: Big Mama's Collard Green Fest!
About a dozen chefs from the tri-county region will descend upon Newtown to compete for top honors and Big Mama's bragging rights. Booths will be set up and visitors will be able to sample a variety of tempting collard green flavors: cajun, creole, Carribean and country. Add in a steel drum band and Carribean dancers, and, surely, it's a recipe for a successful inaugural Big Mama's Collard Green Fest! Organizers tell us they're thrilled by the overwhelmingly positive response they're already receiving.
Big Mama's will be heldtomorrow Sat., Oct. 22from 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. at the Newtown Redevelopment Office, 1752 Dr. MLK, Jr. Way. There's no admission fee. Bring your taste buds and love for collard greens -- and help us kick off Eat Local Week.
To learn more about Eat Local Week and the festival click here. |
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Trunk or Treat - Oct. 28 Families are invited to the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex next Friday, Oct. 28 as we celebrate Halloween with the 4th Annual Trunk or Treat. The kids and grandkids will have fun trick or treating in a safe environment with trunks
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| All smiles at the 2015 Trunk or Treat. |
popped open and decked out with spooky Halloween decorations. There will be games and bounce houses --- plus a new addition to the festivities, a haunted house, which we anticipate will be a hit. Trick or treating starts at 5:30 p.m.
The evening will be capped off with a family-friendly film, "Goosebumps", shown outside on the new multi-purpose turf field. The movie will start at 7:30 p.m. To see a flyer click here.
Admission is free for the movie and all Trunk or Treat activities.
Those interested in participating in the Best Decorated Trunk contest should register their vehicle by Thursday, Oct. 27. You can download a registration form here.
Thanks to the staff at RLTCC for putting in the extra time to offer this fun event to the community.
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Conde Nast - Best Small Cities Sarasota is getting a lot of attention recently with reader's choice awards. We just learned this week that Sarasota is #15 on Conde Nast's Best Small Cities in the U.S. list. Other cities in the top 15 include: Sedona, AZ; Jackson, WY; Charleston, SC and Aspen, CO. The common denominator for most of the cities seems to be nature's beauty combined with a love of cultural arts. In the write up about Sarasota, our world class "technicolor" sunsets at Lido Beach are mentioned as well as the Ringling Museum of Art and the Sarasota Opera.
It's nice to know others enjoy our community as much as we do. In recent years, Sarasota has been mentioned regularly as a top location for retirees. Now, the attention is expanding and is becoming much broader. To read more about the Best Small Cities reader's choice poll click here.
Thanks to so many who have worked so hard over many years to create and keep our many amenities operating at a world class caliber.
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| The Tony Saprito Pier is featured in Conde Nast's Best Small Cities in the U.S. |
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Upcoming Events
Stepping Out Against Violence
J.D. Hamel Park/Ringling Bridge
7:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Details
St. Armands Boat Show
St. Armands Circle Park
Sat., October 22 & Sun., October 23
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Details
Coin Show
Municipal Auditorium
Sat., October 22 & Sun., October 23
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Details
Fall Fine Arts Festival
Selby Five Points Park
Sat., October 22 & Sun., October 23
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Prescription Drug Take Back
Sarasota Police Headquarters
2099 Adams Lane
Sat., October 22
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Details
Big Mama's Collard Green Festival
Newtown Redevelopment Office
1782 Dr. MLK, Jr. Way
Sat., October 22
2 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Details
Job Fair
Robert L. Taylor Community Complex
Thurs., November 17
1 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Details
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Van Wezel: Shows on Sale Now!
The following is the current show schedule through 2016. For more information visit www.VanWezel.org
Doo Wop Spectacular
Sat., October 22 - 7:30 p.m.
Tickets
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Fri., October 28 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
ZZ Top
Mon., October 31 - 8 p.m.
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| Dave Koz will be at the Van Wezel on Nov. 25. |
Tickets
Capitol Steps
Tues., November 1 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
Mannheim Steamroller
Fri., November 18 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
Decades Rewind
Sat., November 19 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
Dave Koz Christmas Tour 2016
Fri., November 25 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
Tosh Saves the World
Sat., November 26 - 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
Tickets
Melissa Etheridge's Holiday Trio
Sun., November 27 - 7 p.m.
Tickets
Jim Brickman
Tues., November 29 - 7:30 p.m.
Tickets
Fame The Musical
Wed., December 7 - 7 p.m.
Tickets
Oak Ridge Boys' Christmas
Sat., December 10 - 8 p.m.
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| A Christmas Carol will be at the Van Wezel on Dec. 21. |
Tickets
Beach Boys 'Christmas'
Mon., December 12 - 7:30 p.m.
Tickets
Garrison Keillor
Tues., December 13 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
The Sarasota Ballet - George Balanchine's Jewels
Fri., December 16 - 7:30 p.m.
Sat., December 17 - 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Tickets - Sarasota Ballet Website
A Christmas Carol
Wed., December 21 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
Rogers + Hammerstein's Cinderella
Tues., December 27 - 7 p.m.
Wed., December 28 - 7 p.m.
Tickets
Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker
Thurs., December 29 - 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Tickets
42nd Street
Fri., December 30 - 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.
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Weekly Briefs will be on hiatus next week. We'll be back Nov. 4. Have a good week!
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 atCityNews@SarasotaGov.com.
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