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From the Desk of Sarasota
City Manager Tom Barwin
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PHOTO OF THE WEEK
It's the dog days of summer! Patti and her canine companion, Lucy, usually like to visit Bayfront Park for an afternoon stroll but with the ongoing effects of red tide, they opted for Arlington Park this week. (Latest on red tide below.) Lucy, 6, is a schnoodle (schnauzer-poodle mix) and a certified seizure service companion dog. Lucy likes to travel (80+ trips with her mistress), is learning doggie commands in Spanish, French and Italian, and like Patti, enjoys long walks in the park.
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MEETINGS
Board of Adjustment
Wed., August 29 - 1:30 p.m.
City Hall - Commission Chambers
Agenda
Tree Advisory Committee
Thurs., August 30 - 3 p.m.
City Hall - Commission Chambers
Agenda
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City Career Opportunities
Assistant Head Usher
Flood Zone Specialist
GIS Coordinator
Maintenance Tech
Parking Enforcement Specialist
Parks & Rec - Facility Maintenance Tech - Part Time
Parks & Rec - Head Life Guard
Parks & Rec - Life Guard
Parks & Rec - Life Guard - Part Time
Parks & Rec - Maintenance - Clay Tennis Courts
Parks & Rec - Rec Attendant - Part Time
Parks & Rec - Rec Specialist - Part Time
Pension Plans Administrator
Police Officer, 2nd Class
Redevelopment Manager
Volunteer/Unpaid Intern
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| This Week's Items to Know: |
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Red Tide Update With 42.16 miles of waterfront and shoreline within our city, we continue to monitor the serious outbreak of red tide and have mobilized cleanup efforts to respond the best we can with assistance from Sarasota County. The red tide odor and volume of dead fish varies day to day, sometimes hour to hour, with smells reported as far east as I-75. Crews will clear an area of washed up marine creatures, only for more to wash ashore in a short time.
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Inspecting the waterways impacted by red tide.
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With the effects lingering much longer than anyone anticipated, we're weighing options and identifying funding to procure equipment and hire extra laborers and contractors as needed to assist with the cleanup. This is a significant unanticipated expense and we're determining funding options with the hope of recouping some dollars from the state with our local State of Emergency in effect for this natural disaster.
The City is committed to cleaning up public spaces as warranted
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Some residents are using long nets along private seawalls to remove dead fish.
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including Bayfront Park, Eloise Werlin Park, Bird Key and Indian Beach Sapphire Shores. The waterways and canals are being monitored. The County will continue to clean the public areas of Lido Beach.
During this morning's boat tour of citywide impacted bayous and canals, we observed residents using nets along private seawalls to remove the dead fish. To help with cleanup on private property, the City is offering solid waste assistance. Plastic bags may be placed outside your cart for pickup. Please make sure they're securely closed and weigh under 50 pounds. Unbagged fish will not be collected.
The City is also offering special pickups at no extra cost on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. - 11 a.m. To schedule
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| Public Works is offering extra pickups at no extra cost and allowing tied bags to be placed curbside. |
a pickup, please call 941-955-2325. This additional service will remain in effect during the local red tide State of Emergency.
Red tide hot buttons are located on the homepage of the City's website: www.SarasotaFL.Gov. The information is updated as frequently as necessary regarding temporary closures at Lido Beach and Bayfront Park.
As of this writing, Sarasota Memorial Hospital and state and county health agencies are reporting no upticks in hospital admissions or
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| With lifeguards on duty at Lido Beach. |
emergency room visits known to be related to red tide, although it clearly irritates the eyes and lungs to various degrees of individual sensitivities.
A big thank you to our dedicated City employees and those with the County who are still out there working in these tough conditions -- some with breathing masks strapped to their faces to safeguard their respiratory systems, as I saw last weekend when I toured Lido Beach.
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St. Armands Garage - Going Vertical Vertical construction is now underway at the site of the new St. Armands Parking Garage.
The City broke ground in May on the much-anticipated garage at 47 N. Adams Drive. The project is the result of the City's collaboration with St. Armands merchants, property owners and residents to address parking needs in this shopping and restaurant district.
The four-story garage - which will house 503 parking spaces, including adjacent surface parking - is expected to be completed in December.
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| The St. Armands Parking Garage is on track for a December opening. |
Construction is being done out of season to minimize impacts to parking availability in St. Armands. The $12 million project is being funded through a special assessment on commercial land owners and paid parking, which will begin when the garage is open.
New parking meters and pay stations will be installed in the St. Armands parking district later this fall but won't become active until the garage opens, so the community can become familiar with them in advance. The meters are also now on display in the lobby at City Hall for anyone who would like to try them out.
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U.S. 41 Water Main Replacement As part of our ongoing U.S. 41 AC Water Main Replacement Project, several homes and businesses along the U.S. 41 South corridor will have their potable water service temporarily interrupted over the next several weeks.
These necessary interruptions should only last for a few hours (up to four hours, typically) as crews will be completing new tie-in connections for these locations. All affected customers will be given advance notice, typically one to two weeks, of the temporary shutdowns and any mandatory boil water notices that may be issued.
This is the final phase of the pipeline replacement work, with asphalt street restoration to commence shortly after the tie-ins are complete. The work is scheduled to be finished in late November.
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| Crews working on the U.S. 41 water main replacement. |
The project updates and replaces approximately 20,000 linear feet -- 3.78 miles -- of water mains and related infrastructure that is more than 40 years old, from Payne Park to Hibiscus Street. Many of these water distribution mains are composed of asbestos cement (AC) pipe material that has required an increasing number of repairs in recent years.
For more information, contact William Swick with the City of Sarasota Utilities Department at 941-365-2200, ext. 6310, or visit www.us41watermainsrq.com.
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Van Wezel: Shows on Sale Now!
Dr. Dave Band
Friday, September 14: 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
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| The Simon & Garfunkel Story will be at the Van Wezel on October 27. |
Jerry Seinfeld
Thurs., September 20 - 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
Tickets
Eddie Izzard
Thurs., October 11 - 8 p.m.
Lord of the Dance
Sun., October 14 - 7 p.m.
Kenny G
Fri., October 19 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
Bob Dylan & His Band
Sun., October 21 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
The Simon & Garfunkel Story
Sat., October 27 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
Capitol Steps
Wed., November 7 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
Neil Berg's 50 Years of Rock & Roll Part II
Fri., November 9 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
Doo Wop Spectacular Vol. 3
Sat., November 10 - 7:30 p.m.
Tickets
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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@SarasotaFL.Gov
Tom Barwin
City Manager
941-954-4102
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