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From the Desk of the
City Manager
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 | PHOTO OF THE WEEK:
With the mercury starting to rise, our popular summer discount offer "Some Like It Hot" at Bobby Jones Golf Club is back in play. For golfers looking for a bargain, this is it! Between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. every day, 18 holes with a riding cart is just $18. Sarasota resident Trevor Doughty, 19, took advantage of the discount this week. We caught up with him as he was lining up to putt on the 9th green of the American Course. The "Some Like It Hot" offer runs through October. (With such a great deal, we cannot offer rain checks.) To learn more and to book a tee time visit www.BobbyJonesGolfClub.com |
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Current Openings
Lifeguard I Manager, Information & Communication Technology Manager, Treatment Rec Attendant Senior Internal Auditor
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This Week's Items to Know: |
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Memorial Day - Closures and Parade This coming Monday, May 26 is Memorial Day and City administrative offices will be closed. Garbage, recycling and yard waste will be picked up as usual.The annual Memorial Day parade, hosted by the Sarasota Patriotic  Observance Committee, will start at 10 a.m. at Main St. and Osprey Ave. A ceremony at Chaplain J.D. Hamel Park at Main St. and Gulfstream Ave. will follow the conclusion of the parade at approximately 11 a.m. For a list of temporary street closures for the parade click here. Sarasota has a long history of honoring our military veterans. I'd like to thank all our military personnel, present and past, and their families, for their many sacrifices to serve and protect our country.
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New SPD Officers: Blue + You = Safe Streets Congratulations to two SPD recruits, Clifton Bishop and Robert Morrison, who successfully completed a rigorous 14 week field training program last week. That means they are qualified to work on their own as a SPD patrol officer and will be assigned a shift.  During the past three months, the officers patrolled with three different Field Training Officers. Each day, they were graded on 28 categories ranging from officer safety to geography of the city to personal appearance. As the program progressed, each recruit was expected to take on more responsibility while the trainer did less. As a former police officer, I understand the significance of this achievement. We have one of the best police departments within Florida and we're proud Officers Bishop and Morrison have qualified to become public safety partners with the citizens of Sarasota. Be safe!
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State St. Lot Closure: "Shop Local" As planned, the State Street
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A construction fence encloses the site.
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Lot closed on Monday and it's now enclosed by a construction fence as we prepare to build the new 395 space parking garage. Permit holders for that lot have been transferred to other public parking areas within a short walk of the State Street vicinity. So far, the public is adapting well to the change -- thank you! Tomorrow will be the first Farmers Market with the lot closed. Please remind your family, friends and neighbors before they head downtown. Over the past several weeks, we've conducted significant public outreach, but we expect some drivers may be caught off guard. A large electronic message board will be in place again to remind drivers the lot is closed. Excellent nearby parking alternatives include: the Burns Square Lot, Whole Foods Garage on 2nd Street, and the Palm Ave. Garage. We hope to have a user friendly downtown parking map distributed within the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, our friends at the Farmers Market just produced a YouTube video showing alternative parking areas, which are a brief walk to the Market. A big thank you to Executive Director Phil Pagano for helping to get the word out. Please continue to enjoy our downtown Farmers Market tomorrow and throughout the construction season. Vendors need our loyalty!
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Farmers Market Video: Where to Park
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Children's Fountain Reopens Just in time for the holiday weekend, the Steigerwaldt-Jockey Children's Fountain, located at Bayfront Park near Marina Jack, reopened this morning. The fountain has been temporarily closed for repair. Summer hours are: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. every day until Labor Day weather permitting.  | |
The Children's Fountain is open for the summer.
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Embracing Nature: Sea Turtle Nesting Season We are three weeks into the sea turtle nesting season, and so far two loggerhead nests have been recorded on Lido Beach. Biologists at Mote Marine Laboratory expected a slow start to the season, due to cooler water temperatures which impact nesting. In recent years, nest numbers have been strong and Mote staff members are optimistic that trend will continue. Over 300 volunteers with Mote's Sea Turtle Patrol document nesting every day
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Nesting season is May 1-Oct. 31.
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along 35 miles of beaches stretching from Longboat Key to Venice. Nesting numbers are posted weekly on their website www.Mote.org. Nesting season continues until October 31. So, it's important to keep our beaches as sea turtle friendly as possible over the next five months. Here's some useful information to know or share to help encourage nesting:
- Shield or turn off outdoor lights that are visible on the beach
- Close drapes after dark
- Move beach furniture away from the water
- If you encounter a nesting turtle, observe from a distance
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World Environment Day World Environment Day is right around the corner -- on June 5th -- and our colleagues with the Sarasota County sustainability program have been ramping up by hosting a variety of community events since Earth Day last month. We're proud Sarasota County was selected as the official North American host community for World Environment Day by the United Nations Environment Programme's Regional Office for North America. The 2014 World Environment Day theme is Small Island Developing States,  and those involved with the host community selection process stated that Sarasota, as a coastal community, faces similar environmental challenges as small island nations. They were impressed with Sarasota's commitment to sustainability and the number of environmental protection initiatives underway. On Sat., June 5, the celebration will culminate with a free community forum at Mote Marine Laboratory 10:30 a.m. - noon. Hosted by Dr. Michael Crosby, president and CEO of Mote, the forum will feature environmental experts who will discuss sea level rise, the economic value of Sarasota Bay, ecotourism, green building and the green economy. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required. Space is limited. To register click here. Congratulations to Sarasota County and Mote on this collaboration and what should be a beneficial conversation about our community's connection to the global environment.
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Jr. Golf Camps: Pass on to the Kids & Grandkids! Although, traditionally, this time of year is a bit slower as our seasonal residents and visitors return home, our staff at Bobby Jones Golf Club is still very busy. In last week's edition, we mentioned Bobby Jones is hosting its first-ever youth Drive,  Chip & Putt Boot Camp which will be held this weekend and next. Staff also is preparing to host three Junior Golf Camps this summer -- one each month in June, July and August. Designed for youngsters ages 8-18, the camps include three hours of instruction for three days by a PGA professional with lunch following the clinic. Each camp rate is $100 per student and will be held June 23-25; July 21-23 and August 11-13. To see a flyer click here. For more information visit www.BobbyJonesGolfClub.com or contact the golf shop: 941-954-4163.
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Florida Engineering Society Award Congratulations to City Engineer Alex DavisShaw who was honored by her peers with the Myakka Chapter of the Florida Engineering Society. She received the Technical Achievement award for her many years of work incorporating roundabouts into the City's engineering transportation plan. In 2011, the first roundabout of note was constructed at Five Points in downtown transforming a poorly functioning traffic signal intersection into an easy to maneuver roundabout with continuously flowing
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Alex DavisShaw being honored by the Florida Engineering Society.
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traffic. Residents and visitors warmed to the idea of roundabouts and two more were constructed nearby at the Ringling/Palm and Ringling/Pineapple intersections. As part of our comprehensive multi-modal plan, roundabouts are being considered in nearly a dozen locations along U.S. 41. Thanks to technical engineering work by Alex -- and public education from our resident roundabout expert Rod Warner -- roundabouts have been accepted as a safe, and fuel efficient way to move traffic throughout our great city, and further enhance our beauty in the process.
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Visit Sarasota Photo Contest Calling all Sarasota photographers! Visit Sarasota County is hosting a "My Sarasota" photo contest encouraging locals to highlight their favorite aspects of Sarasota  County. Is it the cultural arts? Beaches? Sunsets? Wildlife? Dining? You pick! Then, click...and post. Winners are announced weekly with gift certificates to local establishments being awarded. The contest is social media based -- on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. More details are posted on VSC's website www.VisitSarasota.org The contest runs through June. Remember to use the hashtag #MySarasota to share your Sarasota. Good luck all!
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Upcoming Events
Sarasota Red Fish Spot Tournament
Sat., May 24
7 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Ken Thompson Park
Boating Safety Inspection Day
Sat., May 24
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
10th St. Boat Ramp (Centennial Park)
Details
Memorial Day Parade
Mon., May 26
10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Main Street
(Starts at Osprey Ave.; Ends at Gulfstream Ave.)
Memorial Day Ceremony
Mon., May 26
End of parade - Approx. 11 a.m.
Chaplain J.D. Hamel Park
Local Hurricane Preparedness
Tues., May 27
6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Bayfront Community Center (803 N. Tamiami)
Details
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Upcoming Shows at the Van Wezel:
Julianne Hough and Derek Hough Move Live On TourSun., June 15 - 7 p.m. & 2 p.m.
Friday Fest - Yesterdayze 
Fri., June 27 - 5 p.m.
FREE Outdoor Concert Details
American Idol Live!
Thurs., July 17 - 8 p.m.
Friday Fest - Come Back Alice
Fri., July 25 - 5 p.m.
FREE Outdoor Concert
Details Friday Fest - SoulRcoaster
Fri., August 22 - 5 p.m.
FREE Outdoor Concert
Friday Fest - Adrian RayFri., Sept. 26 - 5 p.m. FREE Outdoor Concert Details |
Thanks for reading this week's updates! Have a safe Memorial Day weekend. If you'd like to receive Weekly Briefs directly to your inbox just send us an email at [email protected].
From sunny Sarasota,
Tom Barwin
City Manager
941-954-4102
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