Farewell Commissioners      We bid farewell to Paul Caragiulo and Shannon Snyder who attended their final City Commission meeting Monday night as the District 2 and District 3 Commissioners. Serving as an elected official, particularly in municipal government, the form of government closest to the voter, takes physical, intellectual, and emotional stamina.  Both Commissioners served their constituents for 3.5 years, attending many City Commission meetings, workshops and community events.  We thank and wish both well with their new lives outside City Hall.  And, with Commissioner Caragiulo beginning his term as a County Commissioner, we look forward to keeping the lines of communication open.

L to R:  Mayor Willie Shaw, Commissioner Suzanne Atwell, Commissioner Paul Caragiulo, Commissioner Shannon Snyder and Vice Mayor Susan Chapman

 

Labor Standards Training    An important training seminar regarding federal labor requirements was hosted this week by the Department of Labor, IRS and HUD in partnership with the City and Sarasota County.  The 2-day workshop covered compliance with the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, which requires contractors and subcontractors working on federally funded or assisted contracts to pay their workers no less than the local prevailing wages and fringe benefits for similar work on projects in the community.

The City is often involved with construction projects in which federal dollars are used, and thereby, staff is responsible for ensuring federal labor laws are adhered to.  Recent examples include the installation of new playground equipment at Mary Dean Park and Orange Ave. Park.

The Sarasota Office of Housing and Community Development arranged for officials with the federal government to host a training session about complying with wage requirements.

It's important that builders, contractors and public housing employees understand the law and ensure workers are compensated accordingly.  So, we were proud to partner with the federal government to host the event at Robert L. Taylor Community Complex.

A seminar like this has not been hosted in Sarasota in recent memory, and 50 people traveled here from around the state, including Key West and Pensacola, to attend.  The HUD staff went out of their way to compliment the staff and facilities at RLTCC, as well as Cindy Emshoff from the Office of Housing and Community Development who arranged the training session.
      

Sewer Main Rehabilitation - Bahia Vista St.   Our City continues its vital commitment to maintain and improve the extensive infrastructure system throughout the community.  If you drove on Bahia Vista Street this week, you may have noticed the Utilities Department's latest project:  a 10-inch sewer main, with some sections dating back to 1952, is being rehabilitated.  Accompanying service connections to households and businesses also will be cleaned and repaired.

A contractor uses an electronic device to locate a pipe connection 8-9 feet below the sidewalk.

The project started this week with a contract crew analyzing the condition of the pipes by lowering a video camera into the system.  They're also locating service connections.  Then, approximately 3,500 feet (over half a mile) of clay pipe will be lined with a polyester resin material, essentially creating a new pipe.  This process was used to line a sewer main in the Avondale neighborhood this past summer.

This work will be ongoing along Bahia Vista, between Tuttle Ave. and U.S. 41, for a couple of months.  Traffic disruptions should be minimal, with one lane of traffic diverted into the turn lane.

A $600,000 project, this is a significant investment to ensure we continue to have a reliable and efficient infrastructure system.

Neighborhood News - Community Dumpster Day = Nov. 22    Do you have unwanted stuff you just don't know how to get rid of?  Maybe a broken TV, cans of paint or a sofa that has seen better

Unwanted items collected during Dumpster Day last year.

days?  You're invited to unload unusable items during our free Community Dumpster Day tomorrow (Sat., Nov. 22) from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. 

Dumpsters will be at two locations:  the North Sarasota Redevelopment Office at 1782 Dr. MLK, Jr. Way; and, the open lot at the corner of Dr. MLK, Jr. Way and Cocoanut Ave.  The open lot will be limited to over-sized items, like furniture. 

For more information, including a list of items that will be accepted, click here.  All electronics collected will be recycled by Waste Management.

Dumpster Day was created years ago by the Code Compliance Division to help remove blight from neighborhoods.  Remarkably, nearly 10 tons of unwanted items were dropped off last year.  We look forward to this event being another shining success.   

Farmers Market at Five Points     After a successful rollout over the past three weeks, an official ribbon cutting ceremony was held this week for the new Wednesday Farmers Market at Five Points.  Downtown is the place to go mid-week for fresh fruits, vegetables, other edibles, as well as a variety of beverages.  Approximately 40 vendors set up shop at Five Points each Wednesday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.  Many of those vendors, along with the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, were on hand for the ceremony and to wish the Farmers Market success with its new expanded venture.  If you haven't been to the mid-week Market, check it out.  It's the healthy place to be on Wednesday!

Farmers Market Executive Director Phil Pagano prepares to cut a ribbon to celebrate the opening of the of the Market at Five Points.

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