Bond Refunding = $6.4 Million Savings    Earlier this week, the City closed on a significant financial transaction which will save taxpayers $6.4 million -- or nearly $291,000 every year for the next 22 years (through Fiscal Year 2037).

Outstanding Series 2007 General Obligation Bonds were retired and Series 2015 General Obligation Refunding Bonds were issued at lower interest rates.  The new interest rate is a 3.14 percent true interest cost compared to an average coupon interest rate of 4.8 percent for the Series 2007 Bonds. 


Thank you to the City Commission for authorizing the bond refinance, and our Finance Director John Lege and his department for their continued dedication and hard work in identifying the opportunity and implementing the Commission's decision with exquisite timing.  The successful refinance will result in a slight reduction in next year's debt levy portion on the City's section of the property tax bill.

Newtown Monuments   The entrance into Newtown is officially being designated.  Two substantial monument signs are under construction along U.S. 301:  one north of 24th St. and the other south of 29th St.  Both are located on the west side of the road, and will indicate to drivers they are entering Newtown.

I'm told that when discussions about creating these monuments first started many years ago, the Florida Department of Transportation, which oversees U.S. 301 and signage along that roadway, had to re-write its policy to accommodate the monuments because no regulations pertaining to such items existed at the time.  (FDOT now technically refers to them as a 'community aesthetic feature'.)

The monuments are approximately 12 feet tall with the foundation made of cultured stone and a sloped roof on top.  We anticipate they should be completed in early June.

Welcome Sustainability Manager - Stevie Freeman-Montes   A hearty welcome to our new Sustainability Manager, Stevie Freeman-Montes!  Stevie joined our staff last week, and within a few days she had already attended the monthly meeting of the Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations and attended her first City Commission meeting.

Her initial priority will be to review the City's previous and ongoing sustainability initiatives, including the Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement, which the City of Sarasota signed in 2007.  With

Stevie Freeman-Montes is the City's Sustainability Manager.

residents' help, Stevie will help craft strategies and recommendations on what our city and community can do to live up to the agreement and play our role as the earth and its citizens and communities face rising sea levels and climate change.

She also will work on possible solar energy collaborations with FPL and others, including our own utility operations.

And, as we expect the sea levels to rise over the coming years, Stevie will implement a strategy to monitor, measure and report on those changes in Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico and what we can expect and how we can respond as a community.

For the past four years, Stevie implemented the sustainability program for the City of Beaverton, Oregon.  She has a Bachelor of Science in zoology as well as a Master of Arts in sustainable development.

She just moved her family across the country to work in our special community and is excited to be living in the city limits and becoming part of the Sarasota community.

We are thrilled to have Stevie on board and working on green initiatives.  Please welcome her to our special community.

She can be reached at:   [email protected] or 941-365-2200 ext. 4202.

Bayfront 20:20 - Update    Earlier this week, Sarasota Bayfront 20:20 stakeholders met to update the group on several issues, including:  future options for retaining park design expertise; technical work City staff is doing to understand everything about the 42 acre bayfront park; the timing of the Sarasota Orchestra's future needs assessment; and, the the Van Wezel Foundation's future needs assessments.  All of the reports discussed are works in progress, but expected to be completed by fall.

    

Bobby Jones Golf Club - MCC & Jr. Golf Camp    Congratulations to Antione Santarelli, who walked away with his first Men's City Championship title this past weekend.  After four rounds of play on the British Course over the past two weekends, he claimed the top prize with a -8 overall score. 

Antione is just 21 years old and is an IMG Academy alum.  He has competed in the Men's City Championship several times before, and this year was his breakthrough!

Tournament runner ups were:  K.C. Fox at 1 under par and Tononari Fukyama at par. 

We appreciate the 90+ golfers who participated in this competitive tournament at our historic municipal golf complex. 

Never ones to slow down, the Bobby Jones staff is now gearing up for their next significant activity:  Junior golf camp for the kids and grandkids this summer!   Three 3-day sessions will be offered for children 8 to 18:

* June 22-24
* July 20-22
* August 10-12

The students will be instructed by our resident PGA Professional Christian Martin as well as Assistant Golf Professional Daniel Bailey.  Each camp is $100 per child....and space is limited to just 12 golfers.  Sessions are in the morning from 9 a.m. to noon and include a kid-friendly lunch each day.  For more details click here.