MLK Day:  Jan. 18 - City Offices Closed    Next Monday, January 18th, City administrative offices will be closed in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Although City Hall will be closed, garbage, yard waste and recycling will be collected as usual.

To remember and honor the life and achievements of Dr. King, a celebration will take place in Newtown.   Starting at noon, there will be a unity walk from the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex to Dr. MLK, Jr. Park.  Once at the park, family friendly festivities, including live music and food will go on until 5 p.m.  Hope to see you there!

       

One Community One Block offered free carriage rides just before Christmas.

     

'We Are Downtown' Campaign    A marketing campaign is underway to help make it easier for visitors to find restaurants and retail stores in downtown.  The campaign is called 'We Are Downtown' and you may have already seen the new glossy directory map showing the location of the 300+ businesses in downtown as well as the Rosemary District and Burns District. 

The map also is available online with an interactive format, which is helpful for those who prefer to use their smart phone.  Check out the site on your mobile device:   www.WeAreDowntownSarasota.com

Users can search by category including eating/dining,

Hard copy maps and an interactive map for smart phones are now available.

shopping, arts, and health.  Each business location can be clicked on to reveal information about the business including address, photo, synopsis, and links to websites and menus. 

Within the first week of launching the website, there were over 5,000 hits.  Our Downtown Economic Development Coordinator, Norm Gollub, who helped develop and roll out this marketing strategy, believes the interactive map will quickly become the go-to source for downtown shopping information.  Thank you, Norm, for your initiative and effort -- and thanks to the business owners for taking time to participate in this worthwhile campaign by supplying information.

The campaign was funded by the City (using CRA dollars) and the Downtown Improvement District, and there is no charge for businesses to participate.          

Landscaping Division: 'Now You See It, Now You Don't'     Our landscaping staff likes a good challenge where they can use their creativity to boost the visual appeal of an area -- and, we have an impressive example to share with you.

In the Bay Point Park neighborhood, a small cluster of utility pipes was noticeable in the median between Bay Point Dr. and Gulfview Dr.  So, the Landscape Division set out to camouflage it.  Crews cleverly hid the utilities in a rock garden, then finished the project by adding a variety of plants and vegetation.  Now, it's a little oasis.  Check out the before and after photos.
Thanks to the Landscaping Division, led by Supervisor Candie Pedersen, for their creativity and ingenuity.  Keep up the good work!            

Bobby Jones Golf Club - Specials    If you're interested in saving some green on the greens, our historic municipal golf course offers regular specials every day. 

Early Birdie Special 
*  Saturdays & Sundays - Before 10 a.m.
*  18 holes with riding cart
Twilight Special
*  Every day - Starting at 2 p.m.
*  18 holes with riding cart
      

New & Emerging Supervisors Program    Over the past year, we've had a renewed focus on training and development for City employees.  To help employees grow in their positions, we've instituted what I like to refer to as the 'College of Municipal Knowledge'.  Our goal is to have every employee receive 40 hours of training during the year to help bolster their knowledge in their field which, in turn, provides a better service for the Sarasota community.

Within the mix of training, our Human Resources Department has assembled a program designed specifically for new and emerging supervisors.  The program is a year-long commitment and employees are required to submit a resume and essay explaining how they would utilize the course material in their day-to-day work.  The inaugural class just graduated and we're pleased with the outcome.  Employees tell us they gained valuable insight into leadership and supervisory roles. 

In the inaugural class, two dozen employees, spanning all fields and departments in the City, attended 14 classes during the 2015 calendar year.  Subjects ranged from how to have a difficult conversation, to traits of a great leader, to breaking communication barriers -- all very important issues for new and emerging supervisors.  Before the first class graduated, a waiting list started for the next class which just began.  Congratulations, to the Class of 2015!  And, good luck to the Class of 2016.