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From the Desk of Sarasota
City Manager Tom Barwin
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Photo of the Week
The Lido Veggie Market is officially open for business! Located at the Lido Beach Pavilion, the market offers fresh produce for purchase each Thursday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. The City reached an agreement with the Lido Key Residents Association to use the space to encourage healthy lifestyles by way of eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and perhaps even strolling or bicycling to the market without leaving the island. Congratulations to all involved!
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City Career Opportunities
Application Developer
Commission Reporter
Human Resources Specialist
Inventory Technician
Landscape Maintenance Tech II
Landscape Maintenance Tech I (Part Time)
Manager, Accounting & Payroll Systems
Parking Enforcement Specialist
Police Officer, 2nd Class
Senior Pension Analyst
System Integrator
Utilities Mechanic I - Facilities
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Post-Election Thoughts
President Trump will be the sixth President I have practiced city management under. Those administrations have included three Republican (Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43) and two Democrats (Clinton and Obama).
None have been as bad or as good for our cities as the candidate's critics and/or proponents have represented. Presidents and congress are generally focused on global and national matters with Washington's policies impacting our general economy and psyche more than our cities actual operations. Occasionally Washington has made decisions that directly impact us through regulatory decisions and indirectly through national funding and taxing decisions. I have always wished for a stronger partnership between our federal government and cities and will continue to advocate for this.
In any case, our political and governance system has a way of muddling through our collective challenges and opportunities.
Mass media combined with the advent of social media now allows for almost anyone to easily weigh in on political matters and public policy.
No matter who was going to win the Presidency, I was and remain hopeful that the silver lining this election cycle is that an increasingly involved and informed public will stay tuned to help assure that future public policies will result in improving our common good and the best interests and quality of life in our cities, country and around the globe.
America has been the beacon of hope, dreams and opportunities and once again we must put our faith in the collective decisions of the American voters as our country continues to strive to be the best in can be. Thanks to all the candidates who put themselves out there, and all who participated in our democracy this week, please stay tuned and stay engaged in our collective civic future.
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This Week's Items to Know: |
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1.
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SMH-Newtown Clinic Mayor Shaw, several City Commissioners and I had the honor this week of attending the groundbreaking ceremony for the Sarasota Memorial Hospital internal medicine clinic in Newtown. Focusing on the health of the Newtown community, and located at Dr. MLK, Jr. Way and Osprey Ave., it will be the cornerstone of revitalization for the Newtown area.
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The groundbreaking ceremony for the SMH internal medicine clinic in Newtown.
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The SMH Internal Medicine - Newtown program is the result of SMH becoming an accredited teaching hospital. Resident physicians in the FSU College of Medicine Internal Medicine Residency Program will handle the healthcare of local patients with supervision by board certified attending physicians. During their three years of training, the residents will rotate through the various disciplines of internal medicine. Each class will have 13 residents. So, by the third year there will be a total of 39 working at the clinic.
Doctors are much more likely to remain in the community where they complete their residency. So, this community based healthcare initiative is a strategic way to boost the number of physicians living in Sarasota in the long term, while offering healthcare access in an under served region.
The City of Sarasota partnered with SMH leasing the property to the hospital where the clinic will be built. We greatly appreciate the collaboration that is blossoming between the City, SMH and the Newtown community to make the health and welfare of the community a top priority. The clinic is expected to open this coming July.
On the heels of the Ringling College sound stage, this investment of over $2 million is the second significant multi-million investment on Newtown's main street, Dr. MLK, Jr. Way, over the past month. The economic and tax base building in North Sarasota continues to grow.
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Veterans Day Parade - Tomorrow 11/11 - The Sarasota community will continue its long tradition of honoring our military veterans with a parade down Main Street. The parade starts at 10 a.m. at Main St. & Osprey Ave. and will include marching bands, military organizations, and patriotic groups paying homage to our veterans. Following the parade, a ceremony will be held at Selby Five Points Park at approximately 11 a.m.
The keynote speaker this year will be retired Lt. Ryan Simonson, a native Floridian and graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, better known as West Point. He served in the U.S. Army for 13 years, with several tours of duty in Iraq. His heroic actions and bravery were honored with many military awards and decorations including the Bronze Star. Ryan is now an instructor at the Sarasota Military Academy.
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The Veterans Day parade will begin at 10 a.m. at
Main St. and Osprey Ave. in downtown Sarasota.
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Reminder - City administrative offices will be closed tomorrow (11/11) for the holiday. All garbage, recycling and yard waste will be collected as usual.
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Parking - FPA Award Congratulations to Cheryl Woodard, Parking Supervisor, who is one of three finalists for the Florida Parking Association's Carol Easterling Award. This honor recognizes exemplary professionalism in the parking industry in the Sunshine State.
Cheryl currently oversees parking fine collections and the parking permit
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Cheryl Woodard is the recipient of the Florida Parking Association's Carol Eastering Award Central Region.
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program while supervising seven employees. As you probably can imagine, handling public parking issues can be a challenge and Cheryl always rises to the occasion with grace and a smile.
She and the other two state finalists will have an all expense paid trip to the FPA annual conference near Orlando next month, where the grand winner will be announced. The FPA promises to shine a bright light on her efforts that otherwise may go unnoticed.
We greatly appreciate Cheryl's unwavering commitment to the Parking Operations Division. Congratulations, Cheryl!
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Saprito Pier Cleanup - Volunteers Needed Nov. 19 Volunteers are needed for a new community cleanup project: Tony Saprito Fishing Pier, adjacent to the Ringling Bridge.
Spearheaded by Sarasota Bay Watch, the City will host the event in conjunction with the Sarasota Police Department, Scuba Quest Dive Centers and NAUI Green Diver. Marine debris will be removed as
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Volunteers are need for the first Saprito Pier Cleanup
on Sat., Nov. 19.
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well as lost fishing tackle, to foster a healthier marine habitat and help reduce the possibility of animal entanglements.
Experienced certified scuba divers with their own equipment are being recruited for the cleanup. A limited number of skilled kayakers also are needed to take debris from divers to the collection site. In addition, landlubbers are needed to help clean up the pier and retrieve trash from the divers.
The Public Works Department will remove the solid waste collected and the SPD will marine patrol will establish a safe perimeter around the cleanup zone.
This is a unique and worthwhile initiative to help keep the pier -- above and below the bay -- healthy and free of debris that can be life threatening to our marine friends.
The cleanup is scheduled for Sat., November 19 from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
To register please visit www.SarasotaBayWatch.org or call 941-232-2363.
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5.
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CEO Course - Open Enrollment
Applications are now being accepted for the Winter 2017 Community Entrepreneur Opportunity (CEO) course. This 8 week course is a free introduction to business development. Through classroom training, mentoring and networking, CEO students will gain a better understanding of what's needed as an entrepreneur to start a business or grow one. All classes are taught by certified business analysts and business experts.
The Winter 2017 course is scheduled to be held every Tuesday night 6 - 9 p.m. from January 31 - March 21. While the course is free, attendance, participation and research/homework is required.
With the streetscape improvements along the Dr. MLK, Jr. Way and opportunities for new businesses in the area, the program is focusing on recruits in the Newtown-North Sarasota area.
For more information click here or contact the Newtown Redevelopment Office: 941-365-2200 ext. 3220.
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6.
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Bobby Jones - Men's Sr. Better Ball Tourney Registration is now open for the 2nd Annual Men's Senior Better Ball Championship at our historic municipal golf course, Bobby Jones Golf Club, the weekend of November 19 & 20.
The tournament is open to all men  age 50 & older.
The field is limited to the first 100 entries -- which must be received by the end of business Mon., November 14. The entry fee is $190 per team and includes two rounds of golf with cart, tee gift, non-alcoholic on course drink each day and lunch at the end of the player's second round.
For more information click here or contact the Golf Shop: 941-954-4163.
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Veterans Day Parade
Main Street
Starts: Main St. & Osprey Ave.
Fri., November 11
10 a.m.
Veterans Day Ceremony
Selby Five Points Park
Approx. 11 a.m.
Details
Vintage Fair
Municipal Auditorium
Sat., & Sun., November 12 & 13
10 a.m. - 5 pm.
Walk for Epilepsy
Payne Park
Sat., November 12
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Details
Fall Art Festival & Sidewalk Sale
St. Armands Circle Park
Sat. & Sun., November 12 & 13
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Details
Rock for a Cause
Main Street
Sat., November 12
2 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Details
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Van Wezel: Shows on Sale Now!
The following is
the current show schedule through 2016. For more information visit
www.VanWezel.org
Mannheim Steamroller
Fri., November 18 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
Decades Rewind
Sat., November 19 - 8 p.m.
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Melissa Etheridge will be at the
Van Wezel on Nov. 27.
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Tickets
Dave Koz Christmas Tour 2016
Fri., November 25 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
Tosh Saves the World
Sat., November 26 - 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.
Tickets
Melissa Etheridge's Holiday Trio
Sun., November 27 - 7 p.m.
Tickets
Jim Brickman
Tues., November 29 - 7:30 p.m.
Tickets
Sarasota Orchestra -
Masterworks: The New World
Fri., December 2 - 8 p.m.
Sat., December 3 - 8 p.m.
Sun., December 4 - 2:30 p.m.
Tickets - Sarasota Orchestra
Fame The Musical
Wed., December 7 - 7 p.m.
Tickets
Oak Ridge Boys' Christmas
Sat., December 10 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
Beach Boys 'Christmas'
Mon., December 12 - 7:30 p.m.
Tickets
Garrison Keillor
Tues., December 13 - 8 p.m.
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The Oak Ridge Boys will be at the Van Wezel on Dec. 10.
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Tickets
The Sarasota Ballet - George Balanchine's Jewels
Fri., December 16 - 7:30 p.m.
Sat., December 17 - 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Tickets - Sarasota Ballet Website
A Christmas Carol
Wed., December 21 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
Rogers + Hammerstein's Cinderella
Tues., December 27 - 7 p.m.
Wed., December 28 - 7 p.m.
Tickets
Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker
Thurs., December 29 - 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Tickets
42nd Street
Fri., December 30 - 8 p.m.
Tickets
To purchase tickets over the phone call 941-953-3368 or stop by the Box Office at 777 N.Tamiami Trail.
For a complete schedule of events, visit
www.VanWezel.org.
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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@SarasotaGov.com.
Tom Barwin
City Manager
941-954-4102
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