Weekly Briefs
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from the desk of:

Tom Barwin
Sarasota City Manager

May 8, 2020



Thank you for reading this week's updates. If you have questions, comments or suggestions for topics, please contact us directly: 941-263-6402 or CityNews@SarasotaFL.Gov 
City Commission Workshop
Tues., May 12 - 5 p.m.
City Hall - Video Teleconference

Special City Commission
Tues., May 12 - 6:30 p.m.
City Hall - Video Teleconference
Local Public Health Emergency - Latest
I’ve been in extensive conversations this week with Chuck Henry, the director of the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County, about obtaining the most relevant data possible regarding the number of positive cases in the city limits and associated trends.

The state is producing a county-by-county report which shows new cases daily. Over the past 14 days, there has been an average of 7.5 new cases per day in Sarasota County, which while showing improvement, is not a consistent downward trajectory as recommended by the CDC prior to loosening restrictions. Of the 6,000 COVID-19 tests administered to date in Sarasota County, 416 (or about 7%) have come back positive.

FDOH is looking to share additional data with us in the coming days to help guide policy makers as the state and city reopen during Phase I of the economic recovery.

Although the local public health emergency has been extended to May 15, the public boat ramps reopened this past Tuesday and tennis courts, including the popular Payne Park Tennis Center, are scheduled to reopen Friday, May 15. We appreciate everyone’s continued patience as we work to understand the local data for COVID-19 and are guided by this information to help prevent further spread of this very contagious virus.
 
In the meantime, free state testing is available at the Mall at University Town Center for anyone over 18 whether or not they are exhibiting symptoms. The testing is available daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis until a designated threshold is met, which usually is 750 tests.
City Small Business Grant Program - Applications to be accepted soon
When the City Commission unanimously endorsed using previously budgeted economic funds for a $2.28 million small business grant program this past Monday, staff in our Economic Development office began diligently working with the City Attorney’s office to develop an application process and with the Information Technology Department to create an easy-to-use webpage to submit the application. The program will provide $5,000 grants to small brick-and-mortar businesses in the city limits with less than 25 full-time equivalent employees to help them survive through this public health and now economic crisis.

We anticipate the program will open for applications soon and we encourage anyone interested to review the requirements on the webpage and be prepared to submit quickly.

The webpage can be found online at:

If you have questions, please email CitySmallBusinessGrant@SarasotaFL.Gov
Back to Business
If you’ve been out and about this week, you’ve noticed some businesses, especially restaurants, have reopened. With the governor’s order limiting the indoor occupancy of restaurants to no more than 25 percent of their building occupancy, we’re exploring ways to help them expand outdoors easily while complying with social distancing and ADA requirements. We’ll discuss several options with the City Commission on May 12. 

Anecdotally, right now it appears those with outdoor cafes which have staff wearing protective masks are drawing customers. 
Protective Masks – Community Distribution
In a recent community survey in Weekly Briefs, 71% of the 1,400 respondents indicated they feel protective masks should be required in public until the COVID-19 threat has passed. For weeks, we’ve been strongly encouraging residents and visitors to acquire and wear a mask when they leave home to go to the grocery store, pharmacy or perhaps enjoy a stroll over the Ringling Bridge -- and we continue to do so.

With the supply chain of masks overwhelmed, some residents haven’t had the opportunity to acquire them. With that in mind, the City is distributing protective face masks through our neighborhood association networks to some of the most vulnerable and impacted neighborhoods. Families in designated areas can receive one bag containing five disposal surgical masks.

So far, approximately 400 have been distributed at the neighborhood level. A larger giveaway will be coordinated and announced soon. If the need exists, we are in position to provide thousands of protective masks to help prevent the spread of this very contagious virus.

Thanks to our Emergency Manager Todd Kerkering for coordinating the effort to get the masks bagged and distributed. 
14 th St. Roundabout – Now open
The intersection of US 41 and 14th Street is now functioning as a roundabout with the traffic signal removed during the wee hours Thursday morning. 

As with the roundabout at 10 th Street, FDOT still has a lot of construction work to do before the project is finished. Crews will be shaping the turning area and truck aprons will be added for larger semis to safely drive onto. Also, sidewalks will be expanded, landscape planted and, ultimately, signature public art installed. 

Opening the traffic lanes as a roundabout is the first step to acclimate motorists and pedestrians to the new driving environment. For drivers entering a roundabout, the key is to slow down and yield.  Yield, yield, yield! 

Education is paramount and we encourage you to watch and share this video produced by Kimley-Horn showing in detail how to navigate the 14 th Street roundabout.
FDOT opened the new roundabout on US 41 at 14th Street early Thursday morning.
Water Restrictions: May 12 - July 1
Even with the heavy rains we received recently, the region is well below where it should be with March 2020 rainfall in the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). Central and southern counties in the district, including Sarasota, are at the 1 st percentile for rainfall.

So, SWFWMD has declared a Phase I Water Shortage with water restrictions in effect from May 12 through July 1. 

In the City of Sarasota that means we need to be mindful of when lawns can be irrigated. Please follow these watering rules:

  • Even-numbered addresses may water Thursday and Sunday before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.
  • Odd-numbered addresses may water Wednesday and Saturday before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.
  • Common areas may be watered on Tuesday and Friday before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.
  • Hand watering and micro-irrigation of plants (other than lawns) can be done anytime
 
There are no specific restrictions on fountains, pressure washing or car washing. You’re asked, though, to be efficient and conserve as much water as possible.
 
Also, now is a good time to check your irrigation system for leaks so we can all do our part to reduce water usage while we await the rainy season and hopefully a replenishing of water levels.
 
If you’d like more information about the water restrictions please contact our Utilities Department: 941-263-6224.
Alert Sarasota County – Sign Up Now
While we all continue to focus on the recovery from COVID-19 and the ongoing state of emergency, it could be easy to lose sight of the Atlantic hurricane season, which is just around the corner again and begins June 1.

It’s a part of life here in Florida, though, and we all have a responsibility to remain prepared. One of the best ways to ensure that you and your family are ready is by signing up for Alert Sarasota County, a new mass-notification system that launched last week through a partnership with Sarasota County, its other municipalities and the state.

Alert Sarasota County, which replaces the CodeRED notification system , will be used to communicate public health and safety topics affecting our residents, including severe weather, sewage spills, boil water notices and more. Users can sign up to receive alerts via landline phone, cell phone, text message, email, TDD/TTY, smartphone app push notification, or a combination of these methods.

There are two ways to sign up and begin receiving alerts:

  • Download the free Everbridge mobile app. In the app, select "find organization or subscription," type “City of Sarasota” into the search bar and log in or register a new account. 
  • Create an account at AlertSarasotaCounty.com. 

Those who previously signed up for CodeRED should still sign up for a new Alert Sarasota County account and ensure that their contact information is correct. This is one of the best ways to improve your situational awareness in case of emergency and make sure you’ll get critical information you need to know.

For more information, go to AlertSarasotaCounty.com or call the Sarasota County Contact Center at 941-861-5000 and ask about Alert Sarasota County registration. 

Thank you to Emergency Manager Todd Kerkering for overseeing our City’s participation in the system with our state and regional partners and for all his work to make sure our community is prepared.
Public Service Recognition Week: May 3-9
Throughout this local state of emergency, we’ve been giving small nods of appreciation to our dedicated employees on the City’s social media pages with photos and posts using the hashtag #AtYourService. It’s a way of publicly thanking them for their hard work in service to our citizens while they contend with the personal and professional challenges of COVID-19.

This week has presented another opportunity to celebrate that service, as May 3-9 is Public Service Recognition Week . This nationwide movement began in 1985 as a way to honor the men and women who serve our nation as federal, state, county and local government employees.

The City Commission, myself and the adminstration's leadership team couldn’t be prouder of our City employees, who work hard every day to make Sarasota a safe, clean and well-run community. As government workers, they’re no strangers to being scrutinized by the taxpaying public. However, they mostly go unnoticed on a day-to-day basis as they deliver the services people expect – every time the tap water turns on, the toilet flushes, the trash gets picked up, the traffic signals function properly, the streets are patrolled, a Nextdoor question gets answered, the grass at the park gets watered and mowed, and on and on. Whether they’ve been out in the field or working remotely, they’ve all had to adapt to social distancing, new safety guidelines and a great deal of uncertainty while remaining committed to serving our city and its residents.

If you’re on Facebook , Twitter or Instagram , be sure to follow the City of Sarasota, and give a “like” or leave a comment of appreciation on some of the posts for #PublicServiceRecognitionWeek. It’s a small way of saying thank you to our hard-working professionals during these unprecedented times. 
"Sarasota Scene"
Norm Schimmel