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From the Desk of Sarasota
City Manager Tom Barwin
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PHOTO OF THE WEEK
Congratulations to At-Large City Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch, appointed unanimously by her fellow City Commissioners to serve as Mayor for the next year! Congratulations also are in order for District 3 Commissioner Shelli Freeland Eddie who is now Vice Mayor. Both were selected for these positions during an annual statutory meeting on Friday. We look forward to the year ahead with the new Mayor, Vice Mayor and the entire City Commission as we work on an array of community initiatives and projects to make Sarasota the best city it can be.
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Historic Preservation
Tuesday, Nov. 12 - 3 p.m.
City Hall - Commission Chambers
Agenda
- St. Armands BID
Tuesday, Nov. 12 - 8:30 a.m.
City Hall Annex - SRQ Media Studio
Agenda
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Public Art Committee
Tuesday, Nov. 12 - 1 p.m.
City Hall - Commission Chambers
Agenda
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Planning Board
Wednesday, Nov. 13 - 6 p.m.
City Hall - Commission Chambers
Agenda
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This Week's Items to Know:
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1.
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Veterans Day - Holiday Hours
The City of Sarasota will observe the national Veterans Day holiday next Mon., November 11. While administrative offices will be closed as we pause to recognize those who have served in our nation's armed forces, many City employees will be working including Parks and Recreation, Utilities, SPD and Public Works.
The Solid Waste Division within the Public Works Department will collect garbage, recycling and yard waste as usual on Veterans Day, so bring your materials curbside for pickup.
Many of the City's recreational facilities will be open with limited hours, so we encourage you to check
holiday schedules before heading out.
The Box Office at our
Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with tickets to all shows from Broadway to variety to holiday splendor on sale.
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2.
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Veterans Day Parade - 11/11 at 10 a.m.
We hope you can join us for a traditional parade down Main Street honoring the service and bravery of our military veterans.
Organized by the Sarasota Patriotic Observance Committee, the parade begins at 10 a.m. at Main St. and Osprey Ave. and concludes at Chaplain J.D. Hamel Park (Main St. and Gulfstream Ave.)
This year's theme is "All gave some. Some gave all. Though we may
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The Sarasota Military Academy and local ROTC
groups will march in the parade.
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not know them all, we owe them all." The parade will feature color guards, local high school marching bands, veterans, public safety officers, local dignitaries and elected officials including our very own District 1 City Commissioner Willie Shaw who served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam era.
We hope to see Main Street lined with parade goers of all ages honoring our veterans.
At the end of the parade, a ceremony will begin at approximately 11 a.m. The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month recognizes the signing of the armistice to end World War I. Over time and with more battles and conflicts, Armistice Day became observed as Veterans Day in the U.S.
The ceremony's keynote speaker will be retired U.S. Army Col. Michael P. Ryan who served at the highest levels for the Army and Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. He recently retired from the Sarasota Military Academy after teaching for ten years.
To accommodate the parade, temporary street closures will be in place starting at 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 11, including no on-street parking. Streets will reopen as the parade passes by with all streets open by 12:30 p.m. Everything you need to know about street closures is one click away.
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3.
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2020 Census - Community Outreach Earlier this week, then-Mayor Liz Alpert and Commissioner Shelli Freeland Eddie joined Florida TaxWatch at City Hall to talk with local media outlets about the importance of the upcoming 2020 Census and the financial impact of ensuring every person in the city limits is counted.
$676 billion in federal spending is distributed to the states through 132 separate programs based on population as well as gender, age, race and other factors. When you respond to the census, you help make sure we receive our community's fair share of funding.
TaxWatch, a government watchdog organization in existence for the
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(L to R): Sen. Pat Neal, Florida TaxWatch Chairman, Commissioner Shelli Freeland Eddie, then-Mayor Liz Alpert, Dominic Calabro, Florida TaxWatch CEO
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past 40 years, believes Florida experienced the fourth largest undercount during the 2000 Census. That translated into billions of federal dollars lost -- funds that should have gone toward much-needed infrastructure improvements, public safety, and the underserved in our community including children, senior citizens, minorities and homeless.
Understanding the critical need for an accurate count, the City Commission recently appointed a diverse 10-member Complete Count Committee from neighborhoods, businesses, faith based organizations, nonprofits, and many other groups. Their goal will be to heighten awareness in our diverse city about the 2020 Census and develop partnerships with local organizations that are trusted in the community and will help get every person counted. Several neighborhoods in Sarasota have been historically under-represented and served, and those areas will be a priority to be counted on Census Day, April 1, 2020. We will benefit the most as a community when everyone is counted.
The 2020 Census will be the first time responses are allowed online. A 1-800 number also will be available to give answers over the phone. Households that do not respond by early April may be visited by a census worker trained to collect data and enter it into a smart phone. Because the 2020 Census is emphasizing online participation, extra efforts will be made to reach out to those in our community who may not have internet access, as Commissioner Freeland Eddie explains in the video clip below.
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| Soundbites from the joint news conference with Florida TaxWatch |
Some of the census questions that will be asked:
It's important to note responses are confidential and cannot be shared with other agencies including law enforcement and immigration. Personal identifiable information collected cannot be released for 72 years after the census.
A half-million temporary census workers will be hired to carry out the 2020 Census. More information on census jobs is at
Many thanks to Commissioner Freeland Eddie for her leadership with this important issue and to all those volunteering their time to ensure an accurate count.
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4.
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US 41-Fruitville Rd Roundabout Detours for the US 41-Fruitville Rd roundabout will begin very soon and we're encouraging residents and visitors to plan ahead.
Starting Wednesday, Nov. 27, two notable, temporary traffic restrictions will occur:
(1) No SB US 41 to EB Fruitville Rd - Southbound US 41 traffic will not be able to turn left to head eastbound on Fruitville Rd. This will be in effect for most of the duration of the construction project. As a detour, consider using 10th St. or Boulevard of the Arts.
(2) No NB US 41 to WB Boulevard of the Arts - Northbound US 41 traffic will not be able to turn left to go westbound on Boulevard of the Arts. U-turns will not be permitted. This left turn lane is expected to be restored in late January 2020.
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Starting Nov. 27, SB US 41 traffic will be not be allowed to turn left onto EB Fruitville Rd.
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Electronic message boards will be in place very soon to provide advance notice to drivers. We encourage you to plan ahead and begin formulating alternative routes.
Recently, you may have noticed earthmovers working just to the west of US 41. Crews are creating a bypass which will move US 41 motorists away from the construction zone. Traffic will be maintained along US 41 throughout the project. And, the evacuation route from NB US 41 to EB Fruitville Rd. will remain open.
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5.
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John Ringling Blvd - No Median Parking
Planning to visit St. Armands Circle this weekend? Be advised that parking is not permitted in the medians along John Ringling Boulevard.
For everyone's safety, please park in the designated on-street spaces, or better yet, in the new St. Armands Garage, where we've added hundreds of new parking spots to this bustling area of the City.
At just 50 cents an hour and conveniently located on North Adams Drive just a block away from the shops and eateries on the Circle, parking in the garage is safer and easier than illegally parking in the grass medians and attempting to walk where there are no sidewalks or crosswalks.
Thanks for observing these important safety regulations, and enjoy your time at this world-class destination right here in our special city. And remember:
park smart, park safe and park happy!
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The new St. Armands Garage is a safe and convenient parking option.
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Van Wezel: Tickets on Sale Now!
Dwight Yoakam
Straight No Chaser: The Open Bar Tour
Sunday, Nov. 17
Tickets
Latin History for Morons
Tuesday, Nov. 19
Tickets
Cirque Dreams Holidaze
Friday, Nov. 22
Saturday, Nov. 23
Tickets
Dave Koz and Friends Christmas Tour 2019
Friday, Nov. 29
Tickets
Sebastian Maniscalco: You Bother Me
Saturday, Nov. 30
Tickets
The Book of Mormon
January 7-12, 2020
Tickets
Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020
Tickets
Johnny Mathis - The Voice of Romance Tour
Thursday, April 16, 2020
Tickets
The Bachelor Live on Stage
Thursday, May 7, 2020
Tickets
To purchase tickets over the phone call 941-953-3368 or stop by the Box Office at 777 N.Tamiami Trail.
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CityNews@SarasotaFL.Gov
Tom Barwin
City Manager
941-954-4102
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