Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/105484
Sarasota News Leader January 25, 2013 Page 53 The extra beach maintenance money used to go into a beach renourishment fund. The County Commission first authorized the change in allocation in Fiscal Year 2010. That decision is up for review as part of the FY 2014 budget process, which will begin in February. He pointed out that the additional maintenance funding had been a factor in Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman — aka Dr. Beach — naming Siesta Key Public Beach No. 1 in the nation just before Memorial Day weekend in 2011. The funding has paid for 21,000 hours of contractual work, the equivalent of 12 extra full-time Doreen Buonpastore in the county's Office of staff members, he added. Financial Planning told the TDC members that the FY 2013 budget anticipates $523,000 from The money also enables county staff to prothe tax proceeds to be used for beach main- vide support for events on the beaches, Exner noted. tenance. "We don't make the headlines for emptying a trash can or cleaning a restroom," Edward Exner, manager of horticulture services for the county, added, "but, certainly, if that service is not provided, that's when we'll make the headlines." Referring to the earlier comment about beach renourishment money, Commissioner Nora Patterson, who chairs the TDC, pointed out that funds still are allocated from Tourist Development Tax revenue for beach renourishment. A chart from a Sarasota County Parks and Recreation Department presentation shows the impacts of losing extra revenue that has been allocated for beach maintenance over the past couple of years. Chart courtesy Sarasota County