Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/124273
Sarasota News Leader April 26, 2013 Page 44 small but hardly insignificant. The boiler in the Federal Building is scheduled for replacement, but funding is "undetermined." The air conditioning in the server room of the Information Technology Department in City Hall needs replacement, and the source of that funding is "undetermined," too, even though computers do not work when they overheat. In all, more than $4 million in proposed projects are in the "funding undetermined" category. At the same time, the City Hall elevator is at the end of its useful life, as is the one at the City Hall Annex, as are the fire alarms in both buildings. And the Municipal Auditorium needs its boiler replaced as well. MEANWHILE, DOWN ON THE DAIS Discussion of all these pages and pages of high- and low-cost expenses was jammed into less than 30 minutes, as commissioners appeared antsy to get home to dinner. Their afternoon had been consumed by listening to residents vent over homeless people panhandling and downtown noise issues. The members of the City Commission consider a matter during a meeting earlier this year. Photo by Norman Schimmel less Internet service available (so no email, either). After having slashed the city payroll by 30 percent to cope with the economic downturn, the city commissioners will often say, "We can't do that; there's not enough staff time." It has Then the commissioners listened to at least become a common refrain from the commishalf an hour of historical recitation about the sioners as they put off requests to study somerole of golf in Sarasota. That came courtesy thing. of an advisory board member who wants to But the commissioners kept their top staff — build a new clubhouse at the city-owned Bob- their ace managers, budgeters and financial by Jones Golf Club and rearrange all the holes. experts — cooling their heels on Tuesday, And no, the man did not have a clue where the twiddling their thumbs and waiting for the $8 million would come from. "peanut gallery" to empty so they could get Throughout these hours of vain testimony, at to work and brief their "masters" on plans to spend $384 million in public tax dollars over least 15 senior city staff members sat waiting the next few years. in the back of the chambers. A rough calculation came up with $2,150 in staff time burnt It was a very short discussion. Dinner was up waiting, with cellphones off and no wire- waiting. %