THE $8 MILLION QUESTION
Sarasota County's 40-acre 17th Street Park, located at 2810 17th St., has facilities for baseball, football, tennis and BMX/Strider bike racing. Image courtesy Sarasota County
MONEY FREED UP BY A CHANGE IN THE COUNTY'S OPERATING
RESERVES POLICY IGNITES MORE DEBATE OVER HOW THE COUNTY
COMMISSION CAN BEST PUT THE FUNDS TO USE
By Rachel Brown Hackney
Editor
The Sarasota County commissioners remained
at an impasse this week over how exactly to
spend $8 million in one-time funds it freed up
with a May 14 vote to change its operating
reserves policy.
dation, he said, was for the county to spend
$1 million on software to update its financial
management system. The existing system was
implemented in 1995, he pointed out.
The upgrade would satisfy several recommenAlthough they focused on sports facilities, the dations the National Institute of Government
board members voiced opposing views over Purchasing had made regarding policy and
other revisions for the county in the wake of
the types and locations.
Purchasing Department improprieties discovDuring the commisered in 2011, Botelho
sion's June 12 budadded. "So it's a very
get workshop, Steve
Sports tourism has proven to be good investment."
Botelho, the county's
extremely beneficial to the community.
Then Commissioner
chief financial planJoe Barbetta reprised
ning officer, raised the
Joe Barbetta
Commissioner
a point he had made
matter of the $8 milSarasota County
during the board's May
lion. One recommen-