Siesta Seen
The officers explained that on Avenida de
Mayo, they are working to find out whether
the owners of vehicles parked illegally are
new renters or homeowners on the street, he
pointed out. Education is the key to keeping
those people from continuing to park illegally,
the Sheriff's Office representatives explained.
"I'm not going to argue with that point," Shay
said, adding, "Both sides got to understand
where the other side is coming from."
I also learned late last week that county staff
has posted two more "No Parking" signs on
Avenida de Mayo and repositioned an exist-
ing sign. Residents credited Shay for his
persistence in helping them address their
frustrations about the signage.
As for the homeless on the island: Quite a
bit of discussion on that topic arose during
the SKA's June meeting. Through the years,
numerous complaints have been lodged
regarding Lance, the fellow who sits in a
wheelchair by the roadside on the north-
ern end of the island. Over the past couple
of years, he has tended to stay close to the
vacant, Gulf-side lot across Ocean Boulevard
from Givens Street.
Sgt. Scott Osborne, who heads up the Sheriff's
Office's Siesta Key Substation, has told SKA
audiences that Lance is not crippled, that
deputies know he can walk and have seen
him do so.
Most regulars on the northern end of the Key
are well aware of the fact that people provide
handouts to Lance, an action that the commu-
nity's Texas-based homelessness consultant,
Robert Marbut, has argued must end if a come-
as-you-are shelter for adults is constructed.
When more complaints about Lance arose
at the June 5 SKA meeting, Deputy Chris
McGregor pointed out that Lance does not
violate laws, to the knowledge of deputies.
One time Lance was cited for having an open
container of alcohol, McGregor noted, but
Lance "took care of the charge."
Furthermore, McGregor said, "Lance has lots
of friends out here on the island" who give
him food and rides.
McGregor added that it also is not against the
law for Lance to stay on the public sidewalk
in his wheelchair.
Finally, McGregor said, "Every time that I have
talked to him, he has been nice and polite."
Other complaints about homeless people
have been aired over the past several months,
including reports of inappropriate activity
near the north end of the Village.
Shay told me the Sheriff's Office also is
addressing problems reported with the home-
less on the island.
"It was definitely a positive meeting," he
added of the July 15 get-together. %
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Sarasota News Leader July 25, 2014 Page 75
