Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/101651
Sarasota News Leader January 4, 2013 Page 23 the new housing in north Sarasota and the And then you have some of the younger entreNewtown neighborhood is impressive. preneurs gathering at The HuB, a private-sector business incubator. That is really cool and I went to [Sarasota Military Academy] last very promising, in terms of having some of week, an amazing place with almost a thouthese college and university minds to have a sand students. A gentleman donated $4 milchance to stay around and grow and flourish lion to build new classrooms. Ninety-two here and create some partnerships and maybe percent of the kids who start there graduate. transplant some business from the idea phase Ninety-seven percent go on to further educato the implementation phase. tion at the university [level]. There is a lot of volunteerism in this commuWhat strikes me is the human capital involved, nity. I was in northern Sarasota yesterday and the folks in Newtown pushing for a first-class dropped in on some of the high school training facility. It���s impressive what the African-Amerprograms in Newtown. I met an attorney who ican community has had to do, and some of was just retired and mentoring kids. I met a the rules students had to adhere to back in the successful businessman who had retired. He so-called day. was mentoring one-on-one, teaching math. The [Sarasota] Sailing Squadron is off the ra- There���s a lot of that. dar screen with a magnificent setting, teaching I toured Resurrection House; there���s 200 volkids how to sail and providing a lifelong opunteers there dealing with the homeless. You portunity [to sail]. All the way to the theaters, go to the Van Wezel [Performing Arts Hall], the plays and things. There���s something to do and all the folks supporting that facility. here all the time. SNL: In next few months, Sarasota will be What���s really impressive, I think, instead of my under new management, with a new pocity manager nameplate on the door, I should lice chief, a new human resources direcput up ���Complaint Department,��� because we tor, a new finance director and possibly a hear those things. But when I travel throughnew utilities director. Any thoughts about out the community, as I have in my first alhow you want to run this new team? most 100 days, the folks who chose to live here really love the place. Barwin: What I���ve tried to do and practice throughout my 30-year city management caOne of the other assets is the universities reer begins with personnel. On day one since here. I���ve had the chance to tour Ringling I began this career ��� and I���m biased because [College of Art and Design], New College and I���ve had pretty good success wherever I���ve meet the new president, and spent a couple been ��� it all begins with who you hire. We���re of hours with the chancellor of the University putting a lot of effort into hiring positive, proof South Florida: all impressive institutions ductive, talented people with a life vocation to with some growth plans. We���re a college town, be a part of an effective community-building and that seems to be an afterthought. You���d team. never know it; it���s a little asterisk. These are high-caliber, high-quality places. There���s some That���s not to say we wouldn���t recruit somenice growth potential there. body from the private sector if they were