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Sarasota News Leader January 25, 2013 Page 59 CENSUS OF THE COUNTY'S HOMELESS TO BE TAKEN JAN. 28 The Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness will conduct the biennial census of homeless people in Sarasota County on Jan. 28, The Sarasota News Leader has learned. Richard Martin, the former executive director of the Partnership, announced at a Continuum of Care meeting in August that the "point-intime" census is required every two years by Results will be published in the spring as part the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban of a community report, Jackie McNeil, the Development. partnership's office manager, told the News Staff Reports Leader this week. SIESTA VILLAGE BOLLARDS PROJECT OUT FOR BIDS AGAIN After receiving no responses by the county's deadline, the Sarasota County Procurement Office put out another request for bids on Jan. 18, seeking contractors that can provide and install bollards to illuminate seven Siesta Village crosswalks. the feedback that the project is greater than $50,000, an advertised low bid process may be necessary." In an email update to the County Commission on Jan. 18, James K. Harriott Jr., the county's chief engineer, wrote, "A request for quotes was advertised for the purchase and installation of the lighting bollards at seven Siesta Village crosswalks. No quotes were received. At least one contractor indicated that their estimated bid was higher than the $50,000 limit for quotes and therefore by rule of the advertisement they did not submit a quote." After Sarasota County Commissioner Nora Patterson brought up the request to her fellow board members, concerns were raised about the cost and the exact type of lighting needed. County staff members worked with Van Roekens and Mark Smith, chairman of the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce; and Russell Matthes, the SKVA president and co-owner of the Daiquiri Deck, to arrange lighting demonstrations last summer. It was more than a year ago that Peter van Roekens, vice president of the Siesta Key Association and a Terrace East condominium The deadline for responses this time is Feb. complex representative to the Siesta Key Vil13, though one part of the solicitation on the lage Association, first asked about the possicounty's eProcure site says the time is noon, bility of illuminating the Village crosswalks. and the formal solicitation summary says 2:30 Van Roekens said during the Jan. 3, 2012 SKVA p.m. meeting that the poor lighting in parts of the Unlike the previous solicitation, this one does Village at night makes it difficult for drivers to not stipulate that bids be under $50,000. spot pedestrians crossing Ocean Boulevard. He added, "Staff is reviewing the request for Once the group settled on the type of bollard quotes to determine next step, but based on that seemed to work best, county staff began