Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/108313
Sarasota News Leader February 8, 2013 Page 92 Siesta Seen know what we're going to do with that. But it's really less important than [avoiding] beach for sure going to delay the project." closures." The latest update to the commissioners that I could find from Chief Engineer James K. Harriott Jr. was issued on Jan. 28. It said, "Capital Projects staff has ... Environmental Services/ Utilities (Jody Kirkman) staff [preparing] to finalize a report to administration and the Board. The report provides the history of the project (piping the stormwater into the Gulf), results of the recent bids, and how the bids relate to the project estimate." The stormwater project was designed to prevent future situations like those that had arisen in the past, with runoff from Beach Road and the beach parking lot creating such high bacterial counts in the Gulf of Mexico that the Sarasota County Health Department had to post "No Swimming" signs on Siesta Public Beach. Patterson added that, according to her understanding of the project, the most expensive portion of it is the construction of the pipeline into the Gulf of Mexico to discharge overflow effluent from the new stormwater collection pond. Patterson told members of the Siesta Key Condominium Council during their Jan. 15 meeting that the stormwater project had been set to begin just after Easter, which is March 31. (The holiday generally is considered the end That effluent is to be treated by ultraviolet of the winter tourist season.) light before it is carried offshore. When Siesta Key Association Director Michael Shay asked Patterson about the fate of When SKVA President Russell Matthes asked the grant for the project that had been com- how far the pipeline will extend into the gulf, mitted by the Southwest Florida Water Man- Patterson said she thought the distance was agement District, Patterson said county staff about "2,000 feet or so." had been working with SWFWMD represen- She added, "The permits are very specific as tatives to keep them apprised of the delays. to the engineering of that thing." "They like the project," she added, indicating her hopefulness they would continue to work Then Mark Smith said he had talked recently with county staff to keep the funds in place. with a landscape architect in the Kimley-Horn and Associates firm, which has been the counSWFWMD has committed up to $975,000 to ty's consultant on the beach park beautificathe project, with the funds to be reimbursed tion project. He had asked the architect why to the county when the project is complete. the treated stormwater could not be used for "As far as I'm concerned," Patterson pointed irrigation of the new park landscaping as well out, "the beautification of the beach [park] is as to "hose down the parking lot every night."