Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/116876
Sarasota News Leader March 22, 2013 men site for commercial office or industrial use, in preparation for selling it. He suggested the board hold off on that rezoning until it decides how to proceed with new facilities for the Sheriff���s Office. Page 24 Knight said that was fine. He added, ���I don���t have all the answers on property. ��� We need to do something. ��� We���ve probably waited too long already.��� THE EOC PLAN ���I���ve been waiting for that [rezoning and land sale] for two-and-a-half years,��� Barbetta said, Barbetta also raised concern that county staff ���and I just don���t think this is the place to put should have considered earlier the possibilgovernment buildings.��� ity of combining the EOC itself with a new Patterson agreed with Gable. If there existed administrative facility for the Sheriff���s Office. ���even a 25 percent chance [the rezoning is] ���We���re doing this piecemeal plan that���s driving not the direction you���re going to go,��� she said, me crazy,��� he added. it is better to wait. ���It certainly isn���t such a hot [real estate] market, unless you know of Then Patterson asked for an update on the a buyer ��� that will come in at a reasonable EOC. price��� for that parcel, she told Barbetta. Assistant County Administrator Tom Harm���What I���m trying to avoid doing is what I���ve er explained the facility is at the 60 percent seen governments do numerous times ��� what design phase and the firm the board had apmakes them really lousy land speculators,��� proved hiring to handle the project as a conPatterson continued: ���Buy high and sell low.��� struction manager (CM) at risk already has She added, ���The worst thing to do is to sell reviewed the plans. (A construction manager the property in a down market and then have at risk hires subcontractors and makes certain to buy a property in an up market in order to a project comes in at or below budget.) meet [our] needs.��� The CM at risk���s representative found the de���First of all,��� Barbetta said, ���I���m not suggestsign was $4 million over budget, Harmer coning we buy any property whatsoever.��� tinued, as reported during the County ComHe added that he would guess the cost of mission���s Feb. 8 budget workshop. the new structures for the Sheriff���s Office, as shown in Gable���s diagram, would be between Already, he said, revisions in the design have $150 million and $200 million. ���We don���t have reduced the overage by about 50 percent. the money to do it. I���m trying to raise money The board will hear an update in April, Harmto do that,��� he pointed out, by selling couner added. ty-owned property in desirable locations. Commissioner Christine Robinson suggested a deadline be imposed on staff looking at alternative county-owned sites for the Sheriff���s Office facilities. ���I think we���re a little far down the line to start talking about designing it cooperatively with a sheriff���s facility we don���t have the money to build,��� Patterson said of the EOC. %