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Sarasota News Leader April 5, 2013 Page 56 COMMUNITY ORCHARD CEREMONY SET AT COLONIAL OAKS PARK Staff from Sarasota County Parks and Recreation and Sarasota County Extension will host the installation of the Community Orchard Project fence and plots at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 11, at Colonial Oaks Park, 5300 Colonial Oaks Blvd., Sarasota. food. Families will be invited to adopt various fruit trees such as pomegranate and lychee trees, among others. Extension staff will also provide classes and instruction on proper care and maintenance of the trees. The project, which is a partnership between For more information, contact the Sarasota Sarasota County and Home Depot, is intend- County Call Center at 941-861-5000, or visit ed to teach families about growing their own www.scgov.net. CITY FINANCE DEPARTMENT WINS PRESTIGIOUS BUDGET AWARD The City of Sarasota Finance Department recently was honored by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 2012-2013 fiscal year, the city has announced. "To be honored 23 years in a row with this award underscores the quality staff we have in the vitally important Finance Department," said City Manager Tom Barwin in the release. "As we continue to face challenging times with the budget, it is reassuring we have high-qualReceiving this award means the City of Sarasota's budget met or exceeded guidelines in ity professionals watching over the city's fifour categories: policy document, financial nances." plan, operations guide and communications More than 17,500 government finance profesdevice, a news release notes. sionals are served by the Government Finance Budget Manager Michelle Valentich was presented with the award, the release adds. This Officers Association, the release notes. Apis the 23rd consecutive year the city has re- proximately 1,000 received the Distinguished ceived the award. Budget Presentation Award, it adds. PUBLIC WELCOME AT AUSCS CHAPTER MEETING The Sarasota-Manatee Chapter of Americans The meeting is open to the public. United for Separation of Church and State will meet on April 11 at 2 p.m. in the Selby Library, For more information contact chapter Presi1331 First St., Sarasota. dent Rich Cannarelli at 735-0266. % The Sarasota News Leader No-Nonsense Reporting