Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/129431
Sarasota News Leader May 10, 2013 In a 3-2 vote on Dec. 18, 2012, Cook, North Port Mayor Linda Yates and North Port Commissioner Rhonda DiFranco agreed to sell Warm Mineral Springs, which the city and the county jointly purchased in 2010. In January, a subsequent vote specified they wanted to sell the city's share of the resort instead of pursuing the Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) on the future management of the springs that the North Port and County Commissions had settled on in July 2012. Cook and DiFranco were elected to the North Port Commission in November 2012. In an email she sent to Lewis at 5:46 a.m. on May 6, Cook wrote, "I would like a copy, please, of the draft Interlocal that you received Friday from the county regarding the Page 17 [Warm Mineral Springs] discussed in the conflict resolution meeting. Thank you." In an email he subsequently sent to all the North Port commissioners on May 6, Lewis reported that he had received a request for the draft "as well as my response. Please find them attached." He added, "Please remember that the County was doing [a] version [of the agreements] to get the ball rolling between staff so a document could be provided to both Commissions. … Also please be aware that these documents have been redrafted multiple times since these were created and both the County staff and the City staff are still working to develop documents that reflect the intent of the Commissions at the joint meeting [on April 17]," Lewis added. A class exercises in the water at Warm Mineral Springs. Image courtesy City of North Port