Sarasota News Leader
May 17, 2013
Page 52
by the Community AIDS Network, the release Free refreshments will be provided.
says.
For more information, call 256-6620 or visit
Attendees also will be able to view The Florida www.hivsarasota.org. For information about
Department of Health's mobile exhibit, Faces
of HIV, which uses art to examine the stig- health initiatives in the Newtown Communima, personal relationships and medical care ty, visit the Community Health Improvement
Partnership website, www.Chip4health.org.
issues connected to HIV, the release adds.
APPLICANTS SOUGHT FOR REVITALIZED NUISANCE ABATEMENT BOARD
"As the Sarasota Police Department implements a fresh partnership policing strategy
throughout the City of Sarasota," a city news
release says, "the Nuisance Abatement Board
is being revitalized to handle complaints about
nuisance properties."
Nuisance Abatement Board meetings are held
the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m.
at City Hall, 1565 First St. The board has been
unable to take action on complaints since December 2012 because of the lack of a quorum,
the release points out. Although a quorum
Two seats are open on the board, the release now exists, two seats still remain vacant.
adds. City residents with an interest in ridding
"We need a fully appointed Nuisance Abateneighborhoods of crime are encouraged to apment Board," said Police Chief Bernadette
ply.
DiPino in the release. "A citizens board like
The Nuisance Abatement Board, comprising this is part of community policing," she addseven city residents, hears cases concerning ed. "[The Sarasota Police Department] can't
properties deemed public nuisances because do it alone. The board is already established.
of "the use or sale of illegal drugs, prostitution, We just need individuals who are interested
street gang activity and/or stolen property," in taking back their neighborhoods to serve."
the release explains. The board can impose
fines on property owners and seek to collect To submit an application online click here. To
payments to cover the cost of investigations download an application, click here.
conducted by law enforcement officers, the
For more information about the Nuisance
release notes.
Abatement Board or any of the city's advisory
"The Nuisance Abatement Board is an excel- boards, contact the Office of the City Auditor
lent tool to help our residents and police of- and Clerk at 954-4160.
ficers make our neighborhoods safer," said
City Manager Tom Barwin in the release. "The CORRECTION
board needs to be revitalized and used effectively. We're looking for residents who want to Because of an editing error, a letter to the
be part of our new collaborative partnership editor from Paul Cajka in the May 10 issue
policing effort and will dedicate a few hours referred to the Council of Neighborhood Aseach month to hearing cases and making de- sociations. The writer actually was referring
terminations about problem properties," he to CCNA, the Coalition of City Neighborhood
added in the release.
Associations.
