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Sarasota News Leader June 14, 2013 Page 46 town area. This is also separate from the funding for the Community Redevelopment Agency, which uses a different property tax mechanism to improve the downtown area. problem is lights in the trees. You're still going to have a constant maintenance problem. Be prepared to pay $15,000 to $20,000 in annual maintenance." Over the past several months, the DID struggled to keep the Five Points Park lighting system from failure. In May, it asked the original contractor, Synergy Lighting of Bradenton, to return with a bid for annual "guaranteed" maintenance. Mannausa then moved to "turn off what we have now." The motion passed unanimously. Matt Craig with Synergy was prepared to do that on June 11, but he was preempted by Tucker's proposal to seek bids on a new system. Craig warned the DID to stay focused on the issue and not get caught up in style. "You guys are missing the problem," he said. "The Lights-gone-bad is another blow to Sarasota's downtown park. After homeless people and vagrants began sleeping there, the city's Public Works staff removed all the park benches in an "experiment" that became permanent. Now the lights are off. % Afterward, DID Member Dr. Mark Kaufman moved to instruct Tucker to "send out an RFP, looking for lighting in the park." It, too, was approved unanimously. A Very Special Offer For Advertisers Purchase a full-page, advertising twelve pack between now and January 31st, 2013 and receive four of these fantastic SNL 16oz Tervis® Tumblers. Show your support for The Progressive Voice Of Southwest Florida around the house, around the office, wherever you go with these locally manufactured, high-quality insulated tumblers. Sales@SarasotaNewsLeader.com or (941) 227-1080 Advertisers must meet all terms and conditions of sale for the 12-pack advertising package. Limit of one set of four tumblers per advertiser. Offer is valid while supplies last. "Tervis" is a registered trademark of Tervis® Tumbler Company. The Sarasota News Leader is not affiliated with Tervis® Tumbler Company.