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Sarasota News Leader August 2, 2013 Page 34 After the two fiascos, several of the department's managers resigned — including the utilities director. Reid hopes the review and a resulting report will help guide new managers that will soon be hired by the county. "We are recruiting for those vacancies," Reid said. "We want to give the new people some kind of game plan." The goal for the review, he added, is to provide "a guide for future managers" in the Environmental Utilities Department. After 90 days, consulting firm Management Partners, working with county officials, will wrap up the review and present a report to the county commissioners, said Reid, who called for the utilities department review. The review will cost $98,000. The issue of the backflow valves "increased the urgency" of an outside review of the department, noted Reid. A COMPLICATED OPERATION A chart shows how the Environmental UtiliReid described the review of one of the counties budget was broken down for the 2012 fisty's biggest divisions — a department that is cal year. Image courtesy Sarasota County a complicated operation, intense in capital fa"I expect changes," Reid said. "That is the cilities — as a good step. whole point of doing this." The review will include an analysis of the county's water and sewer systems as well as For example, the review could call for imthe Stormwater and Solid Waste divisions in provements to the department's Information the department, which has a budget of $168 Technology issues. Those would cost money million. Environmental Utilities has more than initially, but they could led to efficiencies in the department's billing division in the long 200 employees. run, Reid said. Sarasota County has about 80,000 water connections, 65,000 sewer connections and In addition to billing, the review will study 3,000 reuse connections. It began water ser- inspection services, repairs and maintenance vice in 1975 and operates eight wastewater efforts, the management structure within the treatment plants. department and staffing levels.