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Sarasota News Leader August 2, 2013 Page 58 "[T]hat is something that is a challenge," he SPECIAL SITUATIONS pointed out. One other topic Knight broached with the To prepare for that, Hawkins said, Knight is County Commission during the presentation sending most of his sergeants to command was the need for more manpower in coming school to prepare them for higher-ranking po- years to assist with events at Nathan Benderson Park, located off University Parkway, and sitions. the increased number of people who will be Regarding salaries, Hawkins explained to the shopping at the new mall and other businesses County Commission that he sent a survey out under construction in that area. to counties around the state in December and began getting answers in January to compile Knight said he already was leaning toward the idea of having a specially trained group of offihis data. cers based in that part of the county, just as he The annual pay of a Sarasota County deputy has officers on Siesta Key who are well versed ranges from $28,520 to $72,821, according to in the ordinances that apply to situations at Hawkins' report. The average minimum, he Siesta Public Beach, for example. said, is $40,000, while the average statewide If Benderson Park wins the 2017 World Rowis $38,300. However, Hillsborough County, for ing Championships bid, Knight continued, his example, pays $44,881 a year as an average officers also will see more and more residents minimum, and Collier County pays $41,645. coming from other countries to train and comA negative factor, he noted, is that the maxi- pete at the facility in the future. mum Sarasota County salary for a deputy is "We're certainly going to travel to some of $60,889, which is about $2,000 less than the these other [rowing] venues," Knight added, to get a sense of what can be expected in dealing average for other departments. with international rowing teams. Maj. Kevin Over the next three to five years, Hawkins Kenney, who traveled with the county delegacontinued, Knight will be talking with the tion to Washington, D.C., this spring to lobby County Commission about adjusting salary for federal support of the Benderson bid for steps for his deputies. the 2017 event, already has been talking with For lieutenants, the beginning salary is on the representatives of the U.S. Olympic Committee, for example, Knight added. low range of the comparison scale, he said, though the top salary level is among the high- "For me, it isn't about keeping it safe," Knight said. er ones in the counties surveyed. "It's about keeping things from happening …" % The Sarasota News Leader No-Nonsense Reporting