Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/166173
Sarasota News Leader September 6, 2013 Page 56 The motion also called for a re-examination cuts?" Patterson asked Anderson at one point of the scope of work and the re-solicitation of during the discussions. bids for lower-cost alternatives in the mowing Mowing had become more frequent in the resprogram. Without that reduced scope, Steve idential zones, Anderson told her. Previously, Botelho, the county's chief financial planning he said, contracts called for quarterly mowing officer, told the commissioners, the county in those areas; now it is done monthly. would run out of its economic uncertainty reserve fund in the 2015 fiscal year instead What led to the change, he explained, was of FY 2016. The exthat the county began tra expense would logging more calls from leave a shortfall in We do our best to evaluate their residents complaining the FY 2015 budget of resources as far as staff and equipment and about grass growing too $1,846,600, he noted. their ability to produce a schedule that tall in yards. The situaIf the contracts were shows us they can get the job done. But in tion made it difficult for renewed at the levthe end, we cannot run the business for them. county Code Enforceels approved on Aug. ment staff to cite peo28, he continued, the Spencer Anderson ple in neighborhoods Director board would be lookfor letting their lawn Field Services Department ing at a budget hole grass grow higher than Sarasota County of $27,054,092 in FY 12 inches, as provided 2016 and a shortin the county code. People pointed to county fall of $22,492,264 in FY 2017 — barring any rights of way where grass was taller than that, changes in revenue and other expenses. Anderson said. When Commissioner Christine Robinson asked whether it would be feasible for county staff to take over the zones abandoned this summer, Anderson responded that it would not. When Patterson then asked whether such residential service is provided in all unincorporated areas of the county, Anderson responded, "As it is required." "A lot of people mow that [county right of The day before, Patterson voiced her reluc- way] themselves," Patterson pointed out. tance to approve the contracts. Nonetheless, "Yes, ma'am," Anderson replied. she said, "If you're not a well-kept county and a well-kept area, I don't know why anybody Most municipalities require in their codes that homeowners mow city rights of way, Patterwould invest here for a home or business." son added. RESIDENTIAL RIGHTS OF WAY AND DITCHES "I brought that up years ago," she continued, "and nobody [on the County Commission at "Have we changed our standards in the last that time] really wanted to change [the county few years to make them require more frequent code]."