Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/170820
Sarasota News Leader September 13, 2013 Page 61 TDT penny for two years and possibly take the remaining $200,000 from another fund set up to pay back the bond issue it used to fund improvements at Ed Smith Stadium as part of the deal to bring the Baltimore Orioles to Sarasota for spring training. Patterson said she also had discussed the situation with Virginia Haley, president of Visit Sarasota County (VSC), who indicated the VSC board would be agreeable to the commission's using the TDT money for the BMX facility. Because of the need to move forward quickly with the BMX project, Patterson continued — with another Florida city interested in building a track with the features proposed for Sarasota — Schneider said the commission could borrow the money now from the beach renourishment fund toward which another portion of TDT revenue goes. That loan could be paid back from the other TDT revenue pot, Patterson added. The beach renourishment money would not be needed in the next two years, Patterson pointed out. That would leave the $8 million "for some later discussions," she said. Commissioner Joe Barbetta contemplates budget material during a June workshop. File photo of the TDT revenue to pay for as much of the BMX project as possible. Robinson seconded the motion. Both she and Barbetta thanked Patterson for the effort she put into the research. At some future point, Barbetta said, he would like for the board to discuss increasing the amount of TDT revenue that can be used for capital projects — possibly raising it from 12.5 percent to as much as 25 percent. (See the related article in this issue.) He pointed out that TDT revenue is up about 11 percent yearto-date, so the board should utilize more of it on other projects that could generate a good return on investment, such as new soccer and lacrosse fields in the county. When Barbetta asked County Attorney Stephen DeMarsh to weigh in on Patterson's proposal, DeMarsh replied, "It is doable. It will require a minor amendment to the [TDT] ordinance …" If the board had that discussion, Robinson told him, she would prefer it came after Haley Patterson made a motion to direct County and her board, as well as the county's TourAdministrator Randall Reid to work with the ism Development Council, had opportunities Office of the County Attorney and other staff to weigh in first. to prepare a plan "as quickly as possible" that would encumber the aforementioned portion Barbetta was agreeable to that. %