Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/194514
Sarasota News Leader October 18, 2013 Page 61 district], we will take the actions ourselves. Thanks," wrote Fineberg. While the email talks about "the past five years," it was Oct. 1 when Fineberg came to the DID board and asked for a last-minute $8,500 change in plans regarding new landscaping around the building. He was told he had been furnished with the landscaping plan in June, and it would take time to get a change order for the project. Chief City Planner Steve Stancel said during that meeting, "If Larry fronts the money, the commission could refund it at a later date." Feinberg replied, "I don't trust the commission." After this exchange, Fineberg said he had another meeting to attend and stormed out of the room. A Benderson Development Co. subsidiary owns the building at 1605 Main St. Image from Google Maps He said it would take an ordinance to Benderson pays $15,435.40 every year to the amend the district's boundaries to exclude DID as its portion of the district's property the Benderson subsidiary's property, called surtax. Feinberg served on the DID board as Sarasota Ellis Associates LLC. a founding member. The item came up as the last thing on the After the Oct. 1 discussion, Fineberg sent DID's Oct. 15 agenda, when members were Moran an email that afternoon saying, furnished with copies of the email exchanges "[T]his will formalize our conversation among Feinberg, Moran and Connolly. whereby Sarasota Ellis Associates, LLC as owner of properties located at 1605 Main After the meeting, DID member Dr. Mark Street and 1670 Second Street request Kauffman called his former colleague that these properties be removed from the Feinberg to work out a quid pro quo. The details could be ironed out at a meeting schedDowntown Improvement District." uled for Friday, Oct. 18, with Stancel, Moran Moran forwarded Feinberg's email to the City and Feinberg. Attorney's Office. A week later, Deputy City Attorney Mike Connolly responded, "This is a In effect, it is the deal Stancel outlined on unique situation. To my knowledge, no prop- Oct. 1. Benderson would pay $5,700 for the erty owner within a special district of the city change to the landscaping (basically for a has ever requested removal from the district." concrete pour instead of new plantings).