Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/198837
Sarasota News Leader October 25, 2013 Page 47 "We can try again and we can spend hours operation that has a lot of defects right now, and hours and hours and days and thousands and we haven't corrected all those defects." of dollars in staff time and still not get anyIn an Oct. 9 email to North Port Manager where," Hines pointed out. Lewis, Pogrebinsky referenced a facilities Referring to Yates, Cook and DiFranco, assessment issued by the engineering firm Barbetta said, "They've forgotten that [Warm Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. of Sarasota Mineral Springs] is a $5.5 million asset owned that detailed numerous problems at Warm by 390,000 people [the county population]." Mineral Springs. Hines added that he feared the boards would end up back in mediation, as they had in April after months of dispute. "It's the same three people that are controlling it; the minority's controlling the majority here," he concurred with Barbetta about the three North Port board members. Barbetta indicated that if the boards had agreed at the outset to utilize an ITN process for the short-term management, the Springs might be open already. "We've got an operator ready and willing to perform," Barbetta said. "We're only apart by a few items. And now we're going to walk Hines continued, "We can't do anything about away and start over and wait another 60, 90 to that until potentially there is a new election 120 days" before the resort can reopen. in the City of North Port that changes that [board makeup]. But that's up to the citizens In addressing the County Commission, of North Port to make that decision. They Assistant North Port City Manager Daniel may agree with those three people to say, 'We Schult pointed out that the interlocal agreement the two boards agreed to in June called want it to be a park.'" for North Port to handle the solicitation for Patterson was the one who finally made the bids. Therefore, city administrative staff had motion to send the letter Robinson proposed. felt it would be inappropriate to change the "And, boy, we'd better rattle the bushes, terms of that process when Pogrebinsky because we didn't get a lot of participation sought to do so. previously" with the bid process during the County Commissioner Robinson reminded summer. Barbetta that when the interlocal agreement Only one other firm put in a bid on the short- was executed, the feeling was that a bid proterm operation. County Parks and Recreation cess would be the fastest way to get Warm Department Director Carolyn Brown told the Mineral Springs back open. board Tuesday that she had confirmed that Nonetheless, she told Barbetta, "I agree company no longer was interested. with you, actually. This needs to be a negoEarlier in the discussion, Barbetta pointed tiation. This is not a one-size-fits-all piece of out, "We're asking somebody to come into an property." %