Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/203490
Sarasota News Leader November 1, 2013 Page 52 He added of the contract, "I think we should purchase from this vendor … and it's not be putting this back out on the street and find actually adding shelters." a Florida firm and find out how Manatee does "Some of us may not even want to allow that [a bus shelter] for $9,000." ability," Robinson told her. "Is there a probEven the cost of a garbage can for a bus lem with waiting two weeks?" shelter was high, as indicated by SCAT docu"I'm not aware of any," Skwire-Cline mentation for the Brasco contract, he pointed responded. out. For a 20-gallon can, he noted, the expense was $275; for a 32-gallon can, $645. "These Commissioner Nora Patterson concurred with Barbetta in wanting details about the prices just seem all over the place." cost of the Manatee shelters, including the He had seen the Manatee County shelters, supplier. he continued. "They're really nice," he noted, and each includes a garbage can, solar power "The main difference is on the size, width," and a bench. "And we need bus shelters really Carter told her. Smaller, more narrow shelters can be installed in Sarasota County bad." "where there is very limited right of way," she That was when Carter stepped to the added, and those are less expensive. "We recpodium. The Nov. 6 discussion, she told the ognize that some areas may require more site board, would include detailed comparisons improvement." of Sarasota's bus shelter costs to those in Manatee County, as well as information about If Sarasota County installed shelters only at the chickees. "Staff has provided a very thor- SCAT stops with sidewalks already present and no drainage issues, Patterson noted, the ough analysis," she added. expense would be less. "We really do need to Then Commissioner Christine Robinson compare apples to apples," she added of the asked whether the board could postpone a Manatee/Sarasota costs. decision on the bus shelter contract amend"Absolutely," Carter told her. ment until that date. Barbetta also asked Carter to research Rebekka Skwire-Cline, SCAT's procurement whether any Florida firms could provide shelofficial, replied, "It's not that we couldn't ters to the county. postpone it." The problem, she added, is that the contract already had expired, so it had "Sure," Carter responded. become a matter of retroactive renewal. On a motion by Robinson, the board voted Skwire-Cline also pointed out, "I think that unanimously to delay a decision on the conthis amendment … doesn't obligate us to tract amendment until Nov. 6. %