Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/203490
Sarasota News Leader November 1, 2013 negotiations with the principals of the firm, who wanted a two-year lease, instead of the 12-month term offered in the contract. The final email suggesting the change in the contract was sent from the personal attorney of Dr. Grigory Pogrebinsky — one of the WMS Sarasota Management principals — to North Port City Manager Jonathan Lewis. It came after city officials rejected the firm's pleas for more repairs at Warm Mineral Springs before the firm reopened the facilities. During the North Port City Commission's regular meeting on Oct. 28, Lewis pointed out that the city board already had a workshop set for Dec. 2, so they could begin discussing the long-term plan for Warm Mineral Springs Page 55 that day. However, the commissioners could reach no consensus on whether they should tackle the resort topic then or have Lewis schedule a separate workshop. It was about 16 months ago — July 2012 — when the County and City commissions agreed to pursue an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) so they could receive proposals for development of the resort. The election of DiFranco and Cheryl Cook to the North Port Commission in November 2012 gave that board a new majority — with Mayor Linda Yates — that was desirous of preserving Warm Mineral Springs in a park-like nature. The city and county bought the property together for $5.5 million in 2010. A solicitation this summer for a short-term operator for Warm Mineral Springs included this map of the property. Image courtesy City of North Port