Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/235968
Sarasota News Leader January 3, 2014 Page 21 with a facilitator seems the logical next step, During its first Fiscal Year 2014 budget workthe county board decides. shop, in late February, the Sarasota City commissioners learn their spending plan begins with a $4.8 million deficit that will have The County Commission votes unanimously to be filled. By law, the city's budget must be on Feb. 27 to authorize the transfer of $245,000 balanced. Chris Lyons, the former city finance from the Tourist Development Promotion director who is helping new Finance Director Fund Reserves to the Visit Sarasota County John Lege, tells the commissioners, "You have Fiscal Year 2013 budget to assist in Benderson to make some tough decisions. … The botPark's pursuit of the 2017 World Rowing tom line is, cut staff or use the fund balance Championships bid. Virginia Haley, president [reserves]. And that's only good for two more of Visit Sarasota County, and Paul Blackketter, years." The "revenue stabilization fund" — a executive director of planning for Benderson fancy name for "reserves" — is estimated to Development Co., say the event could have a stand at $2.9 million when the 2014 fiscal year $24 million economic impact on Sarasota and begins. Commissioner Shannon Snyder says Manatee counties. Blackketter has empha- he has "no appetite for a tax increase" and sized the $24 million is a conservative number. suggests "the county is going to have to pick Blackketter appeared before the commission up the cost of some of this stuff, or eventually on Feb. 12 to explain the timeline to which they're going to get all of it." the nonprofit Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center Associates (SANCA) has to adhere to submit a formal bid in late May. Saying it appears project teams are designing structures "to a standard that is unreasonably The effort gets under way to make Benderson Park the site for the 2017 World Rowing Championships, well beyond the scope of the regional regattas it has been hosting. Photo by Norman Schimmel