Sarasota News Leader
January 3, 2014
recommended to receive a one-year contract
to operate the facility. That is the decision of
the Sarasota County Commission on Sept. 10.
Although the North Port City Commission on
Sept. 9 approved awarding the contract to
WMS Sarasota Management LLC — one of
just two bidders — county commissioners
seek assurance that the firm's officers have
clean criminal and business records. The
City of North Port is open to more extensive
background checks, Sarasota County Parks
and Recreation Director Carolyn Brown
tells the county board. In fact, Vice Mayor
James Blucher made that a part of his motion
on Monday, which passed on a 3-1 vote.
Therefore, according to a motion put forward
by County Commissioner Nora Patterson on
Sept. 10, County Commission Chairwoman
Carolyn Mason will not execute the agreement
Page 93
with WMS Sarasota Management until after
County Administrator Randall Reid and North
Port City Manager Jonathan Lewis have completed their research. The motion passes
unanimously.
Former Republican Party of Sarasota County
Chairman Bob Waechter's criminal trial will
not start until Oct. 21, but in the meantime,
the Florida Elections Commission has found
"probable cause" of an election law violation and fined him $750. Prosecutors charged
Waechter late last year with Criminal Use
of Personal Identification Information, a
third-degree felony, for allegedly making
donations to two 2012 Democratic candidates,
Keith Fitzgerald and Liz Alpert, in the name
of Sarasota County Council of Neighborhood
In September, the Sarasota County and the City of North Port commissions believed they were close to
hiring a short-term operator for Warm Mineral Springs. Image courtesy Sarasota County
