Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/268408
Just three days before bids were due for the short-term operation of Warm Mineral Springs, one Sarasota County commissioner expressed serious doubts about whether that board and the North Port City Commission would be able to award a long-term management con- tract for the resort by the deadline the county set in December. A s s i s t a n t C o u n t y A d m i n i s t r a t o r L e e Ann Lowery told the County Commission at the end of its Feb. 21 budget workshop that county and North Port city staff working together on a revised Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) for the long-term contract planned to have it ready to advertise in April. In a Dec. 10 vote, the County Commission set Aug. 31 as the ending date for a short-term operation of the swimming area at Warm Mineral Springs. At that time, North Port Mayor James Blucher w a s o p t i m i s t i c i t would take only a cou- ple more weeks before the long-term solic- itation package was ready to be released. Swimmers enjoyed the swimming area at Warm Mineral Springs before it closed at the end of June 2013. Image courtesy Sarasota County A REQUEST FOR LONG-TERM PROPOSALS FOR WARM MINERAL SPRINGS PROBABLY WILL NOT BE ADVERTISED BEFORE APRIL, THOUGH THE RESORT COULD REOPEN JUST FOR SWIMMING THAT SAME MONTH AN AMBITIOUS SCHEDULE We're at the end of February and we're just talking about getting a solicitation together? Christine Robinson Vice Chairwoman County Commission By Rachel Brown Hackney Editor